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We're going Old School for November! =) Please feel free to join us for The Cocktail Waitress by James M. Cain. If you are not familiar with this author, he is also responsible for writing such classics as Mildred Pierce, The Postman Always Rings Twice & Double Indemnity.

Below is the summary from GR.

Following her husband's death in a suspicious car accident, beautiful young widow Joan Medford is forced to take a job serving drinks in a cocktail lounge to make ends meet and to have a chance of regaining custody of her young son. At the job she encounters two men who take an interest in her, a handsome young schemer who makes her blood race and a wealthy but unwell older man who rewards her for her attentions with a $50,000 tip and an unconventional offer of marriage...

Fun Fact: This book was actually published in 2012. It was a lost, unpublished novel discovered 35 years after his death!

I am super excited for this one! I am a big fan of James M. Cain's writing style. He writes similar stories to Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, but I appreciate his concise writing style. He never says "blah blah" when he could just say "blah." The books tend to be a bit dark. I'm really excited.

Nothing like almost getting into a fistfight at a funeral to start this novel off! =)

Alissa wrote: "Nothing like almost getting into a fistfight at a funeral to start this novel off! =)"

I am always bothered by James M. Cain's portrayal of women, yet not enough to put me off reading his books. He's such a great writer. He didn't seem happy in his personal life, married like four times, and I think that transfers to his work. The first chapter to this book makes me sure that this will not be the book where Cain redeems himself in my eyes. :-) :-) :-)

OMG Ethel is a self-righteous hoity-toity judgmental twat. lol Can't stand her!

Alissa wrote: "OMG Ethel is a self-righteous hoity-toity judgmental twat. lol Can't stand her!"

I can usually find something nice to say about almost everybody, but thinking of something nice to say about her would take way too much time and effort. :-)

What did you think about this book being written from the perspective of a woman? I can't think of any other books by James M. Cain that are written from a woman's perspective, and I thought that was a nice twist.