THREE OF A KIND

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1943. First Edition. First publication in book format of three short novels: Career in C Major, The Embezzler, and Double Indemnity. Because screenwriting in Hollywood occasionally dried up, Cain often found himself in need of money; Double Indemnity was written during one of those dry periods. Cain worked quickly to finish this tale of sex, murder, and insurance fraud set in California, and managed to sell it to Liberty Magazine for $5,000, where it ran as an eight-part serial in 1936. The serial was sensationally popular, reportedly adding eight million to the magazine's circulation (Hoopes, p.303). Basis for Billy Wilder's 1944 film noir, with a screenplay by Raymond Chandler, starring Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson. The Dark Page, Vol.1, pp.44-45; Hubin, p.61; Pronzini & Muller, pp.106-107. First Printing. Octavo (20.25cm); rust-colored cloth, with titling and decorations stamped in gilt on spine and author's initials in blind to front cover; maroon topstain; dustjacket; xx,327,[5]pp. Touch of dust-soil to upper board edges, subtle offsetting to endpapers, else very Near Fine. In the second state dustjacket, with upper corner of front flap clipped, $2.50 rubber-stamped price to lower corner of same, and rear panel printing a two-paragraph statement by Cain regarding war bonds; trivial wear to extremities, hint of sunning to spine, with a shallow loss to lower front flap fold, and a tiny nick to rear flap fold; Near Fine.