James M. Cain 1946 Photo: AP / TT
Sample of authors
Cain, James M.
The American author and journalist James Mallahan Cain was a prominent figure in 20th century fiction. Alongside Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, he was among the first authors of "hardboiled" crime fiction that came to influence American noir fiction and film. Many of his works are considered classics, especially the novellas The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934) and Double Indemnity...
Literary figures
Thackeray Phin
Gender: Male
For the last two years, the American professor of Philosophy, Thackeray Phin, has been in London where to his great delight he can solve some unusually complicated ‘impossible’ crimes. He is tall and thin and looks like George Bernard Shaw. He dresses eccentrically too, preferably in old-fashioned plus fours, and generally has an umbrella with him. John Sladek has written two entertaining and wel...