THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE - INSCRIBED TO RICHARD M. LACKRITZ

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1934. First Edition. Cain's first novel, and one of the defining works of crime fiction to come out of the Depression. "An itinerant worker and the young wife of the Greek owner of a roadside lunchroom near Los Angeles plot her husband's murder. The first attempt fails; the second succeeds. What follows is guilt, suspicion, betrayal, their own deaths, and a novel that anticipated the trend of existentialism in fiction" (Baird 379). Cain was a generous signer of books, nearly to the end of his days, but presentation copies of Postman have always been uncommon. This copy is one of just five that have appeared in the auction record (the others were inscribed to Walter Lippman, Tatnall Brown, Samuel Marx, and Teddy LeBeau). Lackritz (1945-2009) was a bibliophile and pre-eminent Sherlockian, whose comprehensive collection of mystery and detective fiction was offered in a three-part name sale at Christie's in 2002 (a serious literary event). A Haycraft-Queen Cornerstone title, basis for Tay Garnett's classic 1946 film noir starring John Garfield and Lana Turner, and a 1981 remake starring Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. Hubin, p.61. First Printing. Octavo (19.25cm); orange cloth, blocked and titled in dark blue on spine and front cover; dark blue topstain; dustjacket; [viii],[2],3-187,[5]pp. Inscribed by the author on the front endpaper: "To Richard Lackritz / with best regards & the hope he enjoys it / James M. Cain / Hyattsville, MD / June 30, 1977." Gentle sunning to spine and upper board edges, some trivial external wear; Near Fine. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced $2.00), spine-sunned, lightly edgeworn, with a few tiny nicks, and a 1.5cm loss to base of spine panel; Very Good. Housed in a custom clamshell box.