| Set during the Great Depression, the story revolves around Frank Chambers, a drifting ex-boxer who finds himself entangled in a deadly affair when he stops at a rural California diner for a meal.
The diner is owned by Nick Papadakis, a well-meaning but oblivious Greek immigrant, and his much younger wife, Cora. Frank quickly becomes involved with Cora, and their mutual attraction turns into a passionate, obsessive affair. Dissatisfied with her loveless marriage and desperate for a better life, Cora convinces Frank to help her murder Nick so they can take over the diner and start anew.
Their first attempt at murder fails, but they succeed on their second try, staging Nick’s death to look like a car accident. Although they manage to avoid conviction due to legal technicalities and the clever maneuvering of lawyers, the aftermath of the crime haunts them both. Suspicion, guilt, and mistrust begin to unravel their relationship.
Just as they try to move on and reclaim some normalcy, fate intervenes again. Cora dies in a freak car accident, and Frank is arrested for her murder. Ironically, after escaping justice once, he is now condemned for a crime he didn’t commit.
In the novel’s closing, Frank reflects on the cruelty of fate and the inevitability of punishment. The “postman” of the title becomes a metaphor for destiny and justice—he always rings, even if late.
Dark, raw, and filled with existential tension, Cain’s novel is a cornerstone of American noir fiction. Its themes of lust, betrayal, and moral ambiguity continue to resonate with readers and have influenced generations of crime writers and filmmakers. |
