Seventeen gripping tales from one of the toughest authors in the history of crime fiction.

James M. Cain: Introduction /by Otto Penzler -- The baby in the icebox -- Pay-off girl -- Two o'clock blonde -- The birthday party -- Brush fire -- Coal black -- Career in C major -- Death on the beach -- Dead man -- The girl in the storm -- Joy ride to glory -- Pastorale -- Mommy's a barfly -- The taking of Montfaucon -- Cigarette girl -- The robbery -- The money and the woman (The embezzler).