Serenade by James M Cain

"How she got my name and address didn't bother me."

Take a delightfully noir trip back to Mexico in the thirties, where a washed up Opera singer and a seductive prostitute make for an unlikely but engaging couple. There will be murder, sex, singing, the love that dares not speak its name and sea travel. As per Cain's other works such as the more well known The Postman Always Rings Twice, Mildred Pierce and Double Indemnity, you won't want to miss this. It is just great.

His characters smoulder, you can almost hear the opera in the air while you're running from angry politicos.

The Internet, that wonderful source of information, tells me that there was a film version of this made and I would really love to see it! Somehow, I imagine, given the timing, it would be a far less suggestive piece than the novel. Indeed wikipedia confirms they ditched the brothel plans, the bisexuality and pretty much re-wrote the story - oh but there was an Opera singer - that's one win.

This was a very unexpected tale, which made it all the more intriguing. For some reason I thought of it when watching The Counselor  at the movies yesterday, and it wasn't just due to my Michael Fassbender obsession, but he would make a really interesting protagonist in an updated cinematic reinterpretation. Tenuous link i know, but it gives me a reason to post this...

5 out of 5 reasons to get hot and sweaty in the desert.