Frank Chambers, a drifter, begins an affair with Cora, the young wife of a roadside diner owner.

Their passionate and destructive relationship quickly spirals into a plot to murder Cora's husband. Cain's novel is a stark and brutal exploration of lust, greed, and the consequences of unchecked desire.

The writing is lean, powerful, and sexually charged, creating a sense of claustrophobia and impending doom.