The Butterfly

First published in 1946, The Butterfly takes place among the hills and hollers of West Virginia coal country. Cain uses his favorite form of narration, the first-person confessional, in relating this unusual tale of deceit, incest, and murder. Jess Tyler is a church-going mountain man. One day out of the blue, his estranged daughter, Kady, shows up at his cabin and starts throwing herself at him in a most undaughterly way. At least that's the way Jess tells it. Cain leaves a few hints that Jess may not be 100% accurate as a narrator. For example, he claims to be a God fearing teetotaler. Yet he quickly shows himself to be a seasoned expert when it comes to constructing and operating a commercial still.