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Illustrated portrait of Kyle Sackett

A character in The Postman Always Rings Twice

Kyle Sackett

The district attorney who suspects the lovers early and later prosecutes Frank.

What they want

To prove the case he believes the couple's behavior reveals.

The book

Cover of The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
The Postman Always Rings TwiceJames M. Cain, 1934

A roadside affair becomes a murder plan, and getting away with it proves more dangerous than guilt.

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At a glance

Role
District attorney
Target
Frank and Cora
Method
Pressure and bluff
Final case
Cora's death

Who they are in the book

Spoiler-free

Sackett sees through the bathroom accident.

He uses bluff and division to obtain Cora's confession.

He is right about Nick and wrong about Cora.

How the book draws them

Appearance, manner, and tone — as the book sketches them, in our words.

  • RoleDistrict attorney
  • TargetFrank and Cora
  • MethodPressure and bluff
  • Final caseCora's death
What happens to Kyle SackettHow the book leaves them, what happened after, and what the record says. Open when you're ready.

He fails to convict them for Nick's murder but obtains Frank's conviction for Cora's accidental death.

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