...What disturbed him was the discovery that in sensibly ordering his affairs he had got out of step, and not into step, with Life.

She grinned at me. 'You got types?' 'Only you darling - lanky brunettes with wicked jaws.

What I try to do is write a story about a detective rather than a detective story. Keeping the reader fooled until the last, possible moment is a good trick and I usually try to play it, but I can't attach more than secondary importance to it. The puzzle isn't so interesting to me as the behavior of the detective attacking it.

Yes,' Spade growled. 'And when you're slapped you'll take it and like it.' He released Cairo's wrist and with a thick open hand struck the side of his face three times savagely.

I distrust a man that says when. If he's got to be careful not to drink to much it's because he's not to be trusted when he does.

Listen, Dundy, it's been a long time since I burst into tears because a policeman didn't like me.

Most things in San Francisco can be bought or taken.