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.

I deserve all the love you can spare me. And I want a lot more than I deserve.

My way of learning is to heave a wild and unpredictable monkey-wrench into the machinery.

A lot of fancier yarns come from people trying to tell the truth. It’s not easy once you’re out of the habit.

Nora: "How do you feel?" Nick: "Terrible. I must've gone to bed sober.

Feed the lettuce to the bunny and eat the bunny.

I once knew a man who stole a Ferris Wheel.