We English are good at forgiving our enemies; it releases us from the obligation of liking our friends.

In 1930s mysteries, all sorts of motives were credible which aren't credible today, especially motives of preventing guilty sexual secrets from coming out. Nowadays, people sell their guilty sexual secrets.

We live in a society which salves its conscience more by helping the interestingly unfortunate than the dull deserving.

Most of my life I have needed more time to be on my own.

Crime fiction confirms our belief, despite some evidence to the contrary, that we live in a rational, comprehensible, and moral universe.

Authors always take rejection badly. They equate it with infanticide.

Read widely and with discrimination. Bad writing is contagious.