I like to walk around Manhattan, catching glimpses of its wild life, the pigeons and cats and girls.

I think one or two of the later Holmes stories are among the best.

What do I believe in? Belief means faith, and there's only one damned thing in the world I have any faith in. That's the idea of American democracy, because it seems to me so obvious that that's the only sensible way to run human affairs.

The requisitions of the income tax have added greatly to the attractions of mercenary crime.

One of the hardest things to believe is that anyone will abandon the effort to escape a charge of murder. It is extremely important to suspend disbelief on that. If you don't, the story is spoiled.

A guest is a jewel on the cushion of hospitality

As a professional writer of detective stories, I string along with the ballplayers. I love a ball game.