The possibility of bringing white-collar criminals to justice is ever receding over the horizon.

Sometimes life seems so painful it hurts even to move my arms.

I began wanting to create a detective who really turned the tables on that image of women, to know that you could have a sex life and not be a bad person. You could have a sex life and still solve your own problems. It was eight years from when I started having the fantasy that I was going to create such a detective to when I actually sat down and came up with V. I. Warshawski. It was a long, slow journey to come to a writing voice and do that character.

The crime novel has always been my favourite genre.

If you're born lucky, you don't have to be good.

You have to be a ruthless editor of your own prose. Over the years, I've learned that the best way to incorporate research into the narrative is to turn it into action.

I love to sing. I'm a soprano.