Never do anything yourself that others can do for you.

I've always believed in writing without a collaborator, because where two people are writing the same book, each believes he gets all the worry and only half the royalties.

Most successes are unhappy. That's why they are successes - they have to reassure themselves about themselves by achieving something that the world will notice.

It is a curious thought, but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them.

I specialize in murders of quiet, domestic interest.

I live now on borrowed time, waiting in the anteroom for the summons that will inevitably come. And then - I go on to the next thing, whatever it is. One doesn't, luckily, have...

I don't think necessity is the mother of invention. Invention, in my opinion, arises directly from idleness, possibly also from laziness - to save oneself trouble.

Everything that has existed, lingers in the Eternity.

Good advice is always certain to be ignored, but that's no reason not to give it.

But surely for everything you have to love you have to pay some price.

Curious things, habits. People themselves never knew they had them.

Every murderer is probably somebody's old friend.

Crime is terribly revealing. Try and vary your methods as you will, your tastes, your habits, your attitude of mind, and your soul is revealed by your actions.

The popular idea that a child forgets easily is not an accurate one. Many people go right through life in the grip of an idea which has been impressed on them in very tender years.

These little grey cells. It is up to them.

The best time to plan a book is while you're doing the dishes.

One doesn't recognize the really important moments in one's life until it's too late.

One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life is, I think, to have a happy childhood.

It is ridiculous to set a detective story in New York City. New York City is itself a detective story.

Any woman can fool a man if she wants to and if he's in love with her.