“I dunno whether it was to do with my parents - we were working-class - but it was important to me to be self-sufficient.”

“The great thing about America is I always come back with more books and more tip-offs of who to read. It's a country in love with crime fiction.”

“I wrote 'Knots and Crosses,' the first of the Rebus books, not even realising that I was writing crime fiction.”

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”

“I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me...”

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like it's heaven on earth.”

“So many books, so little time.”

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”