I have come to think of violence as a self-perpetuating mania of the power of the aggressive over those less strong.

I've been accused of being a minimalist writer. I don't like a lot of verbiage in there.

Chance wore a white tuxedo with tails. On anyone else? Doopy. On him? Yes, please.

Death in anonymity is the ultimate insult to human dignity.

Who's going to rob us? A crackhead crab? A jellyfish junkie?

Why do all your brilliant ideas involve felonies?

I've never lost my capacity to be shocked.

Indecision is the key to flexibility.

Channel your outrage ... Do that which you are able to do.

Though a good cop, Luc Claudel has the patience of a firecracker, the sensitivity of Vlad the Impaler, and a persistent skepticism as to the value of forensic anthropology. Snappy dresser, though.

Experience is a valuable thing. It enables us to recognize mistakes when we repeat them.

Your nightmares follow you like a shadow, forever.

He was still thoughtful. 'Do you think any of us ever really knows anyone?' 'Philosophy, Lord Dryden? And yet it's daylight and everyone is still sober.

Spread the light of love in the spirit of purity of the soul.

I've known how to control my anger, but that doesn't mean I don't feel it. Page 190

I'm really drawn to the uncompromising realness of natural process: It's unadorned. It's not very pretty.

I can assure you, if we pull this off, we'll all be celebrating just like we always do.

The better we get at getting better, the faster we will get better.

I can't think of anything I would do differently in my life. It would be nice to undo some of my mistakes I made over the years, but then I wouldn't have grown professionally or personally.

My family's really close.

The only thing tragedy gives us is the opportunity to rebuild our life.