Well, of course, it was not any of my business but you get very queer glimpses of life sometimes, and you can't help speculating about them.

When the sea goes down, there will come from the mainland boats and men. And they will find ten dead bodies and an unsolved problem on Indian Island.

I said, life will not pass her by. Strange and exciting events will surround her. You've only got to look at her to know it.

There seems to be a general idea that a clergyman is incapable of behaving like a gentleman. That is not true.

The amount of missing girls I've had to trace and their family and their friends always say the same thing. 'She was a bright and affectionate disposition and had no men friends'. That's never true. It's unnatural. Girls ought to have men friends. If not, then there's something wrong about them....

Yes, said Miss Marple. The children of Lucifer are often beautiful—And as we know, they flourish like the green bay tree.

What a person really is, is only apparent when the test comes—that is, the moment when you stand or fall on your own feet.

His mind, shrinking from reality, ran for safety along these unimportant details.

Retired soldiers are the worst sufferers when they engage in financial operations. I have found that their credulity far exceeds that of widows--and that is saying a good deal.

When the fact doesn't meet the theory then let go the theory.

Death, mademoiselle, unfortunately creates a prejudice. A prejudice in favour of the deceased... There is a great charity always to the dead.

Sloppy crying had never helped anyone yet.

The old gentleman refuses to have the telephone which he regards as a device of the devil, and on a par with radio, television, cinema organs and jet planes, so I had to take a chance of finding him at home.