Quotes from Jeff Lindsay

the only light in this tiny-mooned night comes from the windows of the apartment building, a matching purple halo from each window, a dozen televisions all tuned to the pointless, empty, idiotic unreality o the same reality show, everyone watching in vacuous lockstep as true reality cruises slowly past outside licking its chops

It's not that I have anything to hide—I've already hidden all of it—but

carpe diem." "What?" "It's Latin," I said. "It means, complain in daylight.

Miami drivers have long ago take the simple chore of going from one place to another and turned it into a kind of high-speed, heavily armed game of high-stakes bumper cars.

Have you ever noticed that every now and then you'll overhear an amazingly clear declarative sentence when you're out in public, spoken with such force and purpose that you absolutely yearn to know what it means, because it is just so forceful and crystalline? And you want to follow along behind whoever just spoke, even though you don;t know them, just to find out what that sentence means and how it would affect the lives of the people involved?

Of course I had. That's how I do it.

It's an odd term, 'girlfriend,' particularly for grown persons. And in practice it provides an even odder concept. Generally speaking, in adults it described a woman, not a girl, who was willing to provide sex, not friendship. In fact, from what I had observed it was quite possible for one to actively dislike one's girlfriend, although of course true hatred is reserved for marriage.

What is it, I wonder, that they hope to Correct? I am what I am, irredeemably, irretrievably, implacably — as are most of my fellow desperadoes here in Correctional Facility. We are monsters.

the Need was very strong now, very careful cold coiled creeping crackly cocked and ready, very strong, very much ready now—and still it waited and watched and it made me wait and watch.

I enjoy my work; sorry if that bothers you.

My God, I said. You move so silently. So you have had ninja training. I have two older brothers, Vince said. It's the same thing. I held up the white paper bag and bowed. Master, I bring a gift. He looked at the bag curiously. My Buddha bless you, grasshopper. What is it? I tossed him the bag. It hit him in the chest and slid to the floor. So much for ninja training, I said.

Acaso no estábamos todos locos cuando dormíamos? ¿Qué era el sueño, al fin y al cabo, sino el proceso por el cual vaciábamos nuestra demencia al pozo oscuro del inconsciente quedando así listos para levantarse a la mañana siguiente y a desayunarnos con cereales en lugar de hacerlo con los niños del vecino? -Dexter

in the best tradition of Miami watercraft, most of the other boaters seemed to be trying to kill me. I found that very relaxing. I was right at home. This is my country; these are my people.

If everyone else in the world were to mysteriously disappear, I would feel irritated about it only because there would be no one to make me doughnuts.

When an intruder has paid a visit, in the natural course of events your things are gone: toys, valuables, private relics, the last few chocolate chip cookies.

This whole business of telling the truth just never seems to work without some kind of awkward unpleasantness.

For my part, my interest in Paris had faded away completely long ago when I learned that it was in France.

I suppose I should have died right then from pure misery and self-pity, but if those things were fatal, no one would ever make it past thirteen years old.

At nineteen, I certainly didn't know the answer, although I already knew more about death than most of the other pimple-ridden pudding heads in my sophomore class at the University of Miami.

If I ever have to see something like that again, he told us, I will retire and raise dachshunds.

What's in here? That hurt." He reached into the bag, frowning. "It better not be body parts." He pulled out the huge cinnamon roll and eyed it. "Ay, caramba. My village will not starve this year. We are very grateful, grasshopper." He bowed, holding up the pastry. "A debt repaid is a blessing on us all, my child.

The honor of your presence is requested at the vivisection of your sister. Black heart optional.

But as I have noticed on more than one occasion, life itself is unfair, and there is no complaint department, so we might as well accept things the way they happen, clean up the mess, and move on.

Rita was almost as badly damaged as I am.