Leo Bruce > Quotes

“If I had learnt nothing else from my study of the methods of the three great men sitting near me, I had learnt this, that they would eventually pick out the one person I had not suspected. So I followed the simple plan of suspecting everyone. I was determined not to be surprised.”
― Leo Bruce, Case for Three Detectives: A Sergeant Beef Detective Story

“I had learnt that after a murder it is quite proper and conventional for everyone in the house to join the investigators in this entertaining game of hide-and-seek which seemed wholly to absorb us. It was not extraordinary for there to be three total strangers questioning the servants, or for the police to be treated with smiling patronage, or for the corpse to be pulled about by anyone who was curious to know how it had become a corpse. But when I thought of the man to whom the tragedy would be something more than an entrancing problem for talented investigators, I really wondered how these queer customs had arisen.”
― Leo Bruce, Case for Three Detectives: A Sergeant Beef Detective Story

“Simon.”
― Leo Bruce, Case for Three Detectives: A Sergeant Beef Detective Story

“Suddenly a sound like a water-pipe with air in it came from Mrs Gunn and Carolus realized that she was giggling.”
― Leo Bruce, Dead Man’s Shoes

“Beer?" she said. "Thank you." "Two pints," she told the barmaid. "How long have you been married?" asked Carolus. "A year. Must meet Phil. He's a pet." It really sounded as if she meant a domestic one. "I should like to." "Now—business," said Mrs Roper as though this frivolous and expansive conversation had gone on too long.”
― Leo Bruce, Dead Man’s Shoes

“Picon, who had remained silent for some time, now started assiduously to rearrange the fire-irons.”
― Leo Bruce, Case for Three Detectives: A Sergeant Beef Detective Story

“Picon,”
― Leo Bruce, Case for Three Detectives: A Sergeant Beef Detective Story

“I suppose the dinner will be delicious? Grand old English cooking?" "It's ever so nice tonight. We've just got a new cook." They went through to the dining-room, where they ate the usual tinned soup, tasteless plaice from the icebox in composite batter, a shaving of cold meat with hot gravy over it, tinned peas and processed cheese. A wine list was produced, and Carolus ordered a Burgundy which arrived lukewarm, and they ended with bad coffee of the same temperature.”
― Leo Bruce, Dead Man’s Shoes

“Lord Simon,”
― Leo Bruce, Case for Three Detectives: A Sergeant Beef Detective Story

“I have known people, after murders, to go whole days without eating.”
― Leo Bruce, Case for Three Detectives: A Sergeant Beef Detective Story

“here we were with a new suspect, but his introduction did not seem to have produced much effect on the three investigators. This, I reflected, accorded with precedent, for investigators in these cases are never, by any chance, to be taken by surprise.”
― Leo Bruce, Case for Three Detectives: A Sergeant Beef Detective Story

“This is a duty call, Mr Deene. I have given much thought to the matter before broaching it to you. But I feel that in justice to all I can do no less. If I seem to stray beyond the limits of charity, you will understand, I hope." "I'm afraid I don't understand much yet," said Carolus truthfully.”
― Leo Bruce, Dead Man’s Shoes

“Mgr. Smith”
― Leo Bruce, Case for Three Detectives: A Sergeant Beef Detective Story