“She was one of those women that makes any red blooded male look at her and go, ‘Ah yes … now I remember why I’m a man.”

“She was the kind of woman that makes a man go, 'Ah yes! Now I remember why I'm a man.”

“I’m sorry, I thought you were together.’‘Why, do I look like an organ grinder?’ said Cobb.”

“Rufus Cobb was having one of those days. You know … one of those days. You know the ones, the sort of day where you just want to go home and be cruel to a small animal.”

“Look,’ said Cobb, ‘I live in the city. The only wildlife I ever get to see is rats. If I want to catch a rabbit I go to the butchers!”

“And then there were her eyes. Two grey gimlets. They had a gaze that could strip wallpaper. They made you think that she could look deeply into your eyes and read the manufacturer’s label on the inside of your skull.”

“Oh yes that’s right, you’re man of principle aren’t you?’ Jim said, somewhat tetchily. ‘Made of unbending rock with no room for compromise. Heart of oak, nerves of steel, a will of iron … and a knob of butter.”