Moving to New York made all the difference in my creating this new series with Ellie Hatcher. I love Portland, and it’s always going to be one of my favorite cities, but it was getting to the point where, after I’d moved to New York, I couldn’t write as specifically about Portland any more.

Jesse James‘s next tattoo should be a warning label: Danger. Loving this man could break you.

Apathy is grossly undervalued and never there for me when I need it.

In our system, we leave questions of fact to a jury. But to render a verdict, a jury must know the law. For this, we rely upon jury instructions. Instructions are supposed to translate the law into lay terms that the jury can apply to the facts as they determine them.

I find myself more and more behind these days. You have to be really diligent. I don’t have kids, which helps. I’m always working on something, whether a book, or a law review article that no one will ever read, or teaching. It pretty much means I work a lot, but it’s all stuff I love.

The best crime novels are all based on people keeping secrets. All lying – you may think a lie is harmless, but you put them all together and there’s a calamity.

Playing well with others isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Hmmm… cooking with wine? I usually drink wine while cooking… I do a good braised short ribs with cabernet, though. We’re big red wine drinkers here. All that research showing that it’s good for you takes the guilt away.

There are writers out there who say they’re writing a second series, and then you pick it up and it feels exactly the same, only the lead character is blonde instead of brunette.

Before we condemn the jurors who acquitted George Zimmerman, we should remember that they were asked to do something extraordinary. They were asked to listen to the facts and apply the law to the best of their ability in a case the world was watching.

Anyone who was tempted to draw comparisons between my father‘s ‘Dave Robicheaux’ series and my first book quickly gave up.

Anyone who’s had a shower and hasn’t ingested illegal narcotics within a couple of days stands out on a bench in the courthouse.

According to FBI statistics for 2008, only 22 percent of murder victims were killed by strangers. More than 30 percent were slain by family members, boyfriends, and girlfriends. Nearly half of all murders were committed by friends, neighbors, and casual acquaintances.

No Time For Goodbye is a deliciously smart thriller, full of surprises and perfect pacing. I’m jealous I didn’t write it.

Nothing worse than reading a love scene written by your father.