Crime fiction Quote by Gerald Kersh
““He was one of those men who can both get money and keep it. He must have been a millionaire. He kept accounts. He introduced a post-office atmosphere into his shady dealings. Not a stamp, not a pen-nib escaped him, and he would stay up half the night to figure out what had happened to a mislaid farthing. You cannot conceive the caution and the meanness of that man! He would have made a Syrian pawn-broker appear like Diamond Jim Brady. But he had brains, and also nerve. At the same time, he was as smooth as glycerine. He looked like an octopus — he had a dirtyish pallor, no shape, evil eyes, and a beak. In shaking hands with him, you felt that six or seven other hands were investigating your pockets while a dozen eyes watched you. He was feared. He made money out of everything. But he was still unknown to the police.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The House of Gloom by Gerald Kersh, 1935
A shrewd, meticulous criminal mastermind who obsessively tracks every detail, blending intelligence with ruthless caution.
In simple terms: A clever, careful criminal who watches everything.
Key Takeaway
Beware of over‑analysis and paranoia.
Themes
caution
power
deception
control
Mood
suspicious
analytical
Type
character study
warning
When to use this quote
- business negotiations
- financial audits
- risk management
- security assessments
Key Concepts
psychology
crime
detail orientation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does obsessive detail affect relationships?
- When does caution become paranoia?
A Different Perspective
His extreme vigilance can breed mistrust and isolation.
![“The built-in form is a window frame. You can use this genre [crime fiction] to go where you want to go, and explore what you want to explore. In some ways it gives you a lot of freedom because you have a framework readers are looking for.” quote by Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2cc/michael-connelly-1004_books_the-built-in-form-is-a-window-frame-you_161714.jpg)
