Quotes from The Goodbye Look

Ross Macdonald ·  256 pages

Rating: (1.1K votes)


“I have a secret passion for mercy. But justice is what keeps happening to people.”
― Ross Macdonald, quote from The Goodbye Look


“We merged our lonelinesses once again, in something less than love but sweeter than self. I didn’t get home to West Los Angeles after all.”
― Ross Macdonald, quote from The Goodbye Look


“I’ve spilled all my secrets. How do you make people do it?” “I don’t. People like to talk about what’s hurting them. It takes the edge off the pain sometimes.”
― Ross Macdonald, quote from The Goodbye Look


“What did the old man want?” “Your husband’s money, just like everyone else.” “But not you, eh?” Her voice was sardonic. “Not me,” I said. “Money costs too much.”
― Ross Macdonald, quote from The Goodbye Look


“daughter?’ ‘She was a beautiful child.’ Mrs Williams’s eyes grew misty with the quasi-maternal feelings of a procuress.”
― Ross Macdonald, quote from The Goodbye Look



“That isn’t your real motivation. I know your type. You have a secret passion for justice. Why don’t you admit it?” “I have a secret passion for mercy,” I said. “But justice is what keeps happening to people.”
― Ross Macdonald, quote from The Goodbye Look


“I’m sick of always doing the professional thing for prudential reasons.’ I”
― Ross Macdonald, quote from The Goodbye Look


About the author

Ross Macdonald
Born place: in Los Gatos, California,, The United States
Born date December 13, 1915
See more on GoodReads

Popular quotes

“He’s immense, intense, and lethal. His eyes…God, his eyes are the most frightening and beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. There is no escaping them. No escaping him.”
― Francette Phal, quote from Flawed


“She wants to know why she can’t hear you,” Rue explains. “I told her your voice has been lost, so she’s keeping your hand until it comes back.”
― Josin L. McQuein, quote from Arclight


“Leading behavioral researchers have told us that as much as seventy-seven percent of everything we think is negative, counterproductive, and works against us. At the same time, medical researchers have said that as much as seventy-five percent of all illnesses are self-induced.”
― quote from What to Say When You Talk to Yourself


“There is nothing left when you reach the center of everything, just the pit of bones inside the innermost circle.”
― Rick Yancey, quote from The Isle of Blood


“So promise me you'll let me be whatever you need. Whatever you need.”
― Lorelei James, quote from Bound


Interesting books

The Water is Wide
(16.5K)
The Water is Wide
by Pat Conroy
The Silkworm
(162.3K)
The Silkworm
by Robert Galbraith
Through a Glass, Darkly
(5.8K)
Through a Glass, Dar...
by Jostein Gaarder
Other Voices, Other Rooms
(10.9K)
Other Voices, Other...
by Truman Capote
Catching Jordan
(54.1K)
Catching Jordan
by Miranda Kenneally
The Last Guardian
(42.3K)
The Last Guardian
by Eoin Colfer

About BookQuoters

BookQuoters is a community of passionate readers who enjoy sharing the most meaningful, memorable and interesting quotes from great books. As the world communicates more and more via texts, memes and sound bytes, short but profound quotes from books have become more relevant and important. For some of us a quote becomes a mantra, a goal or a philosophy by which we live. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry with us the author’s best ideas.

We thoughtfully gather quotes from our favorite books, both classic and current, and choose the ones that are most thought-provoking. Each quote represents a book that is interesting, well written and has potential to enhance the reader’s life. We also accept submissions from our visitors and will select the quotes we feel are most appealing to the BookQuoters community.

Founded in 2023, BookQuoters has quickly become a large and vibrant community of people who share an affinity for books. Books are seen by some as a throwback to a previous world; conversely, gleaning the main ideas of a book via a quote or a quick summary is typical of the Information Age but is a habit disdained by some diehard readers. We feel that we have the best of both worlds at BookQuoters; we read books cover-to-cover but offer you some of the highlights. We hope you’ll join us.