I don't have a partner, so I take care of the mortgage by myself, and I was thinking, 'Oh God, I'm going to have to sell the house or find a new career.' I was not in a good place, but it was a real spur to get 'The Girl on the Train' right. I had to nail it and do it really well. It really concentrates the mind, that kind of thing.

Obviously, my name is known now, but I don't think people generally tend to recognize authors very much. People like J. K. Rowling maybe, Gillian Flynn might be recognized, but I reckon she could walk by me on the street, and I wouldn't know who she was.

I realized I do tragedy better than comedy.

Having something commissioned made it easier for me to share my work and see it out there and have people read it without feeling like there was a piece of my soul on the page.

I am interested in the ordinary sort of threat. I know that people are interested in things like serial killers and what have you, but actually, those aren't the sort of crimes that really happen very much. The sort of crimes that happen tend to be more of a domestic nature and quite banal, but the psychology behind them is always fascinating.

Women become invisible as they age; men become impotent.

Prince Charles was a lot wittier than I thought he'd be, and passionate about the environment and architecture.

I'm all about supporting anyone whose art is also the way they make their living.

Queer art is as much about starting conversations as it is about making dramatic statements.

I think all art - even one as lowly as making jokes about celebrities - is there to make a connection.

Time plays a role in almost every decision. And some decisions define your attitude about time.

My first feeling about the paper and the attitude is that it is absurd.