A century ago, Scribner published two literary masterpieces within 18 months of each other. It marked the pinnacle of possibly the greatest literary rivalry ever.

The creator of Philip Marlowe is still celebrated as one of the greats, not just by readers but also by critics.

My busiest year of reading ever revealed just how many great crime novels are being published these days. And that literary fiction in the 2020s is pretty dull.

The celebrated author lists three Cs in his code for writing a thriller — crucible, contract and clock. But there’s a fourth C that he uses to great effect in his best books.

A new website this year has collated the rankings of the greatest books ever. How do you think crime novels have performed in the rankings?

When I was 20, I hitchhiked twice to San Francisco and was captivated by Haight-Ashbury. Some graffiti I read in a coffee shop washroom sealed the deal.

Well, it was about my grandmother’s second husband’s father. No, I never met the guy, but I’ll still claim the connection.

Strange to set a crime series in Haight-Ashbury in the 1960s? Fact is the neighborhood’s lore has always been steeped in cops and criminals.