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Ronald Knox
(17 Feb 1888 - 24 Aug 1957)
English priest and author who introduced ten rules for effective mystery writing, outlining the importance of fair play by an author such that the reader have a fair chance of resolving the mystery.
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Science Quotes by Ronald Knox (1)
Knox was engaged in a theological discussion with scientist Johns Scott Haldane. 'In a universe containing millions of planets,' reasoned Haldane, 'is it not inevitable that life should appear on at least one of them?'
'Sir,' replied Knox, 'if Scotland Yard found a body in your cabin trunk, would you tell them: 'There are millions of trunks in the world; surely one of them must contain a body? I think the would still want to know who put it there.'
'Sir,' replied Knox, 'if Scotland Yard found a body in your cabin trunk, would you tell them: 'There are millions of trunks in the world; surely one of them must contain a body? I think the would still want to know who put it there.'
— Ronald Knox
Quoted in Clifton Fadiman (ed.) and André Bernard (ed.), Bartlett's Book of Anecdotes (2000), 324. See also Richard Hazelett and Dean Turner, Benevolent Living (1990), 49, citing John J. McAleer
