Normally on Sundays we take a look at the beginning of a Peter Abrahams novel including those written under the Spencer Quinn moniker, but since the subject of movie actors came up this week – in the context of who might play Bernie in a Chet and Bernie movie – how about this little snippet from A FISTFUL OF COLLARS, the C&B mystery where a movie star plays a big real-life role? Bernie is talking to Nixon Panero, owner of Nixon’s Presidential Autobody, but also movie buff – and wannabe screenwriter (who may not be wannabe forever!).

“That’s a whole scene?” Bernie said. “A guy tosses in his sleep?”

“All depends on how it’s handled,” Nixon said. “Film’s a director’s medium – gotta keep that in mind. Take the cigarette lighting scene in Now Voyager – what would that look like on the page? Zip. But on the screen … well, there are some things you never forget.”