This paper aims to provide a detailed analysis of the use of direct speech across different time periods and domains. To create a reliable database for these analyses, we need to measure the usage of direct speech in a large and representative corpus. This task is more challenging than it may sound: While, nowadays, direct speech is often marked very explicitly by the use of quotes, this has not always been consistently the case. Many historical novels are not available in a well-edited form, meaning that there may be inconsistent use of quotation, or no quotation at all (Brunner, 2013). In this case, a more robust method for detecting direct speech is necessary.