Cover Image: The Accomplice

The Accomplice

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Member Reviews

Good read! It took me a second to get a firm grasp on all the different stories, but once I did it was so hard to put down. Unexpected twists and turns, which I love in this genre. Would definitely recommend.

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Lisa Lutz can write a twisty story and this one is no different. I really enjoy the captivating nature of her novels.

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At first, I really thought I had a DNF on my hands; however, as the story evolved I started to enjoy it more and more. The more Lutz dove into her characters, the better their stories became and the more sense everything made. The beginning was definitely choppy and moving in all directions but Lutz did a good job reigning all that in for a complete, well-rounded thriller. 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC.

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Owen and Luna meet in college and develop a strong bond that surpasses a normal friendship, yet they remain only friends. Their friendship survives the death of a classmate and suspicion around the cause of her death. Years later, Owen's wife is found shot and suspicions circle around the two again.
This is the second book I've read by Lisa Lutz, the first being "The Swallows"- I enjoy her writing and story telling style.

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"Ride-or-die" is already one of those terms I'm growing weary of hearing, yet it's the perfect term for the relationship of Owen and Luna, the two main characters in The Accomplice. They've been best friends since college - but still, they each have their secrets from each other, and they're significant ones. Their friendship survived the murder of a friend in college, even though each spent time as a suspect. And now, years later, Luna has found Owen's wife murdered. Be prepared to pay attention - this book is full of twists and turns, and it hops around in time and from one viewpoint to another. But it's full of interesting characters and Lutz keeps you guessing about what's really going on throughout.
Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

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The Accomplice is the story of an unconventional friendship between two unconventional people who find themselves thrust into murder investigations more than their fair share in life. Lisa Lutz does a great job portraying the strange friendship between Luna and Owen. Perhaps a little suspension of belief is required to accept that this friendship has had such staying power through the years, but Lutz makes it work. Instead of twists and turns in this novel , it works more as a slow reveal of additional characters, events and timelines to present the reader with the details of the crimes. At times the pacing felt a bit redundant, but not enough the make this reader impatient or to cast the book aside. Several deaths are investigated in The Accomplish, but it would not qualify as police procedural and the pacing and lack of tension keeps me from calling it a thriller.

The Accomplish is difficult to pin down as a main idea, but it entertains and moves enough to keep a reader engaged. I recommend it based on that

Thank you to Random House Ballantine Publishing and the author for an advanced copy of this book

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The Accomplice is the next compelling novel by Lisa Lutz that focuses on the inseparable friends Luna and Owen. As long as they have known each other they have been friends trusting each other with their secrets and always being there for each other. However, as time goes on and the pair gets older they begin to realize that maybe they don't know each other as well as they thought.

Luna carries the burden of her past that left her changing her name when she spoke against her brother who murdered two girls when Luna was just a teenager. She is an enigma and only comfortable and feels open with Owen. The pair meet in college and forge a strange friendship that carries throughout their lives.

The Accomplice is split into multiple points of view and two timelines focusing on the past when the pair attended college and present day. Regardless of the time line death seems to follow the pair.

In college it is the death of their acquaintance in Markham University and in the present the death of Owen's wife Irene that die the pair to suspected murder where both times Owen is a prime suspect. Luna not for one moment believes that her best friend could possibly murder anyone... could he?

The story leaves the characters and the reader guessing and questioning who they can trust and believe. The story in some pieces seems choppy especially when it comes to Irene's character and past. To me Irene wasn't very well fleshed out and despite her desire to be 'anyone besides herself' there is no clear explanation as to why she plays the game of giving a different name and becoming someone else.

Save for the relationship between Owen and Luna, which is strictly platonic, and the relationship of Mason and Casey all the other relationships and affairs do not seem very well thought out and rushed. The marriages of Sam and Luna, Irene and Owen and affairs between some of the characters in the story don't really seem to make sense to me at all.

Fortunately the strange relationships does not take too much away from the Accomplice. It is obvious from the start that the bond of Luna and Owen is what carries the story to its end. Even when the twists and turns come with a shocker and unexpected revelations of who the murderers are or who they are not , it all comes back to the pair.

Again, Lutz leaves the reader with a compelling story that left me looking forward to the next page. If you are a fan of captivating thrillers or just for Lisa Lutz, this is a must for your to be read list. Until next time, happy reading!

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Lisa lutz has always been able to create quirky, interesting characters I feel like. Luna and Owen are no exceptions. The accomplice tells the story of their strange friendship, moving back-and-forth between their college days in 2019, when Owens wife turns out murdered. Both of them hold secrets which they don’t share with the other, I loved that the two main characters were always at best friends and never romantic partners. That tends to be a rare quality and books these days. There is a lovely suspense to this novel not just who killed Irene but why are Owen and Luna both so secretive. Not just with each other but also their spouses. These two are odd that I can’t say I related to either of them but they definitely intrigued me. I absolutely loved that I had no idea how the story would play out. It was very fast paced and I flew right through it dying to see what was gonna happen next and how it would wrap up. I kind of makes you think how much you can know anyone person for who they truly are and how we’re willing to do whatever to protect our loved ones.

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Owen and Luna meet early in college in 2002 and become best friends. They are inseparable. If you see one, the other can’t be far behind. Present day, they are still inseparable even though they are married to other people. No one can penetrate the Owen and Luna bubble. People find it weird that they have never been romantically involved and can’t really understand their close friendship. In present day Owen’s wife is found murdered and he becomes the main suspect. By default Luna becomes a suspect. Luna is also the one who finds his wife shot to death in a cemetery near her house.
This was such a multi layered story. The chapters alternate between 2002 - 2005 and present day. We find out that Luna has a big secret that she is keeping from everyone back in the early 2000’s. In 2019 is she guilty of killing his wife? Is Owen guilty? Little by little you learn more and more about their friendship, their betrayals , their love lives, and more. I did not want this book to end. Luna and Owen were such real characters to me. I feel like they are people I went to college with and know personally. You should definitely read this book. It is not really a thriller bit more of a literary mystery. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

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I received a reviewer copy of The Accomplice by Lisa Lutz from the publisher Ballatine Books from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Luna and Owen have been best friends since colleges, they are inseparable and so closely connected, that it shocks people that they’ve never gotten together. And more confusing is that Owen’s girlfriends seem to end up dead.

What I Loved: I love Lisa Lutz’s riding so much. I love her dark sense of humor and her ability of building intriguing characters, plot, and mysteries while not reading too much like a pop-thriller. I loved the character of Luna and her background and guilt was so intriguing as a character without being dislikable. I liked the way the plot played out, and didn’t see the end of the book coming.

What I didn’t like so much: At times I got frustrated with the male character Owen, he seemed very problematic to me and he got under my skin that made me struggle with picking up the book sometimes, but ultimately that’s what happens with complex character studies! At times it felt like the side characters should have been a bit more prominent.

Who Should Read It: People who love unique mysteries. People who love dark humor.

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"I think that whatever those two are, it's not normal" Luna and Owen. Owen and Luna. They have a bond that is unbreakable. Their frienship is littered with lies, jealousy, and betrayal. Is one of them a murderer? Did one of the kill for the other? Their relationship is complicated to everyone that is pulled in their orbit. The past comes back with a vengence, as the truth threatens to come out Will history repeat itself? This is a fast paced psychological thriller that had me racing to the end. Compelling, suspenseful and highly entertaining describe this character driven story of the power of friendship. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my copy.

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This book is full of twisted thrills that makes for a fun and addictive read.
We follow two friends who are the suspects in a murder as they get caught up in a web of secrets, will they stand by each others sides through thick and thin? That is the ultimate question.

This was a fast paced book that sucked me in from the first few pages and was hard to put down! It is one that you will want to devour in one sitting!
I really enjoyed the two MC -Luna and Owen, and getting to know each and their deep devotion to one another.

The ending was a bit of a disappointment, but other than that this was a quick, fun, decent read!

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The Accomplice was a wild ride, though not quite as dark as I expected.

Bouncing between two timelines, you learn all the dirty secrets of Owen and Luna's lives. Did Owen really kill his wife or is something deeper at play?

I think Lutz did a great job keeping you in the edge of your seat, and I honestly didn't quite expect that ending.

My main complaint is the amount of vomiting.

Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Owen and Luna have been inseparable best friends since college. They never dated – they've always just been friends, and close ones. When Owen’s wife turns up dead, police quickly discover that she is not the first murder victim that Owen and Luna have been close to. Luna is sure that Owen had nothing to do with either of these murders – but then she finds out that he’s been keeping secrets from her.

I didn’t really like any of these characters, or connect to them emotionally at all. On a scale of Indifferent to Despise, I’m kind of just vaguely annoyed by them, when I feel anything at all. I kept going because I wanted to know the answers to the various mysteries that the book has intertwined – and the plot was interesting enough. I just didn’t really feel invested in the story because I didn’t connect to the characters, and therefore the emotional stakes of the story didn’t really connect either. I also didn’t really care for the loosey-goosey POV, which was kind of third-person omniscient but also kind of not? In most scenes the POV stuck mostly to one character, but then it would randomly include the thought processes of other people. I’ve never cared for that kind of POV.

That being said, it’s a perfectly fine mystery novel, and people who can connect to it emotionally might enjoy it better than I did.

CW: infidelity, murder, depression, abortion

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Excellent read. Great ending as well. Loved the characters & multiple perspectives throughout the book.

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Excellent read. Great ending as well. Loved the characters & multiple perspectives throughout the book.

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Excellent read. Great ending as well. Loved the characters & multiple perspectives throughout the book.

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I requested this because of The Spellman Files. I was hoping for another snarky mystery. While this was not that it was still good enough to keep me reading.

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Luna and Owen have been friends forever. When Owen's wife is murdered the police think Owen is guilty but can't prove anything. Luna wants to help Owen and starts investigating on her own. I was a little disappointed in the outcome of the story line. I'm a big Lisa Lutz fan and enjoy her books. I think part of the problem for me was jumping back and forth between the friends past and present. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

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It's so exciting to finally finish a book. The old me devoured books in a day or two. I don't recognize this person I've become. At one time I was the type of reader that couldn't walk away from a book, regardless of my waning interest in the title. Now... I'm all too happy to chuck anything that doesn't feel worth my time. So... was The Accomplice by Lisa Lutz worth my time? Simply put, obviously since I finished it. On a more complex level, I should have moved on.

Let's get to it...

The Accomplice introduces us to the dynamic duo that is Luna and Owen. The two are the quintessential pair that come from two very different lives but are brought together (like so many) after meeting in college. I mean really, where else can you meet your complete opposite soulmate? Anyway...

Everyone sees the two as a package deal. No they don't date or have any romantic inclinations towards each other but one would suspect they do since they are practically inseparable. They know each other on a whole other level. Most importantly, they know each other's secrets. Or rather, their secret lives...

The only catch with the two is that there seems to be a trail of dead bodies left behind in their wake. Lisa Lutz opens with the mystery that is the death/murder of Owen's wife Irene. Ironically Luna finds her body on a trail they frequently run together. Lutz offers no shortage of suspicion that jumps from one to the other. The Accomplice develops by altering between the past during their college days, and the present where Irene's been killed.

Essentially, there's enough intrigue and mystery to hold tight to waning interests but the ending fell kinda flat for me.

Truth be told I had a more elaborate and descriptive ending to this review but I stepped away from what I was writing and when I picked back up and pressed send Goodreads was basically like nope! We will not be accomplice to you finishing this review with a somewhat preserved idea of a point. Therefore I’ll stop right here and say that For the most part I enjoyed reading Lutz The Accomplice. I only wish the ending didn’t fall so flat for me.

Copy provided by Random Publishing House via Netgalley

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