TWO-CENT TUESDAY

Below are a few (somewhat) brief $.02 opinions about books I've read or listened to recently but don't have the opportunity to review in full. Many of these titles I enjoyed as much or more than those that got the full court press. I hope you'll consider one or two for your own TBR stack if they strike your fancy whether they struck mine or not.

The Accomplice, Lisa Lutz

When I see the brilliant Liza Lutz is coming out with a new title, I don't need to know anything about plot before getting myself a copy. I know I'll get three things--smart, funny, and whiskey. The Accomplice is a time-shifting story about two unlikely friends, Luna and Owen, who meet in college when Owen somehow charms his way through Luna's insular caution. Years later, the pair remains best friends, but a death from their college years comes back to haunt them when Owen's wife is found murdered. Why do murders seem to follow these two around? And how well do they really know each other? Lutz's books are always steeped in the character work she does so well, and this look into an intimate, long-shared history, wrapped in multiple mysteries, is another masterful work.

Great psychological thriller read.
About Owen and Luna who have been friends since college and are as different as can be but have a "Ride or die" type bond that takes them through love, marriages friends and deaths.
A very fast paced riveting read.
My first book from this Author and won't be my last.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House, Ballantine and the Author Lisa Lutz for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a page turner! I love when my mind goes back and forth throughout a whole book of just who I think did it. I kept thinking it had to be one person and then I would think it was another person. Lisa Lutz expertly wrote the story in a way that you question everyone and their motifs.

Owen and Luna have been Owen and Luna since college. Nothing romantic, just true blue friends who are always there for each other, no question. Would Luna lie to cover up that fact that Owen murdered his wife? Had she done it before when a college girl who was seeing Owen died? Does Owen know all of Luna's secrets? As the murder of his wife is being investigated, all the secrets fall open.

This is such a fantastic whodunit! I have always enjoyed the author's work, especially the Spellman Files series. I love how this really makes you think. I love the slow reveal of all the pieces. The killer was quite a surprise to my wondering mind.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for a copy of this book.

One-sentence summary:
Luna and Owen have been platonic friends since college, but when she finds the body of Owen’s wife dead from a gunshot wound, suspicion turns to Owen, causing an unexplained death during their college years to come back to haunt them.

—

This, which flips back and forth between the present and the college years of these two friends, held my attention to a certain extent. I found the characters of Luna and Owen - as well as their relationship to each other - to be pleasingly complex, especially for a book in the mystery & thriller genre. I also appreciated the fact that they both had some quirky, and at times unlikeable, qualities.

What I struggled with was the fact that I felt emotionally removed from all of the characters and the story as a whole. This is the first time I’ve read anything by Lutz, and I’m not sure if that distance – what felt almost like a coldness – can be attributed to her writing style or a specific choice she made with this book. At times, I enjoyed the feeling of disconnect and was hoping there was a reason for it, but after reaching the end and reflecting on it, I think it was less a conscious choice and more this author’s writing style. Still, even though I didn’t feel connected to the characters, I found them fascinating.

The plotting, I will say, seemed contrived to me. Yes, all fiction is made up, but sometimes too many things are held back from the reader at the wrong time that it just starts to feel like you’re being a bit manipulated and the believability wanes.

I did really enjoy this read, although it won’t be as memorable as some of the other books I’ve loved in the genre. It was the complex characters that kept me reading, and I’d recommend it for that alone.

Thank you Ballantine Books for the ARC!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The characters were quirky and the story moved along alternating between the past and the present. I loved the twists and turns along the way - this is the first book I've read by Lisa Lutz. I am going to pick up The Passenger next - sounds really good!

Thank you to Netgalley, Lisa, and Ballantine for an advance copy of The Accomplice.

Owen and Luna became unlikely friends in college. Despite being very different, they become inseparable after their initial meeting, and everyone knows where one goes the other follows. After one of Owen’s paramours mysteriously dies, Luna stands by him while the rest of the school points fingers and pins him as a murderer. Unfortunately, this is not the last death they will encounter together. Luna was the last person to see Owen’s wife alive. While they both maintain their innocence, secrets surface that put both of them as key suspects in the murder.

This is my second Lisa Lutz book, the first being The Swallows. Both books had a school setting, and I love school settings. I was happy to see that this book takes place in college, offering a little more mature characters and potentially darker material (although The Swallows was also very dark and I do recommend checking it out). We get dual timelines bouncing between the present murder and the past murder.

Luna was not a likable person, she had a rough childhood and in turn it made her cold in adulthood. She’s closed off, insecure, and a bit of an over-analyzer who looks for the worst in any given situation. Despite that, I liked her. It made her an interesting character and a great MC for a novel where everyone could be a suspect. Owen, also not a very likable person. Shitty upbringing equal shitty adults in this book for sure. I found college-aged Owen much more likable than adult Owen.

Lisa is 2/2 for me, I have a couple of her other books on my TBR and continue to look forward to her upcoming releases.

ALL of the applause for a book the finally explores (and endorses) the little-discussed-in-literature topic of extremely close, platonic male-female friendship.

I am a huge fan of friendship themes in novels, particularly when they turn up in a mystery/suspense novel like this one. I think I’ve loved everything I’ve ever read by Lisa Lutz, but the theme here probably pushed this one to the very top of the list for the author.

The question of “what would you do for a friend?” persists throughout the novel, and extends beyond just the relationship between protagonists Owen and Luna and to the story’s other characters. As dark as the story gets at times, there’s a heartwarming aspect to it in the form of friendships, particularly amongst the college group that included Owen and Luna. The pervasive “you would want these people on your side through anything” feel of the group—and how it grows and evolves throughout the novel—made for terrific reading.

And then there’s the more central friendship-based theme of the book: What does friendship look like?

It’s mentioned frequently in the book by other characters that the relationship between Owen and Luna is “not normal.” As someone who has a lot of close male friends, it bugs me that so many people can’t see such a relationship as purely platonic, and this is particularly evident in the opinions shared on Owen and Luna in the story because they are so very close. Their dynamic wouldn’t be unusual if they were spouses/romantic partners, or even siblings. But best friends? “Weird” seems to be the general consensus.

Lutz challenges the reader on that notion in both directions. On one hand, we want this for them, because we like the characters both as individuals and as a unit, and because that level of loyalty is pretty aspirational. But on the other hand, Luna and Owen exist in some pretty unusual circumstances. Could their relationship EVER be “normal,” even to those of us who don’t bat an eye at male-female friendship, given what their lives look like?

The book is a fascinating study in relationships, and it’s also just a terrific with some solid humor, intriguing plot, and truly outstanding character study.

3 Stars

This is my first rendezvous with Lisa Lutz and I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of this book.

The time hopping between the past and present is one of my favorite ways to garner information. I loved the characters and getting to see their perspectives from college kids to grown adults. Luna and Owen absolutely have a unique friendship. They've never dated, nor had any sexual encounters, yet are bonded together.

I feel as though there might have been too many themes floating around : Luna's secret, Scarlet's death, and Irene's death. This ended up fizzling out for me. I was expecting some more action and surprise. The writing is great and the characters are very interesting.

A special thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Lisa Lutz for providing me with an ARC.

Lutz is a master storyteller and this novel was very hard to put down. I loved the aspect of the male/female friendship and it was thought provoking as to what made them tick. (Luna and Owen)
Many thanks to Random House Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book's about family, down under all of the suspicion, lies and affairs. It's a good story that pivots back and forth between Luna and Owen's college day and current time. The end did surprise me, I felt like some of the third person context was a bit flat but I did really like this book!

Owen and Luna have had a special bond since they first met in college. Now, 20 years later, people have the same question - why are they so close? And why do people around them keep turning up dead?

I thought the premise was really clever and the author did a great job of creating the relationship between Luna and Owen and showing how bizarre it was. I found myself suspecting several characters and wasn’t sure who was to blame. I liked the way it ended also.

This book is available now. Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review..

A thank you to Netgalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5. This was a mixed bag read for me, and as such, more of a disappointment than not. That's not to say that it's 'bad' because much of it is quite good - the weird, slightly psychic, incestuous, but not relationship between Luna and Owen is hypnotic from the get-go, and you can't go wrong with a hypnotic read. There are also a lot of awfully small pieces to puzzle over to keep you engaged, at least most of the time. My biggest gripe is that it ultimately lacked the malicious menace that I was in the mood for. Maybe not Natural Born Killers, per say, but something akin to their little sister?

The Accomplice by Lisa Lutz

Who: Owen and Luna, best friends since college, as well as their families and outer circle of friends.

What: A twisty, mysterious thriller that makes you wonder how well you can really know the people you love the most.

When: Early 2000’s through 2019

Where: New York (city and state), and London

How: Owen is haunted by the death of a college hookup, whose death ten years ago was ruled an accident. When his wife disappears, he becomes the prime suspect again.

What I Thought:

Lisa Lutz is one of my favorite authors. Her description of and appreciation for the nuances of complex relationships is one of the best aspects of her writing. In The Accomplice, she tackles a platonic, male/female friendship in a way that was immensely satisfying. The overall arc of the story, however, didn’t work for me.

Luna, the protagonist, and Owen, her best friend, have been “thick as thieves” since college. A decade has passed since then and they’re now both married and live in the same neighborhood. The pair never dated and present themselves as the only constant in each other’s lives.

As the book unfolds there are two main storylines: that of the friendship and its progress, and that of two murder investigations—that of a girl Owen hooked up with in college, and that of Owen’s life in the present day.

The timeline jumps between the past and the present, and characters take turns narrating as well.

This is all fine, but it also brings me to my problem with the book. Every single person is rather unlikeable.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good mean girl, an irredeemable baddie who does not try to impress anyone. What I felt in this book was that everyone was awful, much like I felt the one winter I watched Breaking Bad and Always Sunny constantly, and decided the whole world was a big mess of assholes.

Owen and Luna are meant to be kinda offbeat, a cute non-couple who cling to their friendship and don’t care who else likes them. That’s okay. And they mess around with alcohol and drugs in college (who didn’t?) but now, as adults, why haven’t they grown up? The book feels like a whole study in how not to develop a character (or a whole book’s worth of characters).

The ending to The Accomplice fell flat (two out of three suspicious deaths get resolved), and I was left rather disappointed by this book overall.

My thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy of The Accomplice.

"Owen, however, saw past Luna's ordinary armor. He recognized a feral quality in her. He saw a girl roiling with secrets. And he would have paid good money to know a few of them."

I've been a big fan of Lisa Lutz since reading her first Spellman novel way back yonder; it was my first experience with dry, humorous mysteries and the series kept me hooked until the very end. Her more recent thrillers have been hit or miss for me; I really enjoyed The Passenger, was not a fan of The Swallows, and felt a bit middle of the road here with The Accomplice. The toxicity of the characters and the past and present day drama area appealing, but I found the ending to be a bit underwhelming in the reveal, although I will give the author props for at least making it make sense, rather than some outlandish, unreliable twist for the sake of shock value. If you enjoy a quick, easy read, definitely give this one a try for yourself.

Will I remember the plot of this thriller for years to come? No, probably not. Did it hold my attention from the very first page to the very last page. YES! This was the perfect winter thriller for this mood reader, and I highly recommend it for what it is. There are smart twists and turns that didn't have me making big eye rolls, and that is becoming harder and harder to do the more thrillers come out. This is one worth picking up!

The Accomplice by Lisa Lutz is a very different type of book than her Spellman series, which is my favorite of all time. While they are two different animals, both are excellent. The Accomplice has Lutz’s brand of humor and as always, her dialogue and the inner thoughts of her characters are what makes her stand out. This book immersed me into Luna and Owen’s world and I didn’t want to leave once it was over. I will be anxiously awaiting Lisa Lutz’s next book.

This book is a strangely compelling read. People keep winding up dead around Luna and Owen. It makes no sense but it keeps happening. And the bond they share makes even less sense in some ways. They are so different but something intangible binds them. I truly enjoyed this book because of it unique take on relationships and friendship. It reminds me a little of John Greens books and that’s a good thing. No spoilers. Just read the book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc. Opinions are my own.

First, let's handle the business…..a big thank you to #NetGalley, #BallantineBooks, and author #LisaLutz for the ARC of #TheAccomplice!


Luna and Owen….Owen and Luna….I'm certainly glad I'm not one of their friends. Why, you may ask, because people around them keep dying.  


Luna and Owen first met in college.  They became best friends almost immediately.  They had come from different backgrounds and very different worlds, but they clicked.


Are they together, or are they "together"?  That's a question everyone who meets them asks themselves. But, no.  They are just best friends.  Friends that would do anything for each other.  Luna, especially, wants to leave her past behind.  It's a very hard story for her to tell.  So, she tells no one.  Not even Owen.


Owen, however, seems to have secrets of his own.  While in college, Owen's sometimes girlfriend goes missing and is found dead shortly after.  Did Owen do it?  Was it Luna?  


Fast forward to present day and several years later: Owen and Luna are still best friends, live in the same neighborhood, and both seem happily married….to other people.  


When Owen's wife, Irene, disappears, and it starts all over again.  The rumors and suspicions,  their small group of friends, have been through it all before.  


Can everyone come out of this declared innocent?   Maybe the better question is, can they all come out alive?


If you haven't read this book, it's available at your favorite place to buy books starting January 25th. Don't wait!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The only characters in this book that I really liked were Griff and Sam the dog. But it's not a requirement for me to like all the characters - especially when they're as quirky and interesting as Owen and Luna. So many mysteries around them it made my head swim - - and kept me reading, waiting for revelations. The multiple points of view - and switching timelines - were confusing at times and distracting but ultimately workable.

The platonic friendship between Owen and Luna was unusual - and refreshing. They were so different from each other - but that worked.

I was surprised (and vaguely disappointed) by the final answers to the mysteries. I had not guessed them, though, and that's an unusual and welcome thing for me in mysteries!

Overall, this is a slow burn suspense story rather than a thriller. I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Owen and Luna. It was always Owen and Luna. They were not a "couple", at least not romantically, but they were the most important person in each other's lives, ALWAYS.

When Owen first spotted Luna, he was intrigued, and made it his mission to get to know her. But Luna was not like other girls, she didn't crave attention and she had a deep, dark secret that she would tell no one. Because her brother, who she had depended on to protect her, had used her and betrayed her and she could never forgive that. So she didn't trust anyone, made it point not to depend on anyone, ever again. But Owen couldn't accept not being accepted and kept at it until he at least partially gained her trust and they became best friends.

But when Owen's girlfriend goes missing and is found dead, all bets are off. Was Owen involved? Was Luna involved? What happened? Most of the suspicion falls on Owen and he drops out of college and goes to Paris to find a new life and forget. Luna continues with school, although most of her friends also desert her. But she finishes college and gets a job and when Owen returns, they link up again, eventually living with their spouses only within a few blocks of each other.

Then Owen's wife is murdered and everything starts again.