The Accomplice by Lisa Lutz is a mystery/thriller standalone novel. The story in this one is one that has multiple points of view and takes place in two different timelines, one in the past and a ‘current’ timeline in 2019.

Luna Grey and Owen Mann are the best of friends and have been since they met in college. People have always questioned if Luna and Owen are a couple but that is one line they have never crossed always being there for one another through thick and then.

Things take a horrible turn for Luna and Owen though when Luna stumbles across the dead body of Owen’s wife. Owen’s wife has been brutally murdered and left for dead and with all eyes on Owen and Luna during the investigation will their past come back to haunt them?

The whole time I’m reading The Accomplice by Lisa Lutz I can’t get the thought out of my head…. "A bestfriend is someone who when you show up at their door with a dead body they say nothing, grab a shovel and follow you."
What in the heck did these two do? What secrets would we unbury in the past, what about the present? As the pages flew by I couldn’t help but become completely invested in the characters and the story. The story flowed well between the timelines and with the changes in the point of view as I devoured it to get to the truth.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

What kind of massive pile of books have I been under? This is the first book I read by Lisa Lutz and even though I only planned to read a chapter or two, it was so hard to put this one down. Damn you work. If I had known how much I would enjoy this book, I would have saved it for a weekend binge session.
Luna and Owen met in college and soon were inseparable. A lot of people incorrectly assume that they are a couple, but the reality is they are just best friends. Owen has a personality that draws everyone to him, while Luna, well, not so much, She keeps almost everyone at arm's length and why does she always seem to be looking over her shoulder. Their feelings for each other are hard to define, but the one thing that is crystal clear is that they have each other's backs.
The timelines shift from 2003 when they were in college to 2019 when they are both married to other people and still best friends. The shocking death of Owen's wife leads to the assumption that it's always the husband, and when something from his past is revealed, it doesn't look good for him. Luna has always carried a very heavy and very dark secret. When she faces exposure, how far would she go to protect it?
So many secrets, lies, and half-truths. I changed my mind about both Luna and Owen more than once, sure that each of them was guilty of something, or multiple things. Sometimes, when there is more than one POV, I have a favorite. This time, I was drawn to both stories equally. I'm trying to put my finger on what made this story so compelling, and I suppose it was just understanding how far Luna and Owen's friendship could go before breaking. 4.5 stars

Well, I loved this book. One of Lisa Lutz's biggest strengths as a writer is developing interesting and complex characters. Another is great plotting. The Accomplice is the story of Luna and Owen, who meet as college freshmen and develop a deep, lasting, and binding friendship. Luna Grey has a hard time getting close to people because she has a past to hide, but Owen Mann uses his charm and persuasion to win her over. Luna supports Owen after a traumatic event turns the rest of the school against him, cementing their friendship and trust in one another. The story mostly jumps back and forth between their college days in 2004-05 and 2019, when they are still in each others' lives, married and living in the same neighborhood. After Luna finds Owen's wife dead, they are both questioned by the police (who figure it's "always the husband" and a devoted friend like Luna makes for the perfect accomplice), and long-kept secrets that could break their bond start to surface. The pace of the book is perfect: Lutz feeds you a slow but steady diet of information to keep you turning the pages, and surprises that keep your theory of the crime ever-changing and the ending unpredictable.

This is a story about friendship between Owen and Luna who became best friends in college. As years went by they each married and lived around the corner from each other. When Owens wife is murdered
it brings to mind another death that happened while they were in college. Luna who has always believed in Owen begins to have some doubts.
This is a great who done it with twists at every turn. It is written in a past and present concept which I personally enjoy. Lisa Lutz cannot write anything less than great and this is no exception.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Lisa Lutz - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Luna and Owen have been best friends since they first met in college. Years later, they are both married to other people and living within blocks of each other, having remained best friends. Luna finds Owen's wife dead body in a cemetery and Owen is considered the prime suspect. All of this brings to mind another woman's death - Owen's on/off girlfriend, Scarlett, was found dead when they were in college and again Owen was considered a suspect. The investigation tears open secrets that both have been keeping.

This book is told in two timelines - the background story while they were in college and present day. It's also told in multiple POVs - sometimes switching in the same paragraph. I actually loved this style of writing - it felt like I was privy to all these characters' thoughts. Everyone is keeping secrets here which threaten all of their relationships and behaviors. I was held captive to this story and these characters. Another winner by Lisa Lutz!

I received an Advanced Reading Copy from NetGalley in exchange for a completely honest review.

Lisa Lutz is the master of this genre. I've loved pretty much everything she's put out, so it's no wonder I really liked this one. It's basically a story of what happens when you keep secrets from the ones you love. I didn't mind the switching between the various times in Luna's and Owen's lives - there was only one time I think I was a little bit confused about the flashback, but that quickly cleared up. The characters were all engaging, and I like the plot line. I think the ending wrapped up a little bit too nicely for my tastes (I'm not a huge fan of a character being like "oh, by the way, I knew this all along and now I'm just dumping information to you, my friend"), but it wasn't enough to make me dislike the book on the whole. Solid 4 stars.

I never got my footing with this book, and not in a "wow look at that twist" kind of keeping me on my toes way. I felt like it thought it was supposed to be about the current murder but then the flashback storyline seemed to completely overshadow the present. I wanted to wave my hand at the book and remind it there was a dead woman whose murderer needed to be found and could we get back to it. I also didn't seem to have the same confusion about Owen and Luna being friends. So the various characters trying to grasp it seemed completely out of place. What was more confusing was why the ultimately had kept so much from each other. That was totally counter to both their assertions that they were the closest of friends and told each other everything. Perhaps the parts I needed were edited out because I normally feel a lot more in step with books by this author.

In college, Owen and Luna become almost inseparable best friends despite what would seem to be obvious personality differences yet they are far closer in personality than would seem on the outside. They remain close platonic friends for years until Owen’s wife is murdered and Luna begins to wonder just how well she knows her best friend in Lisa Lutz’ standalone mystery, The Accomplice.

The Accomplice is a compelling read as it delves into several timelines, the one when Owen and Luna were in college and the current one in which Owen’s wife is murdered. Lisa Lutz is a talented storyteller, who is very good at drawing her reader in and making their curiosity grow with each turn of the page.

The most interesting character for me was Luna. An occurrence in her past defines her and follows her. She feels guilt and accepts her guilt as her cross to bear and lets it dominate her life and actions. She does not easily open herself to relationships with anyone and it is only Owen who seems to have accomplished that, initially. However, frankly, Owen comes across as a one-dimensional character and my feeling on that remains beyond the end of the final page. Maybe I missed something intrinsic to his character that would make him likable.

I loved the team of detectives who look into the murder of Owen’s wife. They are quirky and funny and just the type of detectives that I could see making excellent future protagonists, in a series. (hint, hint)

While I tremendously enjoyed this novel, despite knowing now that the title holds the key to everything, I was equally tremendously disappointed in the ending, which to me felt bleak as it almost declared that some people will never change despite everything/anything/something. I don’t think that reading of the ending was intended. I think it was more a celebration of friendship, or supposed to be.

Also if your trigger is alcohol, be warned. These people drink morning, noon, and night and every hour in between from college through adulthood. How are they even able to resemble functioning human beings? I dunno. More than once I felt sympathetic nausea for them.

All in all, a very good read.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 out of 5 stars, rounding up here on NetGalley.

THOUGHTS: I could not put this one down! I read it so quickly. The alternating timelines and character POVs was intriguing and made me keep turning the pages. I suspected everybody in this one. I love the setting in the Hudson Valley, and also on a college campus. There were some true crime elements as well, and that made it even better. I will definitely be reading this author again.

Luna and Owen have been ride or die best friends since freshman year of college and now years later, that's tested when Luna finds Owen's wife Irene dead the day after Irene told her she knew Owen was cheating on her. This moves back and forth in time between those college years and the present- with the earlier years providing the set up for today. See, Owen was the prime suspect in the death of Scarlett, a young woman he'd broken up with. Luna's got a big secret which isn't revealed until deep into the novel which has impacted both of them (although others figured it out). They are both interesting characters but their college years (and friends) become, to be honest, a bit wearying. I've always been. fan of Lutz for her twisty plots and this is no exception. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. An interesting read.

Wow, I'm not going to get over this but: that was the first time I've seen constant head-hopping in ages. It was honestly a little (literally) nauseating at first! But around the halfway point, I set my snobbery aside because it's hard not to invest in this mystery about co-dependent best friends, their mysterious past, and their bloody present. Even if you're right about whodunnit, there's so much going on psychologically with the characters to keep you reading till the end.

This was a really fun, addictive thriller - reminded me a lot of the HBO show The Undoing. I loved how it explored Owen and Luna’s psyches, and it kept throwing curveballs in there to throw us off of the whodunit path.

This is a book about friendship - sort of. The two main characters here, Owen and Luna, have been friends (platonic friends) for decades - they bonded in college and the friendship has just grown stronger as they work and find spouses and live their lives. Then, because this is a mystery/thriller and there has to be, there is a murder. Owen's wife is found (by Luna) shot in a graveyard near their home and the ensuing investigation turns up all kinds of secrets - including ones about Owen's college girlfriend who was, wait for it... also found murdered. This is one of those books that jumps from the past to the current events, but it's pretty well done and easy to follow. The ending is a touch ambiguous, but if your patrons are ok with that (very common these days) kind of ending, this might be a great recommendation for them!

3 1/2 rounded down. I am of two minds about this book, which held me reluctantly throughout its length but I found ultimately unsatisfying. Front and center are Luna and Owen (L&O), tied at the hip but platonically ever since they "meet cute" when she experiences a seizure in front of him. In alternating chapters we are flipped between college days and 14 years into the future, each featuring a death by someone in their orbit. What didn't work for me were some areas in which it was necessary to take a large leap of faith, and the fact that no one in this group seemed particularly well rounded. Others have said they weren't particularly likeable, but while I disagree, I couldn't have spent much time with any of them since it seemed they spent an inordinate amount of time getting sloshed and vomiting into wastebaskets. That gets old. Fast. It seemed a bit long, could have used some trimming.

Loved this new book by Lisa Lutz! Refreshing and talented writing. Great storyline about the bonds of a true friendship. The characters were awesome and kept me fully invested. Highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

Twisty and unexpected, <i>The Accomplice</i> drew me in immediately and didn’t let go. I was intrigued from the onset by the friendship between Luna and Owen, Owen and Luna. The two murders told in two timelines took me a heartbeat to sort out but otherwise were well done. And even though most of the characters were unlikable, I liked them anyway.

A few minor criticisms: there were a couple of places that dragged a bit due, I think, to unnecessary subplots/characters also the ending didn’t quite live up to the dynamics of the plot. Overall, the story was interesting and fresh – just a few coincidences that pushed right up to the edge of credibility without going over the edge. Only one really stood out – impersonating someone by texting on their phone. This was just too important a plot point to happen twice in the same story.

Overall, Lutz kept me interested and turning pages – an accomplishment in my current distracted state – so major kudos!


FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lisa Lutz is one of my very favorite authors, so I am always keeping an eye out for any hints of a new book from her. I was even more excited to be directly invited by the publisher to read this one! It's an engaging read from the very start - I really couldn't put this one down! I read it in just about one sitting!

The narrative, across a few perspectives, takes place from 2004 to a more "present" 2019. Luna and Owen met in college and quickly became inseparable friends. Outsiders (including the reader) may not always understand their platonic friendship - but not every outsider survives being in this pair's lives. In the sections detailing their past, the reader gets a glimpse into the start of their friendship - and hints of the secrets they have and keep from one another. In 2019, Owen's wife is found dead and now it's only a matter of time before all of their secrets come spilling out.

There are, as I expected from Lutz, witty and funny lines of dialogue - and plenty of situations that add to the humor which balances out this thriller. The cast size isn't large - making it easy to suspect just about everyone of murder at some point. It's not quite as light-hearted as some of Lutz's earlier novels. There's a bit more melancholy tinged in here, but it is certainly a riveting read with a plot that holds some genuine surprises. I really couldn't stop reading this one! And, as always, after finishing it, I am more eager than ever to read more from her in the future! I hope that the wait isn't too long!

Finally, a thriller I can endorse!
Owen and Luna are best friends who have been thru it all together. When Owen's wife turns up dead and he's the obvious suspect, will Luna help be his alibi or was she his accomplice? When current events start to reflect something that happened to them in college, the bounds of their friendship begin to be tested.

Obviously, I don't want to say too much about this book because you should always go into a mystery or thriller somewhat blind. I will say that I hardly ever like thrillers and I loved this one. This is a well-crafted, plot-based book that doesn't shy away from character development. I hated all the characters but came to understand them and I really liked how this one turned out. Do yourself a favor and read this book! This is the best thriller I've read in six months, and it has restored my faith in the genre overall.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review. I hope this one rises to the top!

I'm definitely an outlier among my reviewer friends with this rating, so go read their reviews and take mine with a grain of salt.

I'm a huge fan of this author's books, but this one just fell a bit short for me. It kept me interested throughout, but the ultimate resolution of the mysteries was disappointing. One of the issues I had was with the jumpy timeline. I had difficulty following what was going on, especially through about the first third of the story. There is also a LOT of head hopping. We are in the head of every character from one paragraph to the next. I don't care for that writing style, I don't need that many points of view.

I liked that everything was resolved and wrapped up in the end. There was nothing ambiguous or left to guess, you find out exactly what happened to both of the women and who was responsible. I was impressed and found it refreshing that Owen and Luna's friendship was always platonic. That's something you don't see very often portrayed in books, there's always one of the two having more feelings than the other, etc. That's not to say that their relationship was healthy because it was borderline obsessive and toxic, but it was very different from most books.

What was missing from this novel was Lutz's dry sense of humor. I think I would have liked the book much more had there been more snark. And what was with all of the characters being SO thirsty all the time and "guzzling" and "gulping" water? That was so weird and mentioned so often I thought there might be a purpose behind it but alas, no.

Not a terrible book, just not the book for me. I'll still keep reading her books because I do enjoy her storytelling.

**4.5-stars**

Luna and Owen are best friends and have been for well over a decade. Their bond runs incredibly deep, sometimes to the detriment of others in their lives. From the outside looking in, people are often curious about how close the two are. Maybe it's because people have a hard time gauging platonic relationships between a man and woman. It makes them suspicious.

Luna's husband, Sam, and Owen's wife, Irene, have learned to live with their bestie status. As neighbors, Luna and Owen are frequently getting together and sharing secrets, while their spouses are left behind. They tell themselves they have an understanding; it's just how their relationships are, but still, it doesn't necessarily feel good.

Luna and Irene have established a friendship of their own, however, frequently visiting and even going for runs together. One morning, Luna heads out to meet Irene for a run at their regular spot, she gets there only to find Irene dead. She's been murdered! Luna is shocked. Who would kill Irene? She immediately calls Owen. Yeah, before she calls the police, she calls Owen and he rushes to the scene.

As it turns out, Irene's isn't the first mysterious death Luna and Owen have been close to. A girl they knew in college once died under mysterious circumstances. They stood firmly together then as well.

Alternating between 2004/2005 and 2019, the Reader is introduced to the complexity of Luna and Owen's relationship. The amount of drama they have been through together, as well as the depths they would go to in order to protect one another. I found this book to be extremely interesting. Luna and Owen were both complex characters. While they seemed a bit aloof with most people, with one another, they were completely different.

They were so attached and enmeshed in each other's lives. It was fascinating. They came from completely different worlds, but somehow it worked. They found something in each other that they both needed to come out of their shells; drop their walls.

Additionally, the narrative was such a twisted web. My word! Every single person was keeping secrets on some level. I really enjoyed getting the investigator's perspectives as well, who were looking into Irene's death. That gave an extra look into Luna and Owen's relationship from the outside. I thought that was a nice addition. I was so happy with how this concluded. It left me with an evil little grin on my face and we all know, I love that!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a lot of fun with this one. It will stick with me for a long time to come!