The Accomplice Quotes

“it?” “Being both married and lonely is an uncomfortable combination,” said Sam. “Why were you lonely?” “I’d—I’d never met a woman who asked so little of me. She never needed to talk. She never burdened me with her problems. The only thing she ever wanted was sex. At first, it seemed perfect.” “Please don’t tell me she was also a good cook,” said Burns. “No. Horrible.” “That’s a relief. But still, she doesn’t sound like any woman—or man, for that matter—I’ve ever met. People need. All of them. There are no exceptions.” “I agree,” said Burroughs. “Most of her other needs were met by Owen.” “So, you’re saying that the primary relationship in Owen and Luna’s lives was not with their spouses but with each other.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Luna and Owen took a walk along the river, ate cider doughnuts, and visited a tourism info booth, hunting for any form of amusement. They were surrounded by people decades older who were thrilled by the sight of a dead leaf. “Is that what happens when you get older? You get more and more excited by smaller and smaller things?” Owen asked. “I hope so,” Luna said.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“What Owen would have said if he’d had time to think about it was that Luna thought too hard about being good. Thinking about being good didn’t make you good. Sacrificing individual happiness didn’t make the world a better place.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“What year is it?” “It’s 2019.” “Who is president?” “No.” “I’ll accept that answer. What’s your name?” “Luna Grey.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“I love this time of year,” Noah said, genuinely moved by the way the leaves revolted in beauty before they gave up and rejoined the earth. Silence. “What, it doesn’t do it for you?” Noah said. “I prefer the simple austerity of winter,” Leo said.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Ferrets and falls were the theme of the holiday. The falls part did not disappoint. In fact, it more than made up for the disastrous ferret segment. Griff finally understood why Luna insisted they visit Niagara on the return trip. When you stood out on the walkway, gazing at Horseshoe Falls, at the overwhelming power of it, your own thoughts didn’t matter. It was cleansing, in its way. They walked up and down the promenade for hours in the bitter cold. It was too incredible to step away. Eventually they needed to warm up. Griff had booked the hotel. When they entered the room, Luna saw that it had a full view of the falls. Griff ordered room service while Luna stood in front of the window, feeling so happy it started to turn on her. Happiness could easily shift gears into guilt or shame. She was on the precipice of the shift. Griff could see it happening. He stood next to Luna, put his arm around her. “You think it’s just going to be bullshit, a cliché, a tourist trap from hell,” he said. “And yet it’s—” “It’s all that and still the most beautiful thing you’ll ever see,” said Luna. “You want to stay another night?” Griff asked. “Do you?” “I could stay here forever,” he said.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Luna ended the call, paced around the small boxy room, and took long, deep breaths that sounded like a person sighing over and over again. It was something she did occasionally, which annoyed the shit out of Sam. Luna had a bad feeling the first time he’d jokingly commented on it. The second time, she began to worry about the state of their marriage. You want me to stop breathing? was her standard response. Luna couldn’t bear the sound of Sam’s eating. But she never told him not to eat.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Either way, you should get out of that house.” “I did. I’m at the Sleep Chalet on Route 9.” “Sounds swanky.” “If the swank were onomatopoeic, then it would be,” Luna said.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“The news of Scarlet’s death evoked some feeling in Owen, but there were too many other emotions, all vying for attention, canceling one another out. What remained was an oppressive depression mixed with caffeine withdrawal.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Owen had apologized for his harsh words, but the contrition felt hollow, because so were his feelings.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Would you say that Owen is satisfied with his career?” Burns asked. Luna shrugged. She’d met few men who were satisfied. Few women as well. Was she satisfied? She wouldn’t know how to answer that question. “I think he imagined a different life. But he accepted the life he had.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“How would you describe Owen and Irene’s relationship?” “Average,” he said. “Could you elaborate?” “They were hardly star-crossed lovers. I suspect they made decent-enough roommates and they had a few things in common.” “Like what?” “Lack of ambition. And a somewhat modest way of life.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Luna nodded at Greg, who returned the look with an embarrassed smile. Greg always seemed confused by his wife’s behavior, as if she were an alien with entirely different customs from his.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Owen looked at Greg, who shrugged. Owen had no idea what the shrug was intended to convey. Greg rarely said anything. But unlike most people who use words sparingly, he hadn’t developed superior forms of nonverbal communication.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Luna fought hard to keep all her emotions, even joy, under the radar. But when an unruly emotion surfaced, it was merely an opening act. Anger was always the headliner.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Luna was generally against lying, considering her past. Although she didn’t take as hard a stance as Kant. Some questions, Luna thought, invited a lie. Although she didn’t lie to Owen. “I don’t think that’s any of your business,” Luna said. “It’s my favorite thing about my brain. No one else is in it or has access to it. It’s mine alone.” Owen was accustomed to girls offering themselves up on a plate to him. He loved how Luna, even after a year of deep friendship, remained a puzzle. “So, what are you thinking now?” Owen said, like a lowbrow reporter. “That you’re even more annoying than I thought you were,” Luna said.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Her reticent nature had iced over years before. The thaw would take some time.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“He tried to remember, to repeat, to imprint in his brain, Luna’s parting words of advice: People don’t know what you think they know.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Irene told me about you. A long time ago. I remember now. You fucked her when she was a teenager. Then you married her mother. Don’t ever call me again.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Casey was telling Luna to live in the moment, to enjoy the easy gifts that life offered. But Luna couldn’t help but feel a faint threat in the subtext.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“You and Owen were fine when he was a murder suspect, but after his name is cleared you don’t talk to him?” Mason said. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“No, she said. She was crying because Irene had the same tracksuit that Paulie Walnuts was wearing.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“What was clear to Vera was that Griff was a monster for accusing her of such a thing. How dare he? Even after Griff explained how his suspicion came about—from Owen—Vera’s ire remained focused on her elder son.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“You need to tell me the truth,” Griff said. “I’m starting to feel like a puppet in my own life.” “I had to get an abortion. The next day,” Luna said.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Griff, I don’t know that I’m ready to be convinced. It would change my whole life,” Luna said. “I love him. He’s my best friend. He’s my family. He’s all I have.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“You know, Owen, it’s deeply concerning how lightly you take the killing of another human.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“Then again, Owen also hadn’t thought Irene was the kind of person to have an affair. Or the kind of person who wouldn’t remind you that you’d actually”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“How common is it for someone to be shot in broad daylight without a single witness?” “Not common,” Burns said. “But the cemetery wasn’t a heavily trafficked area.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“She slept with him once. Phoebe—well, Irene—told me she slept with her mother’s fiancé when she took a course from him at college. Before he was her fiancé. He pursued her mom, just a few years later. She was horrified. She tried to stop it, the wedding. She even tried to talk to the guy, and he pretended like it never happened. She knew that if she told her mother the whole truth, her mother wouldn’t believe her.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice

“What he liked best about these girls was their accents. After that it was that none of them knew about Scarlet. He didn’t have to fight any preconceived ideas people might have about him, other than being American, which he apologized for whenever possible.”
― Lisa Lutz, The Accomplice