The Accomplice

 

According to Urban Dictionary, the term ride or die used as a verb means “you are willing to do anything for someone you love or someone you really appreciate in your life” or used as a noun, it’s “the person who you stand by in any problem and vice versa.”

This term perfectly encapsulates Luna and Owen, who’ve been strictly platonic BFF’s since their college days.  They’ve spent years keeping each other’s secrets, running interference if someone is bothering the other, lying if necessary - even to each other, if they think it will help, and generally having each other’s backs whatever the scenario.  It’s the ultimate stew of loving support and complete co-dependency.

Still friends and now neighbors long after their student days, they find themselves being questioned when Owen’s wife is murdered.  The only problem is, they’ve been under a cloud of suspicion before while students at Markham University, when a female acquaintance of theirs mysteriously died, not to mention the trouble caused by Luna’s dark and secret past she was trying to keep hidden.

Is there a connection between these events?  Why do Luna and Owen seem to attract death and drama like moths to a flame? They both have secrets, so … do they really know each other? Just how far will they go to protect the other?

I loved this book, and despite their mutual dysfunction and unlikable moments, I loved Luna and Owen!  Lutz did a great job keeping me guessing at how all the pieces fit together through past and present chapters, and every character was well-written and interesting, so I always felt invested in the outcome. The resolution was satisfying, though I was just a tiny bit disappointed with the lack of a clear conclusion for Luna’s relational situation at the end.  Nonetheless, I could live with it and be happy.  

An outstanding first read for 2022 and a new-to-me author to watch!

★★★★ ½  (rounded to 5)

Thanks to Random House Publishing - Ballantine, Netgalley and author Lisa Lutz for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.  It’s due for publication on January 25, 2022.