Quotes from Lisa Gardner

Stop psychoanalyzing me! Be less therapist, more man -- Man? Last time I tried being a man, you looked at me as if I was going to hit you. You don't need a man, Rainie. You either need a blow-up doll or a damn saint!

That's a central life question, don't you think? Do you regret the things you did, or the things never done?

with any parolees who'd once served time with Shana Day, the parole officer had a candidate: Christi Willey, released last

The truth is, genius and depression have always gone hand in hand. Which was why I spent so many afternoons, sitting at the piano, playing and playing, because my father said my music soothed his spirit and allowed him to rest in a way a truly great mind could never completely be at ease. I did my best to music the sadness out of him.

So you've studied psychobabble and you've attended half of the FBI Academy. What does that make you? Someone who also lost her sister. And her mother, too, for that matter. Trump. In the contest of who has gotten dumped on more by life, I believe I just won.

I guess. There were over a hundred and fifty kids in our class, so we definitely knew more than just each other.

You did not kill my daughter, Annabelle. You were her best friend. You brought her immeasurable joy. Truth is, none of us control how much time we have here on earth. We can only control the life we lead while we have it. Dori led a loving, gracious, joyful existence. I think of that every morning when I wake up, and I think of it every night before I go to bed. My daughter had seven years of love.

What's it going to take for you to trust me?" "You're an addict. You really have to ask that?

No. I joined the FBI so I could be heavily armed, and also help others.

I'm from Georgia, honey. We consider all women dangerous; it's part of their charm.

Bob pours water onto his

Clearly Livia had mad skills. Which meant she also had a way out of her impoverished, drug-dealing, crime-ridden family life. Her education combined with her natural ability—the sky should've been the limit. So what went wrong? Why wasn't she still at school, perfecting more pumpkins and fidget doohickeys and manufacturing molds while preparing to launch the next great

go one of two ways—an underachieving drunk or an overachieving workaholic. Since

YOU SPEND ENOUGH time chasing a dog to get back a precious black boot, you start to think like a dog. Spend the rest of your time chasing criminals, and you learn to think like a criminal.

LOTHAM IS THE DEDICATED, WORKAHOLIC detective I suspected him to be. He doesn't take me to some evidence lab or special countersurveillance expert.

excavated from

Shit! We're idiots.

One sister. Younger, of course. I terrorized her for most of our childhood. On the other hand, every time I fell asleep in the family room, she put makeup on my face and took pictures. So I guess it evens itself out. Plus, I'm the only man you'll ever meet who understands just how hard it is to remove waterproof mascara. And I guess I'll never run for political office. The photos alone would ruin me.

Most people would pull out their smartphones and Google away. Unfortunately, my job -- obsessively locating missing people -- doesn't pay at all, while my side hustle -- bartending part-time at the location of the moment -- doesn't pay well. The result is that my smart phone is an old flip phone with a limited data plan.

They took an oath. I don't believe it was to serve and protect only people who make intelligent life choices.

try to think past the image, to the Angelique I now know. A smart, serious student. A caretaker for her brother, her aunt, and her mom back home. In her brother's words, not a dreamer but a planner.

Once, when she'd taken the initiative to rub down the window casings with ammonia, Jim had even complimented her. She'd beamed at him, married one year, already eight months pregnant and as eager as a lapdog for his sparing praise. Later, Lieutenant Difford had explained to her how ammonia was one of the few substances that rid surfaces of fingerprints.

Just because you haven't gotten caught, doesn't mean you're innocent." "And just because you're suspicious, doesn't mean I'm guilty.

Small children take shelter," I murmur. "The elderly head downhill. The inexperienced follow the path of least resistance." "And