Lisa Unger Quotes

Powerful Lisa Unger for Daily Growth

About Lisa Unger

Lisa Unger is an award-winning American novelist and short story writer, renowned for her captivating psychological thrillers that often explore themes of identity, memory, and the dark corners of human nature. Born on December 24, 1968, in New York City, Unger developed a love for reading at an early age, immersing herself in the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, and Shirley Jackson. After graduating from Ithaca College with a degree in English, Unger began her writing career as a freelance journalist, contributing to publications like The Miami Herald and New York Magazine. In 1996, she published her debut novel, "Confessions of a Murder Suspect," which introduced readers to the character of Hollows, a psychic detective who would appear in several of Unger's subsequent works. Unger's breakthrough came with the publication of "Darkness, My Old Friend" in 2005, the first book in her critically acclaimed Infinite series. The series follows the story of Jacob Struterman, a man haunted by his past and the dark secrets that threaten to destroy him. The series continued with "Fragile" (2006), "Beautiful Lies" (2007), and "Dangerous Girls" (2010). In 2015, Unger published "The Red Hunter," the first book in her second major series. The novel introduces readers to Alissa Jones, a woman on a mission to find the man who killed her family. The series continued with "Die for You" (2016), "Ink and Bone" (2017), and "Heart of Stone" (2019). Unger's works have been translated into 26 languages, and she has won numerous awards, including the International Thriller Writers Award for Best Hardcover Novel in 2013 for "Crazy Love You." Unger continues to write compelling, psychologically complex novels that delve deep into the human psyche, captivating readers worldwide.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Fear is a sign that we still have something worth fighting for."

This quote suggests that fear, while an emotional response often associated with danger or harm, can also serve as a powerful motivator. It implies that the presence of fear in our lives means there are important values or aspects worth protecting or striving for. In other words, if we experience fear when facing a challenge or change, it may indicate that the outcome is significant enough to warrant our efforts and determination, as it represents something we deeply care about or desire to preserve. Ultimately, this quote encourages us to confront our fears head-on, as they can serve as fuel for personal growth and resilience.


"The truth will always find its way out. It's just a question of when."

This quote suggests that no matter how hard one tries to hide or suppress the truth, it will eventually come to light. The "when" refers to the time it takes for the circumstances to unravel, often through natural progression or external factors. It underscores the universal principle of transparency and justice in which deception and secrecy can only hold out for so long before they are exposed.


"Sometimes the most terrifying thing we can imagine turns out to be nothing at all."

This quote emphasizes the human tendency to fear or dread situations that are unknown or imagined as potentially harmful, often magnifying them in our minds. However, when confronted with reality, those fears might prove to be baseless, demonstrating how our imagination can sometimes create terrors far greater than what actually exists. It's a reminder to avoid unnecessary worry and maintain a balanced perspective on our fears and anxieties.


"Secrets are like ghosts, they haunt the living."

Secrets, when hidden, can create an unsettling atmosphere, much like the presence of a ghost. They linger and influence the lives of those unaware of them, often causing unease or apprehension. Just as a ghost haunts a place without revealing its true intentions, secrets may not be malicious but can cast shadows over relationships and personal growth, hindering openness and trust between individuals. The quote suggests that secrets, if left undisclosed, have the power to disturb the peace and tranquility of one's life, much like ghostly apparitions haunt their surroundings.


"The real monster is the one inside us. The one we don't see coming."

This quote suggests that our greatest fears, challenges, or harmful behaviors often stem from internal struggles, emotions, or psychological issues, rather than external factors. It implies that understanding and overcoming these inner demons is crucial for personal growth and well-being, as they can be more destructive and difficult to confront compared to external threats. The message encourages self-awareness and introspection to combat the "monsters" within us.


I'm a 'bound book' kind of girl. I have a Kindle, and I enjoy it for some things, like convenience or instant gratification, or all the little things that you can do with them.

- Lisa Unger

Little Things, Some, Like, Convenience

I love a big, character-rich story with a dark heart, with a compelling mystery or some kind of ticking clock at its center. I want to be lured in by prose, captured by character, and bound by stellar plotting to keep turning the pages.

- Lisa Unger

Love, Big, Ticking, Lured

The worst violence we can do to each other often is psychological, especially in families. I dwell a lot on domestic danger. That's the backdrop of most of my novels - what kind of damage is done without ever lifting a finger.

- Lisa Unger

Other, Damage, Psychological, Novels

Of course, like all organic processes, there is an ebb and a flow to writing. One does not exist without the other. The writer needs to be vigilant in protecting both, confident in the knowledge that the village will be there when we choose, finally, to open the door.

- Lisa Unger

Door, Confident, Other, Flow

Truman Capote was a magical, beautiful writer.

- Lisa Unger

Beautiful, Magical, Capote

I read 'Rebecca' when I was a teenager and was swept away by the powerful voice, the gut wrenching suspense and the dark, twisted love story at its center.

- Lisa Unger

Love, Voice, Read, Teenager

There's a village in my computer - friends, fans, readers, and colleagues. It's a populous, sometimes chaotic little burg always bustling with news, gossip, opinions and potential excitement.

- Lisa Unger

News, Sometimes, Always, Chaotic

Maybe I have this fascination with the dark side because I live in the light. I don't have any dysfunction, and I've never experienced trauma.

- Lisa Unger

Trauma, Maybe, Side, Experienced

I definitely feel that plot flows from character. I don't believe that you can construct a plot and insert people into it.

- Lisa Unger

Believe, Feel, Construct, Insert

I've always had this in a kind of worst-case dark imagination. I want to know what the dark form in the window is. I want to know what the noise under the staircase is.

- Lisa Unger

Kind, Want, Always, Noise

I love the village in my computer. There's little validation in the day-to-day life of a writer; sometimes we ache for a connection.

- Lisa Unger

Love, Life, Day-To-Day Life, Village

Publishing is a business of relationships. The relationships you make at one house can carry over to another.

- Lisa Unger

Relationships, Over, Another, Publishing

I don't think of my characters as people I create, I think of them more as people I have met and whom I'm exploring on the page. I don't actually think of myself as having 'created' any of these people.

- Lisa Unger

Think, I Think, Having, Met

The business of writing a novel is a long, meandering road into the self, into the imagination. And it's a road the writer travels alone.

- Lisa Unger

Business, Imagination, Long, Travels

If I weren't a writer, I'd be a psychiatrist.

- Lisa Unger

Writer, Were, Psychiatrist

I was always the observer, trying to understand what was going on. I was always the new kid. Writing became my safe place.

- Lisa Unger

New, Always, Became, Safe Place

'In Cold Blood' is not a thriller at all, really. It is, however, the first work of its kind: a true crime book that reads like fiction.

- Lisa Unger

Fiction, Like, However, Reads

Everything is autobiographical, and nothing is autobiographical. That's fiction.

- Lisa Unger

Nothing, Everything, Fiction, Autobiographical

I live for the blank page.

- Lisa Unger

Live, Blank Page, Blank, Page

There's nothing particularly dark in my past... I live in the light. My disposition is basically happy. I have a good life.

- Lisa Unger

Past, Nothing, Particularly, Disposition

I don't remember a time when I didn't define myself as a writer.

- Lisa Unger

Time, Myself, Remember, Define

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