The small New Jersey township hadn’t seen a murder in more than thirty years, and that had been a scorned wife hitting her husband over the head with a microwave own.
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: The quote establishes both setting and the tone for the novel. While the setting is quiet and the murder unexpected, the tone of the novel is irreverent, allowing the reader to be prepared for comic relief in the wake of darker subject matter.

Andrea smiled. She hated her life, but she loved her children.
-- Narrator (chapter 2)

Importance: The quote demonstrates how Andrea views her life and her place in the world. Being a full-time wife and mother is not what Andrea would have pictured for herself. Even though Andrea may not be living the life she thought she would, Andrea loves and makes time for her children.

It had forced her to make a choice, which he thought was no choice...
-- Narrator (chapter 5)