Famous Last Words: A Suspenseful Domestic Thriller with Shocking Twists, Unravel the Deception
"This novel blindsided me with twists and surprises that had me gasping...and with a poignancy about relationships and love that one rarely finds in the genre. A brilliant, brilliant book." --Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author
From the author of Reese's Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller Wrong Place Wrong Time comes an addictive thriller about a new mother's world upended when her husband commits a terrifying crime. How well does she truly know the man she loves? And what danger does she face if her entire life has been built on a lie?
It is June 21st, the longest day of the year, and new mother Camilla's life is about to change forever. After months of maternity leave, she will drop her infant daughter off at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Finally. But, when she wakes, her husband Luke isn't there, and in his place is a cryptic note.
Then it starts. Breaking news: there's a hostage situation developing in London. The police arrive, and tell her Luke is involved. But he isn't a hostage. Her husband - doting father, eternal optimist - is the gunman.
What she does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind that morning says...
Famous Last Words is the story of a crime, a marriage, and more secrets than Camilla ever could have imagined. This novel cements Gillian McAllister's reputation as "the best at putting her characters in impossible situations and making her readers not only contemplate but feel what it would be like to find themselves in those situations." (Emily Henry)
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Community Reviews
Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister opens with an intriguing premise: Camilla returns to work on her first day back after maternity leave, only to find her husband, Luke, missingâhis only trace an unfinished note. Soon, breaking news reveals Luke is involved in a hostage situation, but heâs not a hostageâheâs the gunman. The story quickly builds suspense as Camilla works to decipher the clues in his note.
The book starts strong, drawing you in with its tension and mystery, but my initial excitement waned as the pacing slows in the middle. Thereâs a lot of internal dialogue and emotional turmoil from both Camilla and the hostage negotiator Niall, which at times feels repetitive and slows down the action. The subplots, especially the one involving her relationship with her sister, also feel unnecessary and donât add much to the central story.
While the twist and ending are satisfying, they became a bit predictable, which dampened the overall impact. Famous Last Words has a lot of potential but ultimately falls short of delivering the thrill I was hoping for after the strong opening. Itâs not a bad read, but it didnât fully live up to its initial promise.
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