Famous Last Words: A Suspenseful Domestic Thriller with Shocking Twists, Unravel the Deception

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“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 clue lies in the note he left behind...

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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Published Feb 25, 2025

336 pages

Average rating: 6.95

411 RATINGS

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Cutler Bay Book Club

This book club is a work in progress.. but I wanted to establish a group farther south as I’ve noticed many groups meet in Fort Lauderdale.

Community Reviews

ValerieRuiz
Apr 06, 2026
8/10 stars
Camilla is back at work after maternity leave, juggling her baby’s first day of daycare and the return to her job as a literary agent but when she wakes up her husband Luke is missing and all she finds is a cryptic note. Moments later, live news reports reveal a hostage situation unfolding in London and Luke isn’t one of the hostages, he’s the gunman. Seven years later, as Camilla is trying to move on, a mysterious message and unanswered questions pull her back into the past she’s been running from. My first ever Gillian McAllister read! This has been on my TBR for probably way too long, but I was inspired to finally pick it up after following Gillian McAllister here on IG. I enjoyed the plot of this book and at so many points, I found myself trying to put myself in Camilla’s shoes and think about how I would feel or what I would do, if I learned my husband was holding people hostage. While I’m not a mother, I understand that life with a newborn is CRAZY. I don’t know how Camilla didn’t lose her marbles trying to be a new mom AND worry about her assumed criminal-hostage-holder husband. While I did find certain points of the book a bit slow and wish it were a tad more thrilly, I did appreciate the character development. I have two other books that have been keeping my shelves warm (Wrong Place, Wrong Time and Just Another Missing Person) that I want to read soon! Trigger Warnings: Post-traumatic stress disorder, infertility & miscarriage, murder, gun violence, strong/explicit language, hostage situations
Sue Dix
Mar 14, 2026
10/10 stars
I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but I really, really liked it. It reads quickly and is very engaging. Family, love, loyalty, murder, intrigue, shadowy figures, obfuscation. Part way toward the end, I started figuring some things out, but that just added to my reading enjoyment. And there’s a happy ending. I loved that. This is a terrific book.
Cookingwithmonny
Jul 01, 2025
8/10 stars
Great mystery, I couldn't really put this one down.
Larry Burns
Apr 24, 2025
6/10 stars
Not great.
Clead
Apr 06, 2025
8/10 stars
Good mystery! Nice plot twist. Easy read.

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