Famous Last Words
A Novel
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4.1 • 346 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
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 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)
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
A woman goes from peaceful domestic bliss to a genuinely unimaginable nightmare over a few short hours in this enthralling thriller. With plans to return to work after maternity leave, literary agent Camilla Deschamps is confused when she wakes up to a missing partner and a strange note in his place. But nothing could prepare her for the shock of realizing her husband, Luke, is the perpetrator in a hostage situation. The pacey narrative seamlessly shifts between Camilla’s emotional turmoil and hostage negotiator Niall, whose misjudgment on that fateful day cost him almost everything. Years pass, but the questions don’t stop coming, and eventually Camilla and Niall become entangled in a sticky, messy web. The juxtaposition of the insanely intense siege with vignettes of the pleasant mundanity of the couple’s relationship before heightens tensions even further. This complex and twisty novel from a powerhouse thriller writer is a butt-clenching exploration of the secrets lurking beneath the surface.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Marital secrets animate this heartrending standalone from McAllister (Wrong Place, Wrong Time). On a June morning in London, Camilla "Cam" Deschamps wakes to find that her husband, Luke, isn't home. Then she discovers the cryptic note he left behind: "If anything... it's been so lovely with you both." As Cam tries to convince herself that Luke left early for his ghostwriting job, she drops off their infant daughter, Polly, at day care before heading to work. Soon after she arrives at her office, Cam learns that a hostage situation is developing at a nearby warehouse and Luke is the gunman. The seasoned hostage negotiator on the scene is convinced Luke is a family man who won't resort to violence, but after Luke releases one of the hostages, he shoots the other two, then vanishes. Years pass with no sign of Luke, and Cam struggles to rebuild her life while secretly attempting to piece together clues that could point to her husband's whereabouts or explain his actions. Though the pace can drag and certain twists are a bit convoluted, the gut-wrenching plight of McAllister's three-dimensional heroine will keep readers flipping pages. This satisfies.
Customer Reviews
Fast-paced, gripping.
Fascinating and complex plot. Thrilling until the climax which seemed rushed and confusing. More than a little sappy at the end.
Absolutely fantastic!
Spectacular. I hope this becomes a Netflix mini series
Mystery- not suspense
It’s not really long, but I found myself thinking that I would never finish it. It’s 80% mystery, but I had figured out who the bad guys were 15% into the book.
I guess I’m just not very good at reading British novels. I like to use the built-in dictionary for words or phrases I’m not familiar with. But unfortunately, the English dictionary has no idea either about: Took the piss; Five-a-side; Ping the mast? I tried to figure it out from context but was unable. I’m a reader who reads like I’m watching a movie, so this was a bit frustrating.