Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

Famous Last Words

A Novel

Gillian McAllister

HarperCollins · Print & ebook · January 13, 2026

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.

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Who it’s for
Fans of domestic and psychological thrillers
Themes
crime, marriage, secrets
Pacing
Fast

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For younger readers: That's Not My Name, Pretend She's Here, The Reappearance of Rachel Price

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About this book

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.

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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)

Who it’s for

  • Fans of domestic and psychological thrillers
  • Readers who enjoy suspenseful, twisty narratives about family and secrets

Where it sits

Domestic Thrillers76%
Psychological Thrillers40%
Marriage & Divorce28%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Police Procedurals
  • Psychological Fiction
  • Suspense
  • Domestic Thrillers
Show all 7 publisher categories
  • Women's Fiction
  • Marriage & Divorce
  • 21st-Century English Fiction
Authors
Gillian McAllister
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published
January 13, 2026
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
crime · marriage · secrets
Reading lane
Police Procedurals