Book Review: Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

I’ve just read ‘Famous Last Words’ by Gillian McAllister. It’s one of those thrillers that immediately makes you realise you’re going to stay up all night reading it. In my case, I started reading at 10.30pm, switched off the light at 4am, and finished the book the next morning. Here’s the premise:

Camilla is returning to work as a literary agent after maternity leave. Her baby daughter is starting nursery. It should be one of those chaotic but ordinary milestone days.

Except her husband Luke has disappeared.

Then disturbing news breaks: there’s a hostage situation unfolding in London. The police tell Camilla that Luke is caught up in it.

And then comes the twist: Luke isn’t one of the hostages. He’s the gunman.

Camilla’s dilemma is painful. She adores her fun, chatty husband, who works as a ghostwriter and is well-liked. He’s a devoted husband and father. What can Camilla do when the evidence points squarely in one direction, but her emotions indicate another? How long can she believe in him against all the odds?

What Gillian McAllister does so well is take a high-concept thriller situation and anchor it in something very human: the terrifying idea that someone you love might have an entire hidden life. Not a small secret or a harmless omission, but something much darker. My novel ‘Guilty Innocence’ is based on an entirely different premise, yet the central question is the same: how well do we really know the people closest to us?

The pacing is excellent; this novel is definitely a page-turner, as my 4am reading binge proved. It’s tense, readable, and cleverly structured, but for me the real pull was psychological rather than purely plot-driven. The uncomfortable questions Camilla has to face. Her loyalty to her husband that’s tested to the limit. The truth about what happened that terrible morning in Bermondsey.

The subplots are also intriguing, such as the conflict experienced by Niall, the hostage negotiator, whose commitment to his job clashes with his marriage. Niall is a likeable, relatable character, who is as keen as Camilla to uncover Luke’s secrets. Then there’s Camilla’s strained relationship with Libby, who’s battling infertility and resents her sister for having borne a child. Her unwavering support for her client Adam, who’s struggling to write again after the runaway success of his debut novel.

‘Famous Last Words’ is a very satisfying read for anyone who enjoys domestic suspense with a strong hook and a deeply emotional core.

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