Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Adult, Crime, and Contemporary
Synopsis: 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…
⚠️ SPOILERS AHEAD
Review: Famous Last Words stays true to its mystery genre, keeping readers in the dark for most of the story before finally revealing what’s really going on. Don’t get me wrong—I liked the plot! But while reading, I often found myself feeling skeptical. I wasn’t sure if I would even finish the book after reaching Act II, and I frequently found myself irritated with the main character, Camilla.
I completely understand why she would be anxious—her husband, Luke, goes from being the man she knew and loved to leaving behind a cryptic note and allegedly holding people hostage at gunpoint. I even sympathized with her early on. I mean, how would you feel if police showed up at your workplace and told you your spouse was committing a serious crime—and then asked you to come with them?
But after a while, it got repetitive. Camilla’s anxiety surrounding Luke continues—even seven years later—and it just became something I didn’t want to keep reading about.
Niall, the hostage negotiator, was a bit easier to connect with. His guilt over how the situation with Luke played out felt relatable. If you’re supposed to be one of the best at your job and you get something so wrong (even if it turns out not to be quite as bad), of course that would haunt you. I was glad to see him go to therapy—something Camilla could have benefited from as well.
While Famous Last Words does offer an interesting plot and a satisfying conclusion (who doesn’t love a happy ending?), the pacing drags after Act I. I wish the reader had been clued in earlier to what was really going on. Instead, we’re given a few anonymous POVs that hint something else is at play—maybe Luke didn’t actually commit a crime? Or maybe he did, but for a good reason?
I really wish we’d gotten a chapter or two from Luke’s perspective. I would’ve loved to see what seven years on the run were like for him, how it changed him, and how he felt being separated from his wife and child. That could have added much-needed depth and emotional impact.
All in all, Famous Last Words is an interesting read that explores themes of grief, guilt, and redemption. If you enjoy slower-paced stories, this might be the book for you. As mentioned earlier, there is a happy ending: Niall and Camilla both come to understand that Luke wasn’t truly the perpetrator. Camilla tracks down his hiding place after defending herself from one of the men sent to harm him, while Niall uncovers the real culprit, helping him find closure.
However, if you’re looking for a fast-paced, high-stakes thriller, you might find this one a bit sluggish. Act I is a strong, gripping start: a new mom beginning a fresh chapter of her life only to be swept into a hostage crisis involving her husband—now that is a page-turner. Unfortunately, Act II loses momentum and feels more like a melancholy love story than a mystery or thriller. That tonal shift was a bit of a letdown for me.
Star Rating: 2.75/5
Content Warnings: Death, and Murder