Famous Last Words

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. Agent: Ariele Friedman, United Talent Agency. (Feb.)