Famous Last Words

McAllister’s latest brilliantly constructed novel (following Wrong Place Wrong Time) is a perfectly calibrated mix of the thoughtful characterization that book clubbers will adore and the twist-filled plotting that armchair suspense junkies crave. Waking up one early summer morning and finding her husband Luke gone, Camilla Deschamps proceeds to get their daughter Polly ready for her first day of preschool. Arriving at the literary agency where she works, Cam tries to reach Luke in between dealing with all the tasks that have accumulated while she was on maternity leave. Later that morning, while Cam is watching a breaking news piece on the television in reception, two police officers enter the office and ask to speak with her. Cam is about to find out exactly why she hasn’t been able to reach Luke. The icing on this delectable literary confection is its delight in language and words, which is artfully reflected in the protagonist’s own appreciation of “le mot juste,” as well as her love of reading and the transporting power of books.