CR 035: Gillian McAllister on Thrillers, Twists, and the Importance of a Good Hook

The New York Times bestselling author discusses her latest novel, “Famous Last Words.”

Gillian McAllister, photo by Bill Waters

Gillian McAllister is a New York Times bestselling author whose works have been called “riveting” (Publishers Weekly), “richly layered” (The Sunday Times), and “clever” (The Washington Post). Her thrillers often land on year-end “best of” lists, her 2022 novel Wrong Place Wrong Time was a Reese’s Book Club Pick, and her 2021 release, That Night, is being adapted into a Netflix series.

Her latest thriller, Famous Last Words, is the story of a wife and mother, Camilla, whose life is upended when she learns that her husband has committed a terrifying crime. Much like McAllister’s previous works, it’s a page-turner that delivers a deliciously unexpected twist. In its starred review of the book, Library Journal called it “a first-rate, fiendishly clever suspense novel.”

In addition to promoting the book, McAllister is editing her next novel, beginning work on the one after that, and posting regularly on social media. Her Instagram account is chock full…