Famous Last Words

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Katie Alender sets Famous Last Words in a world where classic Hollywood films become blueprints for murder. How effective did you find this premise in creating suspense? What did you think about the way the novel balanced supernatural horror with a murder-mystery plot?

2. Willa’s journey from a guilt-ridden teenager to someone who trusts her supernatural abilities drives the story forward. Which moments in her character development felt most authentic to you? How did Alender’s portrayal of grief and guilt resonate with your reading experience?

3. Alender employs a structure where Willa experiences visions from murder victims’ perspectives, similar to how authors like Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl, Sharp Objects) use multiple viewpoints in psychological thrillers. Did these shifts in perspective enhance or distract from your engagement with the story?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Willa performs daily rituals attempting to contact her deceased father because she believes that she caused his death. Have you ever found yourself creating personal rituals or routines to cope with difficult emotions?

2. Unresolved guilt manifests as both psychological torment and supernatural experiences for Willa throughout the story. Thinking about times when you’ve struggled with guilt or regret, how did those feelings affect your daily life? How do you think carrying such emotional weight impacts someone’s ability to form new relationships?

3. Wyatt’s methodical, research-based approach to the Hollywood Killer case contrasts sharply with Willa’s intuitive, supernatural insights. When you’re trying to solve problems or understand difficult situations, do you lean more toward logical analysis or gut feelings?

4. Marnie consistently fabricates stories about herself and her experiences, from creating fake celebrity identities to lying about her relationship with Wyatt. What do you think motivates people to construct elaborate fictional versions of themselves? How can you distinguish between healthy self-presentation and destructive deception in your own social interactions?

5. Do you think Willa’s initial dismissal of her supernatural experiences as stress-induced hallucinations represents a realistic response to trauma? Have you ever found yourself questioning your own judgment or dismissing your instincts about a situation?

6. Family relationships become strained as Willa hides her supernatural experiences and emotional struggles from her mother and stepfather. How do you balance protecting loved ones from your problems while still maintaining honest, supportive relationships? What role should family members play in helping someone process grief and trauma?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Hollywood’s emphasis on performance and authenticity creates an environment where these concepts become dangerously blurred throughout the story. How does the entertainment industry’s focus on image and persona reflect broader cultural pressures that you observe in today’s social media-driven world?

2. Reed’s crimes involve recreating iconic scenes from classic films, transforming cinematic art into instruments of violence. What does this suggest about how media and entertainment can be weaponized or misinterpreted? How might society better address the potential dangers of obsessive fandom or artistic interpretation?

3. Elite private school environments like Langhorn Academy often create distinct social hierarchies and cliques, as shown through the “Hollywood kids” dynamic. How do these portrayed dynamics reflect real-world issues of privilege, social status, and adolescent identity formation in competitive environments?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Water serves as a recurring motif throughout the novel, appearing in the pool where Willa first encounters the ghost, the overflowing bathtubs, and the site of Reed’s drowning method. How does Alender use this motif to connect themes of memory, trauma, and truth?

2. The rose necklace appears both in Willa’s visions and as physical evidence discovered in the pool filter. How does this object function as a bridge between the supernatural and criminal-investigation elements of the plot? What does the necklace represent about the killer’s psychological relationship with his victims?

3. Alender structures the novel so that Willa’s supernatural abilities stem directly from her unresolved guilt over her father’s death. How does this connection between psychological trauma and paranormal sensitivity serve the story’s themes? What might the author be suggesting about the relationship between emotional wounds and spiritual openness?

4. Written communication becomes the primary method through which Paige Pollan’s ghost reveals crucial information, from mysterious wall inscriptions to the screenplay page retrieved from rose-filled water. How does this emphasis on textual revelation reflect the novel’s broader exploration of truth and discovery? What role do various documents play in advancing both the mystery and Willa’s character development?

5. Reed’s elaborate staging of his murders as recreations of classic film scenes transforms him from a simple killer into a twisted artist. How does this characterization connect to the novel’s themes about performance and authenticity?

6. Alternating between Willa’s first-person narration and italicized passages from murder victims’ perspectives creates a unique narrative structure. How did this technique affect your reading experience and understanding of the crimes? What does this structure suggest about empathy, trauma, and the connections between different forms of suffering?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were adapting Famous Last Words for film or television, which of the supernatural elements would be most challenging to translate to screen? How would you visually represent Willa’s visions and the ghost’s communications while maintaining the story’s suspense and emotional impact?

2. Imagine that you’re creating a sequel that follows Willa’s continued development of her supernatural abilities. What new challenges or mysteries would you introduce? How would you build on the themes of guilt, truth, and performance that drive the original story?

3. Several classic Hollywood films inspire the killer’s crimes, including The Birds and Kiss of Death. If you were creating a similar story set in a different location or time period, what cultural touchstones or art forms would you use as inspiration for your fictional crimes?