--- description: Nearly two years after his wife passed away, Patton Oswalt is honoring the completion of her final book about the Golden state killer. title: Patton Oswalt Honors His Late Wife With a Touching Tribute image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb1ba0353d3cfad0e/69892901e76ad2ef79631321/patton-oswalt-michelle-mcnamara.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 'You Did It, Baby.' Patton Oswalt Commemorates Finishing His Late Wife's Book With Touching Tribute  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Feb 27, 2018 5:31 PM CUT  Actor Patton Oswalt and wife Michelle McNamara arrive at the 'Young Adult' Los Angeles Premiere on December 15, 2011. Actor Patton Oswalt and wife Michelle McNamara arrive at the 'Young Adult' Los Angeles Premiere on December 15, 2011.Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Feb 27, 2018 5:31 PM CUT Nearly two years after his [wife unexpectedly passed away](http://time.com/4546314/patton-oswalt-michelle-mcnamara-grief/ "undefined"), [Patton Oswalt](http://time.com/5041067/patton-oswalt-wife-death-holidays/ "undefined") is honoring the completion of [her final book](http://time.com/4434884/patton-oswalt-michelle-mcnamara/ "undefined"), _I’ll Be Gone in the Dark_ True crime writer Michelle McNamara died suddenly in her sleep on April 21, 2016, leaving her years-long investigation into the [Golden State Killer](http://people.com/crime/golden-state-serial-killer-east-area-rapist-original-night-stalker/ "undefined")—a.k.a. the Original Night Stalker—unfinished. But in the wake of her death, Oswalt pledged to carry the novel to its close. “I wish I could tell you some moment of epiphany when I realized that I was going to finish it, but I don’t have it,” the comedian told [_Entertainment Weekly_](http://ew.com/books/2018/02/26/patton-oswalt-michelle-mcnamara-book-completion/ "undefined")of his decision. “That whole year is just this really painful blur.” Oswalt commemorated the book’s publication on Tuesday by sharing a photo of a copy of _I’ll Be Gone in the Dark_ sitting on McNamara’s grave.“You did it, baby,” he wrote. “The book is excellent, the writing brilliant. You tried to bring kindness to chaos, which was your way.” > [](https://twitter.com/pattonoswalt/status/968472219373506560) Oswalt has since remarried, having tied the knot with actor [Meredith Salenger](http://time.com/5010711/patton-oswalt-meredith-salenger-wedding/ "undefined") on Nov. 4, 2017. > [](https://twitter.com/pattonoswalt/status/927209169588912129) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5177560/patton-oswalt-late-wife-book-tribute/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5177560/patton-oswalt-late-wife-book-tribute/"},"headline":"'You Did It, Baby.' 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