Holy smokes, I enjoyed this book so much! I binged this eARC in 24 hours…I stayed up way too late and then got up way too early so I could continue reading. I had the hardest time putting it down, I needed to know what happened next. So many tension building, heart pounding, heartbreaking moments. I loved the writing style and how it felt like I was part of the story the whole time…from the hostage situation, a negotiator, the entire investigation process, to a grieving wife trying to put all the pieces together to solve the mystery. My feelings were all over the place with this story.

I also loved how the main character is a literary agent who is a bookish introvert and reads fiction stories to escape the real world…I am sure many of us can relate!

Written in multiple POVs and multiple genres that blended perfectly together…police procedural, crime investigation, mystery, suspense, romance. The author crafted complex timelines using intricate details with multiple twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. This is the second book that I have read by this author and both have been 5 star reads…I highly suggest this book!

Thank you @williammorrowbooks, @gillianmauthor, and @netgalley for the #gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gillian McAllister is quickly becoming an all-time favorite thriller author for me. I love the writing style and each chapter keeps you on your toes, wanting to know more. I like the short chapters, and the overarching feeling like you have to know what is going to happen. I like going into my thriller/mysteries with as little knowledge as possible, so that I can get the most enjoyment our of the book.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for my early e-arc.

After a break - a new book from Gillian McAllister - Famous Last Words.

"Camilla is headed back to work after being on maternity leave. Oddly her husband, Luke, is not there to see her off, leaving behind an odd note. Everyone at work is glad to see her again. Then the news hits. A hostage situation is brewing nearby and her husband is involved...as the hostage taker."

Mcallister throws you right into the tension, never giving a hint about what's really going on. You feel for Cam and her daughter and the hostage negotiator, Niall, after the situation takes a violent turn. McAllister makes a couple of time jumps and the middle drags just a bit until she gives the first clue about what really happened. Not what I was expecting at all. More and more is revealed until the final explosive ending. There is a nice epilogue so you can see what happens to your favorite character.

This will surprise you. Good story from McAllister.

I read this gem of a book with my bookclub and really loved hearing everyone's perspectives on it - while some found this enthralling and quickly paced, others thought it bogged down at times and had excess POVs. Overall I enjoyed my time with this as much as I enjoyed her release Wrong Place, Wrong Time that I read a few years back. While I did find some of Niall's more police-procedural focused chapters to be a little slow, I think this is more a personal thing as I have burnt myself out on police stories in general. If you enjoyed this authors previous books I definitely recommend giving this one a try!

The first half of this book was such a page-turner! It was filled with so much tension and mystery! It slowed a bit in the middle, but then everything ramped back up again! I enjoyed all the twists and turns as I tried to figure out what really happened during the hostage situation. I felt so bad for Cam and all she went through. Niall was my favorite character because he was so sympathetic and wanted the best outcome he could get.

Thank you, @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks, for the #gifted e-arc!

Gillian McAllister’s Famous Last Words doesn’t start with a murder, a car chase, or an anonymous text—it starts with a husband who simply isn’t where he’s supposed to be. That’s all it takes for McAllister to unravel a marriage, a career, and a life in real time. This isn’t a thriller that relies on cheap tricks or high body counts to keep you hooked. Instead, it thrives on an insidious kind of tension—the kind that makes you second-guess everything, including your own instincts. At its core, it’s about trust, betrayal, and—somewhat surprisingly—love.

The novel opens with Camilla (Cam), a literary agent and new mother, returning to work after maternity leave. It should be an ordinary milestone, one her husband, Luke, should be there to support. Instead, she finds a note—just ambiguous enough to be troubling but not clear enough to explain anything. Minutes later, the police arrive. Luke isn’t missing. He’s the gunman in a hostage crisis unfolding across London. And just like that, Cam’s life detonates.

McAllister structures the novel in three acts, each with its own rhythm and weight. The first is pure adrenaline, a masterclass in controlled chaos. Cam’s world unravels at breakneck speed, and McAllister doesn’t give either her or the reader room to breathe. The unanswered texts, the eerie normalcy of her morning before the news broke, the creeping horror that she might not have truly known Luke at all—every moment pulses with dread.

Then comes the second act, where the novel shifts from external catastrophe to internal reckoning. The siege is over, but Cam is still trapped—this time, in the aftermath. She pieces together what happened alongside hostage negotiator Niall, a man undone by that same day. A single misstep cost him his career, his marriage, and any semblance of peace. McAllister lets ambiguity fester. Was Luke completely not who Cam thought he was? Is Niall the solution to Cam’s questions or is he something far darker? The reader doesn’t know—every action revealed could have any number of explanations.

The final act is where McAllister’s skill truly shines. Every breadcrumb laid in the early pages leads to a conclusion that is as shocking as it is inevitable. There’s no final-hour gimmick, no twist for the sake of a twist. It all makes sense—sometimes, painfully so.

The characters in Famous Last Words are riveting not because they’re likable, but because they're real. Cam isn’t a plucky heroine or a tragic victim—she’s messy, stubborn, and fully human. Her love of books—her tendency to escape into fiction as a way to process the world—will make readers of genre fiction happy. And yet, her desire to constantly escape into fun fiction makes her, at times, unable to do what the reader sees she needs to. It’s an astute character choice, making her both relatable and, at moments, frustrating in the best way.

McAllister writes with precision and care. Every moment in this novel matters, every choice is deliberate. And, wow, is it a page-turner. I clocked the central reveal about halfway through, but it didn’t dull the impact—instead, it deepened it. The novel’s emotional truth never wavers, even when some of its more dramatic turns stretch plausibility.

If you’re going to read it—and you absolutely should—clear your schedule. McAllister doesn’t just tell a story. She tightens the screws until there’s nowhere left to turn.

Thank you to the publisher for a free Netgalley. 3.5 rounded up.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. But the pace was a tad off. Cam's character and perspective was my favorite. I liked Niall, but felt his chapters could have been shorter. I am happy we did not get a fourth perspective. The third was needed-- nice and short, but I thought it was easy to figure out who it was. And I am happy we did not get a fourth as it would have not fit right.

The overall plot was solid, but felt the time jumps were a tad too long. I genuinely cannot say why without spoiling a major plot point.

I do recommend, but do not think this will be for everyone.

Rounding up a 3.5 for Goodreads. The first half of this book was binge worthy but second half slowed down for me. I couldn’t wait to see how it ended tho

On her first day back to work after her maternity leave, Camilla tearfully leaves her baby at day care and goes to her office. She did find it odd that her husband wasn't there to help or see her off - just an oddly worded note on the counter, and her texts to him have gone unanswered all day. While at work the police come to get her, there is a hostage situation and her husband is not the hostage, but the gunman. How does a loving and caring husband and father change so dramatically into a gunman, did she miss signs? Camilla is determined to find out.

I really enjoyed the dual POV of Camilla and the hostage negotiator, the insight was informative, dramatic and the perspective added additional elements to the story. I was thoroughly engrossed in this book and really did not want to put it down. While I did predict a lot of the events, it did not diminish the read at all. This is my first read from the author and I am absolutely putting her other books on my TBR.

4.25 stars

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC to review

I did a 'buddy read' of this with a friend, and we were doing 5 chapters a day. It was SO hard to stop at only 5 chapters!!! I know she said she read ahead a time or two also. It may be a good thing that we read it this way though because otherwise I would have devoured it so quickly that I wouldn't have had as much time to enjoy the storyline. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes thrillers!!

Cam's first day back to work since maternity leave. Her husband, Luke, left a cryptic note. Cam hears the breaking news about a hostage situation with a gunman and her husband does not respond to her text.

Later, the police arrive at her door. She finds out that her husband is in the hostage situation and he is the gunman. She can't believe it since he was such a kind husband.

This final twist of this book is crazy and nothing you can imagine! Pretty much secret after secret, dark evidence, and a thrilling ride! The story builds as the puzzle pieces fall into place.

Mystery, Addictive Thriller, and Twisted! 3.5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy! This book will be released 2/25/25.

Famous Last Words had me engrossed from the very first words to the final! Tore through it in a snowy 24 hours. Such a suspenseful mystery/thriller, but I loved that the characters and relationships were so integral to the overall plot so it added depth to the story. Can definitely see this one adapted into a movie. Can someone make that happen?
Thank you #NetGalley and #WilliamMorrow for the ARC.

Despite being jet lagged and exhausted, I devoured Famous Last Words in 24 hours, publishing this Monday Feb 25th. Cam’s life is flipped upside down when her calm and funny husband suddenly goes missing on her first day back at work from maternity leave, and learns that he has apparently taken active hostages. Only the first quarter of the book is focused on the hostage situation with the remainder detailing what comes after everything you thought doesn’t turn out that way. Can you accept that your intuition and what you believed was wrong? Told from multiple perspectives, this one was fantastic!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC of this book.

What if the person you know and love the most suddenly left you with no notice or explanation. And then, was being accused of holding people hostage at gunpoint?

This one was a slow start for me, but once I reached a certain point, I had to know what was going on and what was going to happen. Lots of twists and turns.

Gillian McAllister is an auto-buy author for me. She writes the best thrillers and this one had me on the edge of my seat. Great twist and turns and interesting characters.

I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.

FAMOUS LAST WORDS
BY: GILLIAN MCALLISTER

I have been reading all of GILLIAN MCALLISTER'S mystery/thriller novels since she was first published and she always delivers a compelling family drama situation that never disappoints and always delivers, and this one was no different. You think you know your husband after you've been married for the amount of time they have been. Think again here with this one as young mother Camilla is getting up to take her baby named Polly to daycare and she reads an oddly worded note from her sweet husband Luke. She thinks it's odd but it's her first day back to work at her job as a Literary Agent on the longest day of the year June 21, the Summer Solstice. She's back to work on her first day leaving their baby named Polly at day care after a maternity leave so she doesn't dwell on her cheerful husband Luke's note even though it is puzzling.

While Cameron is at work two police officers show up at her job and she takes them inside the conference room only to be escorted home with her sister picking up her daughter for her at day care. Her sweet husband Luke is involved in a hostage situation and Camilla can't believe it when she hears that thoughtful Luke has taken three people hostage. The other main character is Niall who is the hostage negotiator who this case will haunt him. He tries to be good at his job by showing an act of goodwill that by no fault of his own backfires.

The police are questioning Camilla about whether she knew that Luke kept a gun in their home to which she was completely clueless. They haven't really been married to the seven year mark and it turns out that she had her husband all wrong by how this turns out. I kept thinking about how loyal she was trying to be to Luke, when being questioned weighing her answers carefully not wanting to make things worse for Luke, and carefully considering how much she told them, while she nor I would have ever guessed he would be capable of doing what he did, but suddenly that note made sense. You never want to believe the worst about someone you love and I could feel her shock and understood why she felt that she didn't want to make things worse for him when this trip escorted home by the police still gave her an idea of things as she considered her loyalty towards her husband hoping but at the same time knowing Luke was in the middle of blowing up they're domestically happy existence.

This was laden full of shock and suspense for me as a reader as things progressed to the point that both for her and their baby daughter and Niall things would never go back to how they were as things played out. I think that most people will find this one a thriller that has suspense, and be surprised in the direction it takes. I think the title is perfect for this as most will reflect about the title and Luke's note, and think about how grateful they are to have the stability that comes with really knowing their husband, and crave the peace and tranquility that comes from predictable long term marriages.

Publication Date: February 25, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Gillian McAllister and William Morrow for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#FamousLastWords #GillianMcAllister #WilliamMorrow #NetGalley

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister, 336 pages. William Morrow, 2025. $24.
Language: R (80 swears, 36 “f” + British swears); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
Camilla wasn’t sure whether to dread or embrace the day she took her baby to daycare for the first time to return to work—but Camilla certainly didn’t want to do it without seeing her husband, Luke, all morning. Wondering where Luke could be and why he wasn’t answering her messages, Camilla went to work anyway, where police officers came looking for the wife of Luke Deschamps, the man currently holding three people hostage in a warehouse.
Following both the wife of the criminal and the hostage negotiator, McAllister unfolds the story skillfully, giving readers tidbits of information from one character that shifts the possible outcomes of the other’s actions. I enjoyed how complex and real so many of the side characters are, how they affected the main characters unintentionally in significant ways. There is a lot of grey area in this story for readers to wrestle with—between justice and doing the right thing, making decisions of who to trust and build relationships with, learning to give second chances or just move on. The end is about more than happily ever after—it’s about making a life you can be happy in now despite the imperfections of the past.
The majority of characters are implied British. Niall is described as having a Northern Irish accent. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mentions of drugs, kissing, illegal activity, and innuendo. The violence rating is for gun use, mentions of terrorism and suicide, and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Camilla’s husband, Luke Deschamps has always been an incredible man and loving father. She is shocked and horrified when he takes 3 hostages and murders two of them then disappears.

I have really liked Gillian McAllister’s other books so I was super excited to get an ARC of this and it did not disappoint. Camilla was a very relatable main character and I often found myself wondering what I would do in her situation. It was interesting getting Niall (the hostage negotiator’s) POV and I felt it added a lot to the story. It took a little time for me to really get invested in this story but once I did I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow publishing for the ARC!

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister
🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is an entertaining and suspenseful thriller!
Cam is excited to go back to work after maternity leave, but things take a crazy turn when she wakes up in the morning and her husband isn’t there.
I enjoyed the premise of this story! It’s original and the book is well written.
The book has multiple POV’s, which help to keep the story exciting. It kept me engaged from beginning to end with lots of intense moments throughout! However, the middle did slow a bit for me.
Overall, it was a very fun and exciting read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this enjoyable book!
*It comes out February 25th*

I really liked this one! It's such a deviation from her last two, while still proving to be a unique plot.

Luke and Cam, a couple seemingly perfect for one another. Enter a baby, and while Cam is overwhelmed, Luke seems to help and support his wife. Sleepless nights lead to some distance between the two, so when Luke starts to act slightly "off", Cam chalks it up to the normal shift that might take place in a marriage. But then, she gets a phone call she never expected --her perfect husband is involved in a hostage situation -- and the police want her to help talk her husband, off a ledge, so to speak.

What follows, is a mystery -- why would he suddenly become this criminal? Where had he gone? Is he dead? Nothing makes sense anymore. 7 years later, not sure what her feelings are anymore, Cam is trying to rebuild her life -- she even begins to date again. But is she safe?

Read on to find out...

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing eCopies for our bookclub to read early and help promote! This was a page turner!