I don’t often read mysteries because they completely take over my life—but Famous Last Words was absolutely worth it! From the very first page to the jaw-dropping ending, I was hooked. Gillian McAllister masterfully weaves suspense with deeply emotional storytelling, creating a thriller that also resonates as a love story.

Cam’s journey as she pieces together her husband Luke’s shocking actions, and Niall’s determined hostage negotiations, kept me on edge. The alternating perspectives were captivating, and the twists—wow! I pride myself on guessing endings, but this book had surprises that left me gasping.

This is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in years, combining mystery, heart, and an utterly unique plot. I’ll be recommending this to everyone I know and cannot wait to read more from McAllister. Five stars and then some! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I really hated this book. It took so incredibly long for anything to happen - the book doesn't gain any momentum until 63% into the kindle version. Just a lot of sad, wistful thoughts from our main character about this big event that happened in her life. It's boring. Also this book has clearly been workshopped through several edits as details from their home and a murder don't align throughout the book. Will explain further underneath a

*****SPOILERS*****

There is a big deal made about the family's upside down house (i.e. bedrooms downstairs, living spaces up) --- especially as this is integral to the denouement of the book. However multiple times the characters are going up to a room that should be down, or vice versa. Likewise, the murders we find out kicked off the entire story keep switching details. Originally we're told the one kid is killed by a shot to the temple. Later as the husband is describing the story of the murders that ultimately involve him, he says the kid was shot in the chest and he was trying to save him. Clearly if I saw someone shot in the temple, my first thought wouldn't be to try and save them, so I assume this is the cause for the change. Either way, this plot is absolutely bonkers because what new parent leaves their infant in the car as they race to try and help someone who has been shot while the shooter is still there?! Also the husband constantly referring to the people trying to kill him as "his enemies." Who the heck would talk about it like that?
The storyline of Niall being haunted by this hostage situation seems silly by American standards. Maybe I'm just desensitized to violence, but two people dying in a hostage situation hardly seems like life altering trauma to a hostage negotiator. His chapters felt unnecessary as well as boring.
I also hate when the author makes her characters stupid for the sake of plot. Like how does Cam not realize the couriered book isn't from her author and is instead from her husband WHO'S WRITING STYLE SHE IS INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH?! Or that Charlie is clearly the one keeping tabs on her for nefarious reasons? Stop talking to him and sharing your secrets! Also to act like Cam is still in love with her husband and unwilling to really commit to a new relationship because she holds out hope he will someday return...but then drop they've had sex several times like it ain't no big thang. WTH.


Truly, steer clear. This book is awful.

I don’t often read mysteries because when I do then I cannot get anything else done! Famous Last Words is one of this novels that kept me intrigued from the first page till the last. I am glad I was able to read this thru NetGalley and will look for more work by the author

After 9 months maternity leave, Cam returns to work. It is also her first day dropping her daughter, Polly, off at daycare. Cam assumes her husband Luke left early but he's not answering his texts or calls. And there's a weird note from him in the foyer. Cam tries to push the negative thoughts away and go to work. But once at work her world changes. The cops come and tell her there is a hostage situation unfolding in a wearhouse nearby and her husband is involved. She didn't think it could get any worse until they tell her he is the perpetrator, not a hostage.

Outside the wearhouse, hostage negotiator Nial attempts to make contact with Luke before things take a turn he didn't expect.

This is told in 4 parts and for the majority of the time it is told in Cam and Nail's perspective.

Lots of twists and turns in this one that literally had me gasping at reveals. I saw a few things coming but ultimately was surprised at the ending. This is a thriller, and a love story. I don't read a lot of romance but you could feel the pain dripping off of the pages and it made you root for our main characters.

The best thriller I have read in a long time. So unexpected and such a different story. I am recommeding it to anyone that needs an escape with gread characters, several twists and the power of true love.

This was one of the more captivating thrillers I have read. I had to keep reminding myself to breathe while reading. The concept of this book was fascinating and the execution was so well done. Loved it.

One thing I can say for sure about Famous Last Words - you probably won't guess the truth before the big reveal!

The good of this - surprise is always a delight in a thriller. It's rare to come across a book that truly twists the story in a new way.

The less good - the twist felt a little random to me. And I guess, really, that's the crux of the story. The way random events can impact your life in unknowable and unforseen ways.

I always enjoy Gillian McAllister's writing, and Famous Last Words was no exception. I enjoyed the multiple points of view and the level of suspense that was sustained throughout the novel. The pace was consistent and readable.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a midwinter thriller to warm the blood!

I rate this book 4 stars. Thanks to Netgalley, Gillian McAllister, and the publisher for making this book available in exchange for my honest review.

I appreciated the idea of this book and how the story evolved. I did not enjoy the writing and I found it hard to read and follow around with what was happening.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister is one of those novels that makes you think it’s one thing, but as you pull back the layers, it’s much more complicated than that.

We start with Cam, a new mother who is just about to return to work after her nine month maternity leave. Her day proceeds as normal, dropping off her daughter at her new nursery school and proceeding to work. Once she arrives though, she notices the breaking news alert: there’s a hostage situation underway and her husband is involved…as the gunman.

What unfolds is a years long investigation into what really happened that day. What caused Luke to do it. What mess was he involved with. In an alternating POVs we follow Cam as she attempts to figure it out, while also how to move on, and we follow Niall, the hostage investigator who knows there’s more to this story than what’s on the surface than what was presented…if only someone would listen to him.

I’ve read a novel or two of McAllister’s before and she does a great job of plotting this story, giving you just the minimum of what you need to know to keep you intrigued. I will admit I saw every one of the twists coming, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. I liked both of our main characters as well. Cam’s yearning for the truth was compelling and Niall’s determination to get those answers was riveting. I like the way this wrapped up too. It great tension to get us to the finish line.

I highly recommend checking this one out when it hits bookstores in February.

Thank you to William Morrow Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: 2/25.

As the book opens, Camilla is returning to work as a literary agent after 9 months of maternity leave, in London on the longest day of the year. Her husband Luke, who also happens to be one of her clients, is nowhere to be found as Camilla and her 9-month-old daughter Polly leave for the daycare, and Camilla is disappointed that he's missing the milestone moment. At work, she is surprised to hear about a hostage situation between a lone gunman and three victims, and shocked to learn that her husband is the lone kidnapper. The book takes place during the siege, 7 years after the siege, and then jumps forward in time 7 further years by the conclusion. For anyone familiar with Gillian McAllister's works, this is no different, with twists and turns, but with strong character development that delves into the emotions of both Camilla and the hostage negotiator, Niall, as they deal with the siege, and the subsequent fallout afterwards.
Why would Luke hold three people at gunpoint and how did he even get a gun? The book alternates between Camilla's point of view and Niall's as we get more information, and together they work out exactly what happened to Luke to lead him to the situation at the opening of the book. I enjoyed the focus on how we mourn and move on from failed relationships when there isn't closure and felt that Camilla's emotions surrounding Luke were realistically portrayed. The mystery itself was also fully fleshed out, and felt well thought out, and wasn't easily guessed, which for me is essential to my enjoyment of a mystery book. Definitely another hit for this author!
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

3.5 stars, rounded to 4
I’ve been a fan of McAllister, and while I enjoyed this book, it wasn’t my favorite. I enjoyed the concept, but I feel like there could have been more suspense and twists than there were. I read this while on vacation, so it was easier for me to dedicate time and get into the story, but I could see it dragging a bit if you didn’t have such big chunks of time to read.

I am sorry to write such a review but Famous Last Words was one of the most boring mystery thrillers I’ve read. Unrealistic and dull, I plodded slowly through this as it never really captured my interest.

I’m definitely an outlier in my experience of this and I’m sure other readers will enjoy this more than I did.




Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the DRC

Thank you netgalley and to the publisher this one was hard for me to get through I’m in a bit of a reading slump and this book did not help. Nothing really even started happening till half way through . It was too slow paced for me which was such a bummer I really enjoy Gillian McAllister books

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the ARC ebook.
New Mom Camilla wakes up one morning to find her husband Luke is missing. After she finds a cryptic note that he left her, she drops her daughter off at daycare and goes to work for her first day back after maternity leave, only to find out that her husband Luke has taken three hostages at gunpoint. Eventually he lets one of the hostage go but kills the other two and no one, especially Cam can figure out why.
Seven years later, Cam is still trying to figure out what happened that day, when all of a sudden a mysterious package containing a book shows up at her house. She thinks it's the second book of an author she has been working with but this one is completely different from his first book. I don't want to go into too many details and give anything away. All I can say is, this book had some twists and turns that I never saw coming and I really enjoyed it.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #FamousLastWords #WilliamMorrowBooks #GillianMcAllister

Not my favorite of McAllister's. This one, while an intriguing and unique story, felt a little all over the place. I also found it difficult to keep track of all the names of those we never actually met but only heard of through the hostage situation, the manuscript, and Niall's discoveries. It seemed a bit discombobulated and because the "motivation" happened years before, hard to really care about the pieces that tied together in the end. Would have liked to have seen some flashback chapters of what actually happened to set all of this into motion.

I usually love anything and everything by this author. This one however was pretty slow to start and lost me a little towards the end to pick it up right at the end and close it up perfectly. A woman is preparing to go back to work after maternity leave and is worried when she has not heard from her husband. There is a hostage situation going on nearby that she hears about and then learns it is her husband who is the offender! It was pretty cool seeing all the different perspectives in the book it just lost some steam towards the middle and end but again ended solid. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Gillian McAllister has done it again. They’ve written an engrossing and twisty thriller that I could not stop reading. I was hooked right from the start, it sucked me in, and then held my interest. I loved reading this book. The beginning was so engaging, Camilla’s husband was a hostage taker. I couldn’t even imagine. Then as the book goes on, we are transported to the future and we get more of the story, then in the future again. What a great way to tell the story. The writing was so fluid and well done, it’s obvious that this author knows what they are doing and does it exceptionally well. I have really enjoyed other books by this author and this one was even better. I feel that it had such a unique premise and is a story that isn’t told from this type of perspective very often. I really enjoyed Camilla as a character, she was smart and analytical. She always thought ahead and anticipated the moves of others. I also enjoyed Niall as a character, he had such a knack for knowing what was next. It was fun to get the book from both their perspectives. The pacing was fast and I finished this book in just a few hours over the course of an afternoon.

If you’re looking for a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, then look no further.

McAllister has become a reliable thriller author for me and this one confirms I need to read more from her! It’s layered with well-times reveals and turns, but what puts it a cut above your standard thriller is the humanity in the story’s characters. Despite this being on the longer side, I got through it pretty quickly due to the propulsive writing - and I feel like it’s best to go into this without reading the synopsis, I didn’t and the first reveal had me going ‘oh THAT’S where this book is going!’

I enjoyed that the ending answered all the questions. A lot of thrillers wrap up the book with a big twist and sometimes it just doesn’t make sense. This book does explain everything and is plausible (in the land of fiction), which I appreciate.

I gave it a 3 because I didn’t hate it, but didn’t love it. It’s a nice little thriller that has a good ending. The middle dragged a bit, but overall I liked it.

Thank you #netgalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

mindblowingly awesome! I LOVE all the touches of Camilla's assorted fiction escapes, the POVs, and all that. the twists were kinda predictable, but... i didn't really mind. 4.5 stars. tysm for the arc.