Unique read! A thriller that deals with a hostage situation gone wrong and the fallout that still exists years later. Cam was such an easy character to root for and the complex characters made this book fun to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I really liked the format and suspense in Each section. I did guess one of the twists but still enjoyed the read. 3.5 rounded up to 4

4 stars out of 5

Wow, what a fast paced thriller! I could not put this book down and was immediately drawn into the story. I thought the characters were well developed and I really enjoyed reading Cams point of view. We also get to see Neill's point of view (the hostage negotiator) which really makes the story come together. Everything is tied up by the ending and I really thought the ending was perfect. Overall, definitely read this book!

In Famous Last Words, We met Cam whose world was just turned upside down. Her husband Luke was holding 2 men by gunpoint in a warehouse and she has no idea why. After failed attempts to talk him down he kills the 2 hostages then escapes. Luke disappeared and had not been seen for 7 years. Cam had no idea where he went and had no contact with him. But then Cam starts getting weird messages that she think could be from Luke. But is it him after all this time or something more sinister?

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.25-4.50 stars

Very interesting premise - a woman wakes up, ready to return to work after her maternity leave. She finds a mysterious note from her husband and can't reach him by phone or text. Then the news reports a hostage situation....and her husband is the hostage taker.

The book focuses on the wife and the hostage negotiator. A nice mix of domestic suspense and police investigation. Some interesting time jumps. I felt like there were some bread crumbs dropped in the first third that I was expecting to pay off later and never did, so that was a bit disappointing, but overall, I enjoyed this!

This is my third Gillian McAllister book (after Wrong Place, Wrong Time and Just Another Missing Person) and I need to go read the rest of her back catalogue!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. Publishes on Feb 25, 2025.

Cam's world is turned upside down when she finds out that her devoted husband, Luke, is involved in a hostage situation. Not only is he involved, but he's the one holding the gun. After 7 years with no answers as to what happened that horrible day, Cam starts to receive mysterious messages that could finally answer the questions about what happened to her husband.

This was a fun thriller that provided many twists and turns to keep myself engaged throughout the story. However pacing was a bit of an issue. It starts off strong but once we fast forward into the future, it starts to lull. I just found it odd how Cam didn't do certain things to try to find out what was going on with her husband. While I enjoyed the other characters in the story, they really didn't add anything to the plot. Once the plot unfolded and we learn what happened, some things didn't quite add up nor were they explained. Overall I had a fun time and I think a lot of people who loved Gillian McAllister's books in the past will enjoy this as well.

This book pulls you in from the very first page, which at this point is how I've felt about all books by this author. It has the usual twists and turns.

Gripping, twisty and thought provoking, 'Famous Last Words' is a.brilliant read. Well drawn and believable characters.

Gillian McAllister has done the unthinkable and written a thriller that will not only stump you, it will completely surprise you!

When Camilla looks at the tv coverage of a hostage situations, she never dreams that her husband would be involved. Minutes later, the police are in her place of work and asking her questions about her husband Luke. Camilla is scared and confused - what is happening?

Mcallister guides us through the maze of how Luke ends up with hostages and events that lead to this pivitol moment. Via the hostage negotiator, cops, family members and friends we begin to learn more about the family and realize that nothing is what it seems.

This is a wholly original story! I loved every minute of it and see if you can guess what is happening before it's too late!
#FamousLastWords #williammorrow #gillianmcallister #uniquethrillers #realtwists

I was not sure where this book was going since it jumped right in from the start. I will say this was not my favorite of Gillian McAllister, that belongs to Wrong Place Wrong Time. I did like all the twists and that it was told from the perspectives of both Cam and Niall the hostage negotiator. Overall this is a thriller that will keep you guessing by an author that writes like no one else.

The beginning premise of Gillian McAllister’s bestseller “Wrong Place, Wrong Time” was that the main character is wishing very hard to change something terrible that has happened — in “Famous Last Words” we have new mum Cam (Camilla) wishing very hard that her mild-mannered husband, Luke, is NOT the gunman on the news who has taken three hostages. Luke? Compliant, doting dad, easy-going Luke? He’s a ghostwriter for smaller celebrities and he met Cam when she was a literary agent. He cooks dinner every night. He loves their 9 month old baby daughter Polly very much. Why would he be pointing a gun (in fact, where would he get one?) at the heads of unknown people? Cam is further baffled by a note that Luke left her that morning.

There are two alternating POVs: Cam’s and Niall’s, the hostage negotiator, who thought he knew and liked his job. Niall’s world gets shattered as much as Cam’s does. These two are not initially close, but they both get entangled in the mystery of Luke’s strange circumstances.

This novel reminded me a lot of Laura Dave’s “The Last Thing He Told Me” (which I loved), but there are some very different twists. It’s suspenseful, emotional and action packed — and quite a page turner near the end. I was enthralled through the last chapters. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Lambert has camouflage green eyes. Viv and Jess also have green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Nothing unusual for London in summer.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

Never thought I’d enjoy a book centered around a hostage situation so much. I could not put it down. The layers of the story were expertly woven and the tension and curiosity continued to build. Was not completely satisfied with how everything came together- both the content and the feeling it was rushed at the end. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this enjoyable experience!

I'm a Gillian McAllister fan and I was excited to read this book. Cam's life changed in a second when her husband, Luke, held two hostages at gunpoint and then killed them. This was not something Cam expected and when Luke went on the run, Cam tried to put him behind her and to build a life for her baby Polly. Seven years later, when Cam is trying to get Luke declared dead, she gets some odd messages. Is Luke still alive? And does Cam want to know the truth? The book is told from two perspectives--Cam and Niall, who was the hostage negotiator (there's also a mysterious third party that is found in a few sections).

I liked this book, I liked Cam as a character and also her relationship with her daughter Polly. The twists had me gobsmacked! What I didn't really 'get' was the side story with Cam's sister. I'm not sure that was a red herring, exactly, just not sure what it added. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

I was excited to dive into Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister after hearing so much about its fast-paced plot. However, as I read, I found myself not connecting with the characters, even though they were well-developed. By the end, I realized it just wasn’t my vibe. The twist involving organized crime was unexpected and not something I typically enjoy. Had I known, I might have skipped it. I’m giving it 3 stars because the writing is solid, but the story didn’t feel like a traditional thriller to me. It wasn’t my cup of tea and I wanted to quit reading many times but forced myself to finish. Honestly, it’s more like two stars but I don’t want to rate it that low because of my personal taste.

Solid 3.5 ⭐️

Gillian McAllister is a lovely choice if you’re in the need of a solid thriller that will keep you enraptured the entire time. I’m never disappointed by her writing but am also not blown entirely away either.

Oftentimes, as a massive thriller lover, I’ve found there are few middling authours. I typically find a thriller is either the absolute best thing or the absolute worst experience and while McAllister fits neither of those, it’s actually a blessing to the genre.

She has a slew of topics that capture your attention which is exactly what you want from this genre. But with a sleeve full of tropes, they are littered throughout as well that can keep a twist far from twisty. Does that mean it’s bad? Absolutely not. I’d rather a trope be used than a twist so out of pocket that I have to suspend my belief by doing backflips when reading and I wholeheartedly thank her for that.

The premise of this book is interesting and I found myself really excited to find out more about the disappeared “criminal” husband but also found a couple characters lackluster. Luckily the main character captured my attention and she didn’t do any “dumb” main character thing that forced the plot forward. With some obvious tropes and characters throughout, there was plenty of interesting plot and storytelling that it didn’t take away from itself at all. This is perfect if you love the genre and just want to *gasp* have fun while reading!

read if you like:
📚 books by Ruth Ware
😱 missing people
🕵🏻 organized crime

summary:
This book is SO GOOD and everything a thriller should be! It’s about Camilla, a new mom returning from maternity leave. On her first day back, she wakes up to find her husband, Luke, gone and a mysterious note left by their door. As her day progresses, a hostage situation is developing in London, with a man taking three individuals hostage in a warehouse. When the police come to talk to Cam, she realizes Luke is involved — and he is the gunman. I don’t want to give anything away, but the book follows Camilla and Niall, the lead hostage negotiator, during the crisis, and then in several periods after. Camilla learns that Luke had more secrets than she ever could have imagined — secrets that put herself, Niall and others involved at risk.

Again it’s so hard to summarize this without giving anything away, but WOW. Cam is a deep and complex character, traumatized by her past with an eye towards her future. Despite moving on, she can’t escape the fallout of Luke’s actions, and in the back of her mind, keeps asking herself — was he really who she thought he was? Niall is also a fascinating character, relentlessly haunted by that day and like Camilla, struggling to move on without some closure. The story moves very quickly, with a complicated but easy to follow plot (if that makes sense). There are so many twists and unexpected events that keep you going, and a twist at the end that really makes you think.

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advanced copy and make sure you check this out when it releases on February 25!

Well this was certainly a fun ride. The book starts off strong rotating between two POV's, the wife Camilla and the hostage negotiator. Let me tell you a tiny bit more. Camilla is just starting back to work after her maternity leave and currently has a 9 month old daughter. Her husband Luke is the good supportive husband and father one hopes for. The morning she heads into work, Luke isn't at home but Camilla goes about her day, dropping their daughter off at childcare and heads into the office. But, then things take a turn as a hostage situation is happening in a warehouse and Luke is involved, only, he's not a hostage...

We then go down the rabbit hole of the past and future of this couples life as Camilla is trying to piece things together. Camilla works for a publisher and her love of book is strong and I love that about this book. I felt like there was a drag in the middle with not much happening, but it ended really well and I was satisfied with this little thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advance e-copy of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister due to be published February 25, 2025.
After her maternity leave ends, Camilla drops off her infant daughter off at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Her husband, Luke, has already left, and she finds a cryptic note he has left. She later finds out there is a hostage situation, and her husband is involved – not as a hostage, but as the gunman.
What an exciting book to find out the story behind what happens! Camilla knows Luke is not that kind of person and, together with the negotiator, Niall, tries to uncover what really happened that day. After many years, the story unfolds to reveal the truth – it was a “shocker”!
#NetGalley #GillianMcAllister #WilliamMorrow #FamousLastWords

I can always rely on Gillian McAllister's novels to deliver top-notch suspense. "Famous Last Words" is an exhilarating thriller that captivates from the very beginning. The plot is outstanding, filled with action that immediately grabs your attention. Camilla is returning to work on her first day after maternity leave when she receives the shocking news that her husband, Luke, is involved in a hostage situation—not as a victim, but as the perpetrator holding hostages at gunpoint. The character development of both Camilla and Niall, the hostage negotiator, is exceptionally well-crafted. Be sure to add this book to your reading list!

Camilla is getting ready to go back to her beloved job as a literary agent after a maternity leave. She is sad about leaving her daughter Polly for the first time but thrilled to get back to the career she loves. On her first day back at work, she's surprised to discover her husband Luke has already left when she gets up that morning. She had expected him to help with Polly, but she isn't unduly worried. While at work, she becomes aware that there is a hostage crisis going on. A man is holding three hostages in a warehouse. She is horrified when the police inform her that her husband is the one holding the hostages. Niall, the hostage negotiator, is thrilled to have a case to work on. He's working on other cases while waiting for a negotiation scenario to unfold, and he's eager to put his skills to work. However, things don't go as planned. The story then jumps ahead seven years and details what has happened with Cam and Niall, as well as their attempts to unravel the mystery of the hostage situation.

I found the beginning of the book to be exciting, fast-paced, and interesting. The wife being totally blindsided by such an out-of-character act by her husband was really intriguing. Then the action stopped, and we jumped seven years into the future and the story really bogged down. There were a lot of side issues, such as Niall's marital problems and Cam's sister's infertility, that took up a lot of space without really having anything to do with resolving the mystery at the center of the story. There were also a few things that didn't really add up, such as how Luke got involved in the situation in the first place. I with the pace and twists from the first part of the book had continued, but overall, the story was interesting enough to keep me going to find out the resolution.

I love thrillers and this is one of my favorites yet! Such a new and cunning story that will have you in a grip until the end.