I wanted to love this one SO BAD! I did thoroughly enjoy it the entire way through but I never got that WOW factor. I loved Camilla's character and I was always intrigued to read from her POV. i understand that Niall's POV was imperative to the story but his character as very stoic and I could not connect with him as hard as I tried. The story was enjoyable enough that I was able to read it fairly quickly but as I continued, I felt like nothing was really happening. There were minor twists here and there but this read more like a mystery than a thriller for me. I did like the huge twist but it wasn't one of those WTF conclusions that I was expecting. I would give this one a solid 3.5 stars.

What would you do if one day the police come into your work to question you over a live hostage situation that your spouse is involved in; not as a victim, but as the perpetrator?

So beings Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister. A slow-burn mix of thriller and crime drama that never fizzles out. Told most by alternating views between the FMC Camilla, wife of the hostage-taker, and the hostage negotiator, this book asks us how well do we know the ones we love? Can we trust ourselves to choose the right people to surround ourselves? Can we forgive those closest to us when they abandon out perceptions of them?

I really enjoyed this one. I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going on. I usually do not like reading from a police officer's POV in thrillers, but Niall had so much introspection and growth that I enjoyed him just as much as Cam's chapters.

I was pleasantly surprised by most of the twists in this story, and to say more would be spoiler territory. I definitely recommend picking this one up when it releases February 25th, 2025.

Thank you to the publisher William Morrow for an e-arc!

This book had me hooked from beginning to end. I immediately felt this book made me want to know the ending and kept me interested and immersed throughout. It was a fun and enthralling read. Definitely my favorite Gillian McAllister book to date. If you like mysteries, this is a good one. Got me out of my thriller slump! East 4.5 star read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of Famous Last words. This book centers on the Deschamps family: Luke, Camilla, and their daughter Polly. In part one, Polly is just nine months old and the day she starts daycare ends up being a life changing one for all of them as Luke is at the center of a criminal siege. We are introduced to some of the police force as well as the hostage negotiator, who becomes the other main character.
Part two focuses on Cam’s life seven years after that fateful day. In addition to trying to make sense of the events, we see her grapple with moving on, and are pulled into the dynamics of her being a single mother. There’s a sub-story about her sister’s infertility so trigger warning if that’s a touchy subject to you. However, it was nicely handled and I actually highlighted a couple passages for how well they conveyed the feelings related to infertility. The bulk of the story lives in part two and solving the many layers of mystery.
Part three is a brief conclusion seven years after it two to show how all the key players are in light of what they came to know and experience.
I think Gillian Macallister is underrated in the thriller genre. Perhaps it is because her books have tended to be less focused on a murder mystery and more on the psychological components that surround the characters involved in the crimes. Her character development is above average for a thriller and the stories are always very detailed. This book is no exception to that trend.

When Camilla's husband Luke disappears one day only to be found holding 3 people hostage in a nearby warehouse, Cam is heartbroken. The last thing she heard from her husband before he disappeared was a cryptic note left for her. As the hostage negotiators try to get him to release the hostages and surrender, Luke escapes. There is no sign of him for 7 years.

7 years later, Cam is trying to move on with her life, but feels like she will never be able to do so until she finds out what happened to Luke. She feels like she sees him at every turn, on the Tube, in an alleyway, in the store...could it be him? Would he risk his own safety to return to her? Is he really guilty?

This was a fantastic thriller! Slow burn, twisty and so good!

Famous Last Words
Gillian McAllister
Pub: 2/25
4-4.5☆

Gillian McAllister always delivers fast-paced, jaw dropping twisty thrillers and this was another gleaming example.

It is June 21, the longest day of the year, and the life of new mother Camilla is about to change forever. After months of maternity leave, she will drop off her infant daughter at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Finally. But when she wakes, her husband Luke isn’t there, and in his place is a cryptic note.

Then it starts. Breaking news: A hostage situation is developing in London. The police tell her Luke is involved—but he isn't a hostage. Her husband—doting father, eternal optimist—is the gunman.

This one sucked me in right away and kept me fully engaged and entertained throughout. The story is unique, so well written, and perfectly paced that I didn’t want to put it down. I just wanted to keep flipping pages so I could see how everything unfolded. Spoiler alert… it was not at all how I thought.

What I enjoyed;
✨ Psychological Thriller
✨ Twists & Turns
✨ Hostage Situation
✨ Dual POV

Absolutely would recommend and if you can... GO IN BLIND. This one is perfect for a buddy read.

Thank you to Scene of the Crime Early Read Program, William Morrow, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I received a free copy of, Famous Last Words, by Gillian McAllister, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Every persons worst nightmare is that somebody they love could be a killer. Camilla drops her baby at daycare, and goes back to work after maternity leave. Then breaking news a man has a gun, and it holding people hostage, but its not any man, its her husband. What a thrilling read.

This book was so good! I read over half of it in one sitting and picked it up every chance I got. My favorite kind of book!

This one will be a crime thriller of 2025. It starts out with a bang: Cam wakes up one morning and her husband is missing. They have a 9 month old, it’s Cam’s first day back to work, and she can’t figure out why her husband Luke isn’t responding to her. Then she finds out there is a hostage situation going on and her husband may not be innocent. She finds a note he left on his way out the door, his last words to her..

This book has dual POV between Cam and the hostage negotiator, Niall. It’s packed full of twists and suspense and i absolutely loved it! Highly recommend!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and William Morrow for my ARC! Pub date 02.25.25

Famous Last Words was divided into three distinct sections for me. The beginning was a captivating, thrilling, high intensity start of the story as the beloved husband surprisingly takes three hostages and then disappears. The middle is a seven year, exhaustingly slow discovery of seemingly unrelated crimes while the abandoned wife also exhaustingly repeats and replays her love for her husband. The ending is a surprising reveal of the actual situation with the bad actions of involved characters coming fully to light. The book has an intriguing concept but soars, drags, then simmers.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this ARC.

For readers who enjoy intelligent, character-driven thrillers that don't sacrifice depth for suspense, "Famous Last Words" is a must-read that will leave you questioning just how far you'd go to protect the ones you love.

A great read that keeps you reading to find out exactly what happened. I liked the two different POV which was a great way to see and understand as the story develops. I liked the characters and it makes you think … what would I do in this situation if it happened to me. I think this book would be a great book club read.

I was totally sucked into this one! I found the pace fast and attention-grabbing and couldn’t put it down. I found certain decisions Camilla made irritating personally but also were very true to her character and realistic. Overall I was impressed and look forward to more from this author.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A woman is contacted by the police and informed that her husband has taken hostages. A negotiator is called in and questions her. People die. Her husband escapes. What in the world happened?

Famous Last Words is a story about a woman named Camila whose husband Luke is found in a warehouse holding 3 people hostage and then murdering them. Not knowing the full story of what happened after Luke disappeared, Camila tries to discover the truth of that day in order to try to save her family. 4/5 stars.

I love every book that I have read so far by Gillian McAllister. I like her writing style, the content, the pacing and her characters. This book was no exception. I found the character development to be so interesting and at times, felt like I was there in the moment during the events. I love that this book (and others by her) contain these nuanced plot lines and characters where they are not all good or all bad but cause you to consider what you would do if you were in that character's shoes? Would you make the same decision? What about for someone you love? How far would you go to keep those people safe? To keep yourself safe? The plot twists were unexpected for me, I loved them, I loved the suspense in the story and the payoff was well worth it in the end. I definitely recommend this book.

I also want to add that I love, love, love and there is a lot of love and heart in this book also.

I loved this. I had loved Wrong Place Wrong Time and the second one I read was good but not as strong. So I went into this hopeful but it’s just great. What I really like about her books is that there are compelling mysteries but also deep character studies. If someone is more plot-minded, that could annoy them, but I love books centered around characters I can connect with. I figured out most of the mysteries but they were woven together quite well.

What would you do if you woke up one day to find your husband on the news performing a kidnapping that ends in two hostages dead? Things are not what they seem and after her husband disappears, Camilla has to raise their daughter by herself. Twisty story that has a happy ending.

This was a very interesting read. I kept finding myself thinking I had figured out what happened only to be completely surprised by the ending.

Amazing! I got immersed in this book right from the start. I wanted to read it all in one sitting but didn't have time, but still read over the course of just 2 days. Cam's husband Luke isn't home in the AM and she can't get a hold of him. She drops their child off at daycare and goes to work - her first day back after parental leave. Then the news breaks - there's a hostage situation. And then the police show up at her work - her husband has taken three people hostage. This is the most intense part of the book.
Fast forward 7 years and Cam is working to move on with her life. But strange things are happening and she can't quite move on.
I don't want to provide any spoilers as this is worth reading and sticking with it for the twists. Absolutely loved it and it's a must read.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

I was gripped from Chapter 1. The beginning of this story had me sweating from the comfort of my own couch.

One thing I love about Gillian McAllister thrillers is how she not only gives us fast-paced action but she gives depth with her characters that makes you want to keep reading their story. Not many thriller authors can do this. She has solidified herself on my list of auto-buy authors and I can't wait to recommend this one on pub day!