3.5/5

Good read.
Lots of twists and turns. Once you think you know what is happening it turns. Sometimes, you could see the twists coming. I loved that her sister got her happy ending! The characters are incredibly likable and you root for Cam and Niall the whole book as they investigate things from different sides.

4.5 stars

Camilla (Cam) is dropping her infant daughter Polly off at daycare for the first time and returning to her job as a literary agent after months away for maternity leave. So, it seems particularly out of character for her husband Luke to not be there that morning to see them off.

In his place is a cryptic note. One side reads “If anything” but it’s been crossed out. The other side says “It’s been so lovely with you both. Lx.”

She sends him a message. No reply.

She sends another. Silence.

Cam has a pit in her stomach-a feeling of dread.

And, then everything happens at once as the Police are outside her office as BREAKING NEWS comes across the television screens. A hostage situation is developing in London and the Police have arrived to tell her Luke is involved—not as a hostage-but as the gunman.

And, the hostage negotiator, Niall, wants her at the scene.

This story unfolds in three parts. The pace of Act One, “The Siege” is LIGHTNING FAST and I felt every one of Cam’s emotions from shock to bewilderment as she tried to make sense of the situation.

The second part dragged just a tiny bit for me, as the narrative became very introspective as both Cam and Niall dealt with the fall out from the day that would change both of their lives forever.

And, in part three the pace picks up again as this very CLEVER story came together as we learn the TRUTH about what happened that day. Sure, some suspension of disbelief is necessary but the characters are so well drawn that this story feels plausible despite that.

This is definitely one of the better stories that I have read lately in the THRILLER/SUSPENSE category, and I have no hesitation in recommending it!

Look for it on February 27, 2025

Thank You to William Morrow for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

The plot and context of this book was immediately gripping to me. I loved the aspects of the unknown weaved throughout the book. It left me on my seat and guessing throughout most of the story. The concept of how well one knows their partner plays a central role throughout this narrative. I love that the reader is brought along the journey of trying to reconcile what is happening in real time against the beliefs and the idea that a woman knows the person she shares a life with. Is he alive? Did he do what they say he has done? I enjoyed this book immensely and have only one critique. I do wish the author would have thrown in a few more false clues that lead the reader to multiple conclusions. For example, a balanced potential that Luke was dead vs alive. I would have enjoyed being a bit more mislead and wrestling with the outcome. That said, the last 10% of the book had a great plot twist and tied the story up nicely.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I love Gillian McAllister and this latest novel did not disappoint. Cam is the mother of a newborn, and on the same day her baby goes to daycare, she finds out that her husband is holding two people hostage. He disappears after the situation, and cut to 7 years later, when things start to rear up again from that time. McAllister is great at twists and turns, and I did not want to put this down. I thought the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly but otherwise this was a great read.

I absolutely loved Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister! You’re pulled right into Camilla’s world as she tries to balance being a new mom while discovering her husband might not be who she thought he was. I’ll admit, the beginning was a bit slow, but once it took off, it really kept me hooked. Camilla’s character was so well done—there were moments I felt every emotion with her. There’s plenty of action, and while I did guess the big twist, it didn’t take away from the story at all. This one’s a fantastic read—highly recommend!

I found this one thrilling and intriguing. The beginning felt a little slow, but once the pace picked up I struggled to put it down.

The first third of Famous Last Words is solid if unsurprising. Cam slowly realizes that her husband Luke is suspected of holding three people hostage in a London warehouse. Niall is the hostage negotiator trying to talk Luke down before anyone gets hurt. The siege unfolds … and then there’s a seven year time jump. The rest of the story shows us what happened to Cam and to Niall, both of whom were forever changed and haunted by the siege and all the things they still don’t understand about what happened that day.

I really enjoyed Wrong Place Wrong Time, and I was intrigued by the description of Famous Last Words, so I was excited to read it. But the story didn’t really work for me. The middle third of the story is very slow. There were mysteries about the siege that I thought were pretty obvious, and other mysteries that once explained didn’t make much sense. I liked Cam’s character and her dilemma, and I did not really care about the subplots of either Niall’s failed marriage or Libby’s infertility. I probably would have enjoyed the book more if we could have gone deeper and laser-focused on Cam. Overall, a bit disappointing.

I felt such a strong connection while reading this book because it really brought up the feelings of what I would do if I were in the situation our protagonist is in... My husband shares SO MANY of the characteristics of Camilla's husband, like... so many! Seeing this seemingly wonderful, caring, compassionate, joyful person do horrible things is a very scary situation.

Living the typical life of a new mom, Camilla is just getting back to work after maternity leave. She brings her baby to child care and then gets the worst news... her husband is a lone gunman with hostages. Only Camilla knows what he said in a note before he left...

How does that even compute? This book really sent me. This author has this really incredible ability to turn idyllic life scenarios and completely turn them on their head, making them into something terrifying.

All you get from the synopsis is the baseline of the book, so going into more detail would be a shame. This book was so good. There is so much more to it and I highly recommend it!!

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the ARC of Famous Last Words! This book had me engaged at the start, but I did find it becoming more difficult to stick with in the middle. There were a lot of details that became a bit difficult to keep up with, and I had to reread a few sections again to make sure I understood the story correctly. Ultimately, the need to find answers kept me going, and I ended up really enjoying the book overall. This was my first book by Gillian McAllister, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries/thrillers with unexpected plot twists!

I wasn’t expected to enjoy this book but I couldn’t put it down. I did get a little confused towards the end with the different characters involved in the original crime and keeping the families straight, which is why is received 4 stars instead of 5

I could not put this book down! So many twists and turns! I wasn’t sure how I’d like the hostage element; but I ended up loving it! I absolutely loved Niall’s POV and his character as a whole.

This was a masterpiece in a solid thriller. This was paced so incredibly well - I never lost interest, I never felt bored. I absolutely LOVED the “acts” that this was broken up into, I found Cam to be SUCH a great main character who felt so real, raw and vulnerable to the reader.

McAllister really came into her own with this one - no notes, utter perfection!

Gillian McAllister’s latest thriller is quite out of the ordinary – in a good way. It begins in the home of Cam and Luke, who have a baby named Poppy. Cam is reluctantly going back to work after her maternity leave is up and her husband is nowhere to be found.

After she drops Poppy off, she goes to work and discovers that there is a hostage situation at Luke’s office – and it turns out that he is the hostage-taker. None of this makes any sense. He’s never been in trouble with the law, and she can’t reconcile the man she knows with this act.

Enter the hostage negotiator, Niall. I actually liked his POV best. His obsession with his job has cost him his marriage, and he isn’t confident that he knows how to successfully talk Luke into giving up. He wasn’t like John Wayne coming in with testosterone and rifles.

Cam’s POV was a little drawn out as she struggled with the impending loss of her husband, knowing he was either going to die or go to jail for a long time. As we skip forward seven years, she’s still struggling with the same issues. I was let down by that.

The time jump was accomplished pretty well, but anything else about it would be a spoiler and I try not to do that. I was a little disappointed in the ending, to be honest. It was a little neat for such an untidy story. But I enjoyed the book and appreciate the fact that it is like no other thriller I’ve read.

A true introvert, Camilla is the happiest when immersed in a book. Therefore, it is not surprising that the way Luke communicated his emotions as well as his life during that seven year period was through words. What Luke becomes intertwined with as a result of him acting in self defense, would scare any person in hiding knowing that they want him dead. Even though perception is often perceived to be reality as evidenced by the media, Camilla refuses to be persuaded that who she knows and loves is not the man on the security camera. She knows he is good. He is and was a good husband and father to Polly. Niall believes her and is determined to figure out what truly happened in these deaths. He digs into the dark web and the coordinates to find Luke. The way the book.evolves is truly fascinating given who Charlie is and how crime really dictates a lot of the actions that occur throughout. I very much enjoyed it.

Famous Last Words is a gripping and thought-provoking thriller that had me hooked from the start. New mother Camilla’s life spirals out of control when her husband, Luke, goes from loving father to gunman in a hostage situation. McAllister expertly crafts a tense narrative that explores the fragility of trust in a marriage. As Camilla navigates the chaos and tries to decipher the cryptic note Luke left behind, the layers of their relationship unravel, revealing secrets she never suspected. This novel brilliantly captures the emotional turmoil of a woman questioning everything she thought she knew about the man she loves. A must-read for fans of psychological thrillers that challenge perceptions and keep you on the edge of your seat!

Thank you so much, @NetGalley and @Williammorrow for this Advanced Reader's Copy. From page 1, I couldn't put this book down. Thank you Gillian McAllister for another book that I devoured in less than 24 hours, finding reasons to sneak away to get a few more pages in.

Camilla has a nine month old, Polly, and it is the dreaded yet anticipated morning of the first day care drop off and going back to work. Yet, everything feels off. Luke, her husband, is no where to be found and left a strange, cryptic note. How could he miss this monumental morning?

Camilla makes it through the guilt of leaving Polly with her caregivers and makes it into her London office to resume her work as literary agent. There is a pit in her stomach and all her fears are confirmed when she sees news flash across the television - there is a hostage situation in a warehouse. Moments later, she sees police enter the building and hears her name. Of course - Luke has been taken hostage. However, her world shifts irrevocably when she learns that Luke is not prisoner, but the aggressor, and the police hopes that she will help with the hostage negotiations.

What ensues is a wild ride of twists and turns that are so characteristic of McAllister. I love all of her books and this one just confirmed that she is a master storyteller who weaves tales of intrigue that leave you guessing until the last page. Her characters are so real and forces readers to consider every angle of their situations, assessing what they themselves would do in such dire situations.

First I want to thank NetGalley and WilliamMorrow books for the ARC. Honestly I loved every single thing about it; I loved the premise; I loved the multiple POVs. I thought the twists were well timed and thoroughly shocking. This is a novel I will recommend to friends and family of those who enjoy thrillers particularly those who enjoy Freida McFadden and Lisa Jewell. I was so emotionally invested in Cam and Polly and finding the truth about Luke, that sleep evaded me some nights. I loved that the second POV was the hostage negotiator, not a POV you would normally find There is not one single thing I would have changed about the whole story. If you want to not sleep, because you’re so enthralled in a book and how the puzzle pieces fit together, this is the one for you!!

On June 21st, the longest day of the year, Camilla, a new mother, awakens to find her husband, Luke, gone. In his place was a cryptic note. This was the day she would return to work after her maternity leave. When her husband still hasn't returned after she dresses her infant daughter for daycare, she begins to panic.
Then she hears on the morning news that there is an ongoing hostage situation in London. Then the police arrive at her home and inform her that Luke is involved, not as a hostage but as the gunman.
The note he left behind now makes sense. She didn’t realize the twisted secrets her husband had been hiding from her. Who was this man she married?

Thank you William Morrow publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Camilla Deschamps gets up one more getting ready for head back to work after a 9 months maternity leave hiatus. Her husband Luke is not in bed and no where to be having leaving a note she can’t make heads or tails of. She tried calling and texting him because they’re supposed to be dropping their daughter Polly off together.

Niall Thompson is a hostage negotiator called in about a white male holding up a warehouse. Come to find out it’s Cam’s husband Luke who has never hurt anyone in his life suddenly taking 3 hostages. Two of the hostages end up dying. No one comes forward to claim their bodies and Luke disappears. Follow everyone 7 years later as the mystery of that eventful day comes to light.

This is my first Gillian McAllister book and it had me wanting to read more. Full of murder, suspense and good guys vs bad guys I absolutely loved it! I can’t wait for it to be published so I can add a copy as a trophy

Camille is about to head back to work after nine months of maternity leave. She wakes up, gets her daughter ready for daycare, and prepares herself to return back to the office, but her husband isn't home. She finds a strange note from him and is bothered that he is not present and not responding to messages. During her first day at work, she in interrupted by police arriving to inform her that her husband is involved as a hostage situation - as the actual gunman holding three people hostage!

Cam's life is turned completely upside down after this point. The story includes several good twists and turns as Cam tries to move forward with her life while always trying to figure out "Why?"