Dual POV, an interesting storyline. I enjoyed this one, as far as audio, it was a tougher listen for me and I'm not sure why that was... I loved that half of the story we got (perspective wise) was a detective. That felt fairly unique! 3.75, rounding up.

Title: Famous Last Words
Author: Gillian McAllister
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Emilia Fox
Publisher: HarperAudio Adult/Harper Audio- William Marrow Book
Genre: Mystery Thriller.
Pub Date: February 25, 2025
My Rating: 4.3 Stars
Pages: 336

Camilla ‘Cam ‘has been on maternity leave and it is her first day back at work - she works in publishing, as a literary agent Her job is read books for a living.- how sweet is that?

Cam and her husband, Luke, have a loving relationship, careers they enjoy – he was a journalist and now an author. They have a nine month old baby daughter Polly- their life is happy and their world completed
Cam is getting ready to drop Polly off to daycare but her husband Luke is missing. He sometimes goes into his office early so she looks for a note, she does find a note but it is strange.

She isn’t sure what is going on but heads off to work. A few hours later the police turn up.
And tell her that her husband is involved in a hostage situation. She immediately asked if he was kidnapped on his way to the office.” The police state he is the one holding three people hostage in a London warehouse.
Yikes! Cam perfect world has just turned upside down!

The hostage situation was a puzzle. Luke tells the negotiators to tell his wife Cam that he loves her and Polly more than anything. Yikes! Does that sound like a hostage murderer?

Cam starts to question what happened in the weeks leading up this situation. Easy going Luke seems agitated. Why? How could Cam have been so wrong about her husband?’

This story kept me glued. True I am never pleased with hearing profanity – always makes me wish I would bleep it. However, this story is so GOOD!

Want to thank NetGalley, Harper Audio Audio/Harper Audio and William Morrow for granted me this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 25, 2025.

The book's premise was very promising, and the first half was engaging. However, the second half fell flat. The beginning drew me in quickly, as it revolved around a husband who went missing and was later discovered to be a perpetrator holding three hostages. In contrast, the second half lacked the same excitement, and I forced myself to the end. It felt more like a love letter to the husband rather than a continuation of the suspense established in the first half. This book was a miss, but I would read more of the author's books in the future and the audio was great.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister is a masterclass in storytelling that hooked me from the very first page—the beginning was an absolute bang! The plot was unlike anything I’ve read before, with twists and turns that kept me glued to the story until the very end.

What truly sets this book apart is its dual POV narrative, alternating between the female main character (FMC) and the detective investigating the case. This structure provides a brilliantly unique perspective, allowing readers to experience the unfolding mystery from both sides—full of raw emotion, moral dilemmas, and shocking revelations.

McAllister’s writing is gripping, her characters are richly layered, and the story dives deep into both the personal and professional stakes of the characters. The dual POV adds depth and complexity, making the tension almost unbearable at times.

If you’re looking for a fresh, unforgettable thriller that will keep you guessing and tugging at your heartstrings, Famous Last Words is an absolute must-read! Highly recommend! A huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of this book!
#FamousLastWords #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
5 STARS!
I devoured this audiobook in 24 hours! This was my first book by McAllister, and it certainly won’t be my last. The suspense is masterfully built, keeping me guessing until the very end with twists that I never saw coming. The story had me on the edge of my seat, unable to put it down for even a moment. McAllister's writing is addictive, and I can’t wait to dive into more of her work.
Pub day is Feb 25, 2025....add it to your TBR list now—you won’t regret it!

Probably a great read for someone who is interested in crime thrillers. But going into it anticipating a psychological / domestic thriller, it was a letdown.

I was intrigued by the premise and hooked on the story right from the beginning. While it dragged a bit toward the end and some parts of the conclusion were predictable, I found the ending satisfying overall.

Famous Last Words was a good audiobook listen. The narrator was fantastic and the story was unique and interesting enough to keep me engaged enough to finish in a couple of days. Camilla is a happily married new mom whose world is turned upside down when her husband is involved in a hostage and murder situation. It was totally shocking and out of character and never sat right with Cam. The first quarter of the book was really interesting. I found parts of the middle to be on the slow side but there was good character development which can be rare in thrillers. The last bit of the book was suspenseful and the ending was satisfactory. I am not a huge thriller fan but I did enjoy this one and would definitely recommend the audio.

Posted to Goodreads on January 19, 2025.

Gillian McAllister has once again created a story with such a twisted plot that you literally aren’t sure what will come next. I loved all of the characters, especially Niall, and because I did my only complaint is, 7 years was way too long.