While I own several of Gillian McAllister's books, I've yet to read them and after reading Famous Last Words, I honestly can't wait. Famous Last Words kept me turning page after page wondering what was going to happen next. It truly was a suspenseful ride with an ending I didn't expect. Characters were great and I could totally see this is a movie or TV series.

Great book!

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars

Cam is living a regular day with her 9-month-old child when she is notified by police her husband Luke is involved in a hostage situation. Only her husband is the perpetrator. Eventually Luke gets away after killing two hostages and just disappears. Seven years later, Cam is still trying to move on with her life after no word from Luke. But maybe, just maybe he’s trying to get in touch.

At times, I thought this book dragged. I also would’ve liked a little bit more of the Cam/Luke before life, to get me invested. There are a few twists at the end and one of them really surprised me.

Thank You toWilliam Morrow and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

I saw Wrong Place, Wrong Time floating around when it was chosen as a Reese’s Book Club pick so I was intrigued by her newest novel.

SMALL SPOILERS BELOW:


Without giving too much away, although I did enjoy this book and found myself getting through it quite quickly, the ending left a little to be desired. That’s the “problem” with thrillers - if the ending doesn’t pay off, it can feel a little unsatisfying. That isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy it - I liked the multiple POVs (the secret POV reveal at the end did have my jaw on the floor), and I was rooting for Camilla and her husband. I did want her to care a little less about her husband a little more about her infant child, but as someone who’s never grieved a significant other, maybe that’s unfair LOL.

I think I’ll definitely pick up WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME now that I’m familiar with McAllister’s writing style.

Thriller or mystery? I love both!

Camilla has just finished her maternity leave and is returning to work full time. It’s her daughter’s first day at daycare. It’s a busy and momentous day, but what is odd is that her husband, Luke, is missing when she gets up and he left her a strange note. While at work, she discovers that a hostage situation is going on in London and that Luke is the hostage taker. Why is her happy, fun husband holding people hostage? What has happened?

This was a great thriller that kept me guessing throughout the book. I don’t want to say too much as I don’t want to ruin the surprises for other readers. I really enjoyed Camilla as a character and the plot kept me guessing right up until the very end. This was a quick read, although the middle part was a slower read than the rest of the novel. The novel primarily told through the point of view of Camilla and Niall, the hostage negotiator. I enjoyed both of their stories.

Overall, Famous Last Words was another great thriller by Gillian McAllister that is not to be missed.

Book Source: Review copy from NetGalley. Thank-you!

Camilla loves her chosen career as a literary agent, but is a little apprehensive about returning to work post maternity leave. Her husband Luke is supposed to help with getting their daughter to her first day at daycare, so Cam is surprised to find that he is not home. As her calls and texts go unanswered, Cam is understandably unsettled. Shortly after she hears about a hostage situation near Luke's workplace, the police come to her office with a stunning revelation. What Cam is told turns her whole life upside down - will she ever recover from the shock of it all?

Besides Cam's perspective, readers are told the story by Niall, the hostage negotiator. Niall uses his training to makes decisions that ultimately haunt him. When he later learns something new about that fateful day, what will Niall decide?

There were elements of the story that I like, namely that perception can change dramatically depending on your viewpoint. Some of the side plots seem to be there only to serve as a misdirection, not really adding much to the story. They only muddy the waters and do not make much sense overall. Many of the peripheral characters are flat and have minimal development.

The premise to Famous Last Words was good, but the author did not take it far enough. The character development was lacking and the story had a lot of unnecessary elements. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend it to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an opportunity to read Famous Last Words by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to review this novel was entirely my own.

4 1/2 Stars

Wow! This was a well-thought out and executed novel. The planning to create these twists and turns must have required a diagram. Outstanding!

I pride myself in figuring out a good mystery long before it's revealed in the book. This one gave me a run for my money. I loved everything about the book from the initial premise of the hostage situation for no apparent reason to all the other twists that surface afterward. This is one of those books where I'd advise the reader to not read reviews - - just read the book. Don't risk ruining the fun surprises for yourself. Just read the book.

This book was a jewel, and I enjoyed each word - - each twist and - - each turn. I look forward to more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for this early copy.

**Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the eARC of this twisty title!!**

I loved all the POVs in this and the fact that I had zero clue where it was heading at any given point.

The twists were TWISTY and I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing. Famous Last Words is perfect for fans of thrillers, locked room mysteries, and shocking conclusions!

I really enjoyed this book! It was really hard to put down! The writing was incredible and the story kept me guessing. I read it in one day and I would highly recommend

How much fun was this book? I figured early on that he was innocent, but it didn't take away from the ride this story was. I was swept up into it and didn't stop until I was finished. I love when a book sucks me in like that and I don't want to put it down for anything. It's a hard feat to accomplish, but Gillian's writing normally does that to me. I would highly recommend this book to mystery readers.

This is the second book I’ve read by McAllister and my favorite so far . It was well paced and I did not figure out what was going on . Well one twist was obvious , but it actually didn’t tell you anything about the mystery at the root of it . A quick engaging read!

I loved this one! The pacing was excellent, the story captivating, and was just believable enough that I was never taken out of the story by a "what the heck was that" twist. Gillian McAllister is one of my new favorite authors because of the last few releases she has had.

Having read and enjoyed this author's previous works, I was eager to dive into their latest book, especially given all the buzz it has received. The fast-paced opening really captured my attention, and I found both the intricate characters and the distinct storyline engaging.
That said, there were moments when the narrative felt stretched, with some sections becoming somewhat repetitive, which caused my interest to wane at times. Nevertheless, I pushed through and ultimately appreciated both the conclusion and the unexpected twists that unfolded.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC of Famous Last Words in exchange for an honest review.

From the very moment I picked this book up, I was hooked. Gillian’s writing is equal parts captivating and suspenseful and it kept me coming back over and over again in anticipation of what was to come next.

Camilla, a literary agent, wakes up on the last morning of her maternity leave to find that her husband, Luke, has disappeared, leaving only a cryptic note in his place. Rather quickly, Cam’s entire world is flipped on end as she learns that her loving husband has for some reason taken three hostages and is barricaded in a warehouse surrounded by police. Cam has absolutely no idea what is happening or why, and she spends the next seven years uncovering the secrets her husband has left behind.

Told in a split perspective narrative between Cam and hostage negotiator, Niall, readers get to see both sides of the story oscillating between Cam’s crumbling world as a single mother, and the perspective of law enforcement who may not be operating with the full story. Famous Last Words twists its readers down a path of mystery and intrigue so seamlessly, but if you pay close attention, you may be able to crack the case well before Cam or Niall.

Honestly, this book was such a fun read that was well thought out to take readers through the motions exactly as the author intended. At first, I found myself judging Cam and how she responded to her husband’s act of violence, but before I even knew it, I was looking at all situations as if through the eyes of Cam and how she justified her actions going forward. In no time, it became hard to separate my thoughts from Cam’s emotions.

If you are a lover of anything mystery/crime/thriller, then I highly recommended Famous Last Words for the perfect late night binge read. This was a great read to pull me back into something outside of the romance genre!

Cam is shocked when the police come to tell her of a hostage situation, and that her husband, Luke, is the hostage taker. After a woman is released, two men are killed, and Luke goes on the run. Cam, a literary agent, can't imagine her husband as this killer. The hostage negotiator, Niall, is tormented by the situation. Then, 7 years later, there may be a break in the case.
Another tense thriller from McAllister, but there were many clues that I understood before they were revealed.

4.5 stars. I really liked this book. On the day that Cam is returning to work after maternity leave, her husband, Luke, is strangely not at home. Instead, he has left a note for Cam that she finds a little odd. While she is at work, a hostage situation is going down in another part of London. When the police show up at her office, she is horrified to learn that her husband is the one holding the hostages. Niall, a hostage negotiator, is called upon to diffuse the situation. The rest of the book tells the story of the days, weeks, and years that follow. I loved the slow burn of this story. Everything the characters thought they knew slowly unravels, thread by thread. The characters move on with their lives in some ways but keep getting drawn back to this day, wondering what they might have missed or how their assumptions might have been wrong. I was so invested in the answers to those questions that I didn't get as much enjoyment from the parts in the middle of the book where that wasn't the main focus. Luckily, that wasn't much of the story, but this is what made it a little less than 5 stars for me. Several of the twists and turns were unexpected. I saw a couple of things coming, but, even so, I couldn't see how the puzzle pieces would all fit together in the end. The author's ability to pull every minute detail back into the story in some way without leaving anything dangling is masterful. This is the second book of hers that really landed well for me, and I'll definitely keep picking up her books in the future. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an early digital copy.

Gillian McAllister is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine.

In Famous Last Words, a mother returns to work after maternity leave. She wonders why her husband wasn't present to drop their daughter off for her first day of daycare. Later, the police come to her office to tell her of a hostage situation. Turns out her husband is the hostage taker. How can this be real? Her husband is not the type of man who would do something like this.

I loved the premise of this one and was not disappointed in how it all played out. I could feel the tension jumping off the page, especially in the first part of the book. The years in the aftermath are slower but still riveting.

Do yourself a favor and read this one.

Thanks to netgalley and William Morrow for the arc.

I related so much with Camilla. She is a literary agent (I’m so jealous!) back from maternity leave when she gets a notice that her husband is holding people hostage. She does not understand and only has a cryptic note he left her to try to explain. The book skips 7 years ahead after the event when Camilla is raising her 7-8 year old daughter and still struggling with what her husband did. She is such a likable person and I felt for her the entire book. The author throws in plenty of twists and an unknown narrator to keep the reader on their toes.

"Famous Last Words" is the story of a perfectly ordinary man doing something heinous and the fall out his family must deal with. Then, a glimmer of hope, not that he did not do the thing but that perhaps he is still alive. This thread leads to the unwinding of the real story. It is intriguing and exciting. The characters are lovable and you want them to find a way out of the mess and back to living real complete lives.

Fans of the genre and author will love this book. It is tightly plotted and well written. I love it though not quite as much as Gillian McAllister's "Wrong Place Wrong Time," which is one of my favorite novels of this genre.

⭐⁣ OVERALL RATING:⭐⁣

⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Love it & Recommend - Great book, lots to love, well written, tight plotting, and characters have depth. Even if I have small problems with it I will recommend and want to share with others.

❤️ ROMANCE RATING ❤️

❤️❤️❤️❤️ | I love them together, they clearly love each other and are meant to be.

🔥 STEAM | CONTENT RATING 🔥

🔥 | Discrete and Innocent - Sexual attraction will be written discretely. Such as, admiring how clothes fit a body, chaste kisses. No sex on or off the page. You would likely be comfortable letting a teenager read the book.

TRIGGERS and CONTENT WARNINGS ahead! Do not read on if you concerned about spoilers. Fair warning, there may be some I've forgotten since reading, but we're all just doing our best here on this blue marble: Mental health topics such as panic attacks, PTSD, depression, Miscarriage, infertility, Violence (not graphic).

Thank you @Netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for early access to this ARC in return for an unbiased and voluntary review

I love this book! It is so mysterious and weird. It also tragic and interesting. I really felt for Cam. Normally I am not into thse types of books but I loved this one.

Camila's life is changed when she finds out about a hostage situation. As it turns out, her husband is the hostage taker. Camila can hardly imagine that her husband could really have done such a horrible thing. We follow her as she is questioned by the police and tries to come to terms with what her husband has done.

I read Wrong place wrong time for the first time a few years ago and I liked it very much. Because I liked the book I immediately read her Nights release, unfortunately it was a little less successful. For this reason I was a bit hesitant to pick up this new release. Unfortunately this book didn't excite me either.
One of the main reasons for this was that I wasn't really interested in what was happening to the characters. Like I enjoyed camila Al's character but unfortunately nothing more. The point of view of the negotiator was really the killer for my enjoyment. He was unlikable from the start and didn't get any better.
So sadly not a successful read for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.