Cam embarks on her first day back to work after maternity leave, only to discover that her husband has taken hostages at his work share location. I don’t want to say anything else as you need to jump right into this book. It was a quick listen, excellently narrated. I enjoyed the twists and turns as we follow Cam’s attempts to discover what brought her husband to that point. Well done!

If you like suspenseful thrillers, this one is for you. It's a slow burn build up but worth it in the end. This is my first read from this author and I rather enjoyed it. I'd say fans of Megan Miranda, Nicci French and Alice Feeney would likely enjoy this one as well.

Camilla wakes up one day and her husband is gone. Later she finds out that he's taken 2 people hostage in a warehouse downtown. What is going on? Hostage negotiator Niall joins the plot early on and proves to be one of my favorite characters in this book.

I did find a few parts to be slightly predictable but I liked where it went and was actually hoping my predictions were right. Overall 4⭐️. It was definitely a solid slow burn thriller.

Definitely not my favorite Gillian McAllister book... The premise is great - wife finds out husband is holding people hostage in a warehouse and no one has any idea why -- but then it all kind of falls apart. Here's what I liked about it: the first few chapters kept me engaged as the scene unfolded, even when there were tangents about the two MCs; the subsequent chapters, in my opinion, did justice to how the MCs might have moved forward with their lives after the incident, which is a plot point not often explored. But what I didn't like? Those subsequent chapters turned this from a thriller-suspense-mystery into a literary fiction. There wasn't a lot of suspense moving the plot forward, and the mystery is a little lackluster. I found myself wanting to pick this up to see what happened next, but then being disappointed time and again by the slow-moving story and off-plot tangents.

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.**

The story centers on Camilla, a literary agent returning to work after maternity leave, who is thrust into a nightmare when her husband, Luke, becomes the prime suspect in a hostage situation. The novel's structure, divided into four acts, mirrors the unfolding tension and emotional complexity. The opening act, "The Siege," is particularly gripping, immersing readers in the chaos and confusion of the crisis. McAllister's meticulous research into hostage negotiations adds authenticity to these scenes, reflecting her insights into human behavior and communication. ​

As the narrative progresses, the focus shifts to the psychological aftermath, exploring themes of trust, love, and the search for truth. While some readers have noted a slower pace in the middle sections, the dual perspectives of Camilla and Niall, the negotiator, provide depth and maintain engagement.​

The novel's strength lies in its character development and the moral dilemmas it presents. McAllister challenges readers to consider how well we know those closest to us and what we would do when faced with unimaginable circumstances.​

Overall, Famous Last Words is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged thriller that examines the fragility of trust and the complexities of human relationships.

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.