Absolutely loved Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister. Not only are we able to enjoy an extraordinarily complex and intriguing mystery, we also are given an insight into the lives of Cam and Luke, Niall and Viv, as well as many background characters, all which are very well developed. What did Luke do and why did he do it? Is he alive or dead? How will Cam go on with her life? Is Niall a failure as a negotiator or one with great insight. We are kept guessing the entire novel. It was great read and I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC. What a twisty, smart, intriguing, suspenseful read. The story is told from two perspectives and was very easy to follow. I recommend this book!

Wow - Gillian McAllister, I will read anything you write from now on. Famous Last Words absolutely hooked me from the very first chapter. I could not put this book down and was even talking about theories with my partner as I raced through the book. This is suspenseful, reflective, and has such a unique plot! The characters felt so alive on the page and I was genuinely so invested in their fates. The author seamlessly wrote multiple POVs that really keeps the reader engaged. I gasped multiple times as the story moved along and was so surprised!

McAllister has become one of my favorites authors! I always look forward to her releases, and this one did not disappoint!

The story opens with Cam, returning to work after being on maternity leave. Her husband is not there to wish her good luck on her first day back, or to help her drop off their infant at daycare for the first time. This is unusual, but Cam has no idea how the day will change her life. Once at work, she discovers that there is a gun man holding three hostages. When the police arrive at her place of work, she discovers that the gun man is her husband, Luke. The events of the day unfold, leaving Luke on the run and Cam more confused than ever as to what happened.

Fast forward seven years, and hostage negotiator Niall is still obsessed with Luke’s case. Told from both is and Cam’s POV, the story slowly starts piecing together to reveal exactly what happened the day of the siege.

This book had a lot of elements that I loved. It’s a bit of a love story about Cam and Luke, well also being full of mysteries that I wanted to unfold. I stayed invested in the characters and the storyline until the final page. When I got to the last 40 pages, the twists hit hard and I couldn’t read fast enough.

Highly recommend if you like this author and/or like thrillers!

It is Camilla's first day back to work after maternity leave when the day takes a turn for the worst. Her husband is involved in a hostage situation, but he isn't the hostage, he's holding others hostage. Camilla cannot believe that her husband would do this. It is unfathomable. Then she thinks back to the strange note he left her that morning. Maybe there is more to the story than she knows.

This is a good thriller with lots of twists and turns. The story is a little complicated to follow as all the pieces come together at the end. I loved the literary agent and book submissions part of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC of Famous Last Words.

I liked the beginning- it hooked me really quick but the middle of the story dragged. I get that we needed to know what was going on in Niall’s and Cam’s life but some of it seemed unnecessary to the plot like Cam’s sister Libby. The ending wrapped up quickly but it matched the pacing of the beginning of the book so it worked for me. Overall, decent read, I did see the few twists coming because I was looking for the breadcrumbs and the odd detail out.



Thank you publishers and netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

I am so sad that I delayed reading this book for as long as I had it. It hooked me from the first line. It plucked at my book-lover/mom/wife heart-strings. There were twists and turns (mildly predictable but still enjoyable). And all wrapped up in a satisfying resolution.

On a very normal summer day, Cam’s husband leaves early and doesn’t come home. When she heard he has taken three people hostage, her confusion quickly turns to shock and disbelief. Seven years pass without a word from her husband or a clue as to why he suddenly turned violent, yet Cam continues to hold out hope that the man she knew and loved will come back and explain himself. Niall, the hostage communicator, also struggles to let go and move on. Both Cam and Niall begin uncovering small clues, and as they work together those clues lead towards a satisfying conclusion.

I’ve only read one other book by this author (Wrong Place, Wrong Time) and I feel similarly about both - enough thrills and twists to keep the pages turning, but not quite enough to make me feel excited about getting back to the book each night. This one in particular was longer than it needed to be, which made it a little too easy to lose focus and interest. If you love mysteries and read them regularly, this one is enjoyable enough to add to your list, but I wouldn’t consider it a must-read mystery of 2025.

Read this if: you want something fun and easy that doesn’t take too much focus.

Skip this if: you are looking for an inventive or extremely gripping thriller.

Camilla (Cam) is heading back to work after maternity leave and her husband Luke is nowhere to be found, just a note left behind. Later, Cam learns of a hostage situation with Luke at its center and we meet hostage negotiator Niall. The situation ends and we are bumped ahead seven years to see how the characters are living with what happened and can they ever figure out the truth of that day and what preceded it?

One of the things I've always enjoyed about McAllister's books is the focus of a mystery, usually a fast-paced opening story, followed by delving into characters and who they are in this new reality and what they do, with a heart-racing conclusion at the end. This book is no exception and while it is a slow burn that can seem to drag at time, once the ending becomes clear, the reader will see why seemingly unimportant details and scenes were actually clues.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and it kept me guessing until the end. I would definitely recommned to others! Another great Gillian McAllister mystery!

This was a fun non-scary thriller! I figured out the twist, but was still hooked from the get go! I loved the two different POV's, and how everyone and everything intertwined with one another. Definitely recommend! Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

This was twisty, and just what I expect from McAllister. Dare I say, it was almost so twisty that I lost control of the plot for a minute. However, overall I really enjoyed it and kept thinking how does she come up with this stuff?!

The story kept me hooked. I loved having the two different narrators. I do wish we had more from Luke and his story. Also, I wish we had more of the family interaction at the end. It felt like there was a lot of filler and the ending was rushed. Overall, I still enjoyed it. 3.5 stars.

Fans of Gillian McAllister know to expect, and even look forward to, plot twists where the narrative transforms in to a doppelganger of what you thought was going on. In Famous Last Words, Ms. McAllister exceeds any previous efforts. Very early on, we the protagonist Cam's developing horror as she learns that her husband is at the center of a hostage situation, and not as a hostage. He is the perpetrator. Besides Cam, central characters include Neill a profiler who makes a questionable judgement call during the situation, and an anonymous (for most of the book) person who sends mysterious "surveillance reports". The pace of the thriller is wonderful. As Cam is a literary agent, there's an enlightening cache of details about the literary scene. A unique aspect of this thriller is its focus on the partner of someone who has committed a heinous crime, and how she lives with that (and tries to hide her identity). The twists are pure genius!

My favorite by Gillian McAllister to date. If you like smart main characters, a twisty whodunnit/thriller and a side serving of the publishing profession, this one's for you! It was a page-turner, perfect for vacation, but with a storyline I keep coming back to after finishing it. I'll be recommending this far and wide.

Famous Last Words is another thrilling book from Gillian McAllister. This story follows main character, Camilla, in her search for answers about her husband after he leaves a mysterious note and then gets caught up in a hostage situation. The book was easy to read and enjoyable. Some parts did get a little boring for me. The story was unique and I enjoyed the ending.

Cam and Luke have a picture perfect life. They just had their first baby, Polly. Cam is excited to get back to work as a literary agent. But as she wakes for her first day back, Luke is no where to be found. There is a hostage crisis in London. Cam's life will never be the same. Her husband has taken three hostages in a warehouse. What is happening? Cam can't figure out how her life went from picture perfect to a nightmare overnight. Now Luke is on the run after killing two of the hostages. Did Cam even know who she was married to?
Seven years later, Cam is trying to move on. She wants to declare Luke dead so she can buy a new place for her and Polly. For some reason, she jut can't let go. How did she not know Luke? How did all of this happen? Suddenly she is receiving cryptic texts. Could this be Luke trying to communicate with her? As she tries to continue on as best she can for Polly, she can't help but to think something isn't right with Luke and the hostage situation.
Gillian McAllister writes an exciting and suspenseful story you can get lost in. I loved the storyline and characters. She kept me guessing until the end. I would definitely recommend Famous Last Words to my suspenseful story loving friends and would continue to look for future works by McAllister. 4 stars for me. #FamousLastWords #NetGalley

Absolutely loved this book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The combination of a love story, hostage situation, and a cat-and-mouse style police investigation in a thriller were brilliant and read effortlessly. Ms. McAllister weaves different viewpoints with ease, and made this novel difficult to put down. Thank you to NetGalley and Ms. McAllister for providing me with an ARC of this novel, in exchange for an honest review.

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You said:
please rewrite this: So so many twists! I truly loved Theo and Connor! So many things got revealed and the twists truly shocked me. I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time. Truly gripping, I had to read it in one sitting. I love Kate Alice Marshall's writing style, her way of world building truly makes you feel like you're a part of the story and experiencing it all with the characters. Such an amazing suspenseful novel! I loved how it unfolded! 5 stars!
ChatGPT said:
Packed with twists and surprises! I absolutely loved Theo and Connor—such fantastic characters. The reveals were jaw-dropping, and the twists kept me on edge the entire time. This gripping story was impossible to put down—I devoured it in one sitting. Kate Alice Marshall's writing is incredible; her world-building fully immerses you, making every moment feel real. An outstanding, suspenseful read that unraveled brilliantly. 5 stars!







You said:
please rewrite: This is my first Pam Jenoff novel, and I will certainly be reading more by this author. Jenoff masterfully weaves real elements into the historical backdrop of WWII France. The story is told in a dual timeline ten years apart. We meet Helaine, a Jewish girl who falls in love with a cellist and has a difficult relationship with her parents. Later, we meet Louise, who worked for the Red Cross during the war and found half of a necklace that belonged to her best friend. The story centers around these characters and the real life Levitan department store in Paris that housed prisoners during WWII.

I loved this new perspective on WWII that I was not aware of. Jenoff centers a true story around a lost necklace, a love story, and hope and redemption during the darkest of times. There were many heroes during the war. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things that made a difference. I highly recommend it. The Last Twilight in Paris is told in a more uplifting way than most.
ChatGPT said:
This was my first Pam Jenoff novel, but it certainly won’t be my last. Jenoff masterfully blends real historical elements into the WWII-era setting of France, bringing the past to life. The story unfolds across a dual timeline, set ten years apart. We follow Helaine, a Jewish girl who falls in love with a cellist while navigating a strained relationship with her parents. Later, we meet Louise, a former Red Cross worker who discovers half of a necklace that once belonged to her best friend. Their stories intertwine with the real-life history of the Levitan department store in Paris, which was used to house prisoners during the war.

I was fascinated by this fresh perspective on WWII, shedding light on a piece of history I hadn’t known before. Jenoff weaves a powerful narrative around a lost necklace, love, and the resilience of the human spirit in the darkest of times. The novel highlights the extraordinary bravery of ordinary people who made a difference. The Last Twilight in Paris stands apart from many WWII novels with its more uplifting tone, and I highly recommend it.







You said:
please rewrite: Gillian McAllister doesn't disappoint! This thriller takes a wild spin on a hostage situation, packed with twists you won’t see coming. The short chapters make it a breeze to read, even though I did start guessing who was behind it all pretty early. But the real fun is in figuring out why and how.

I loved the big time jump—ending part one with a bang and then skipping seven years ahead made everything feel even more intense. The pacing had its ups and downs for me, but by the 70% mark, it all clicked, and I couldn’t put it down.

The ending was satisfying, though it felt a bit rushed. But the love between Cam and Luke was so sweet and the perfect little bonus to the story. One thing to note: there’s a subplot about infertility for a side character, so if that’s something close to you, just be mindful. Overall, this was a tense, twisty, and totally gripping read.
ChatGPT said:
Gillian McAllister delivers yet again! This thriller puts a unique spin on a hostage situation, packed with twists that will keep you guessing. The short chapters make it a fast, addictive read, though I did pick up on who was behind it early on—the real thrill, however, was uncovering the why and how.

I loved the bold time jump—part one ends with a bang, then leaps forward seven years, adding even more intensity to the story. While the pacing had its highs and lows, everything clicked around the 70% mark, and from there, I couldn’t put it down.

The ending was satisfying, though it felt a little rushed. But the love between Cam and Luke was such a sweet touch and added an extra layer to the story. One note—there’s a subplot involving infertility for a side character, so if that’s a sensitive topic, just be aware. Overall, this was a tense, twisty, and completely gripping read!

Blindsided. Addictive. Stunned. Fast-paced. Ahh! There are so many descriptors for this book. She delivered. Things felt crazy and compelling. Why was it happening? What was the connection? I was trying to noodle it out, and while I did guess a little bit it, I didn't get enough to not be shocked by the ending! 5.