Here's the scene:
I'm sitting on a couch with my tablet reading this in a ski lodge......I need an "end of intense chapter" breather so I pull out one of my earbuds (I just use them as expensive ANC earplugs when I'm reading an ebook lmao)
The woman sitting directly across from me catches my eye and says "Can I ask: what are you watching?"
I say "Oh, I'm reading"
She says something about how it must be a good book because of my facial expressions. LOL apparently I have zero poker face.
If you can picture this, then it should tell you that THINGS WERE HAPPENING.

Out now! BIG Thank You to William Morrow for the ARC!

I LOVED the writing of this story. It was so easy to FEEL what Cam was feeling because she was so well-written. Most people have never lived through what she is going through but the grief is plain to see on the page. The knowledge that her life was shattered in just one day. The perfect picture of her husband now marred by this crazy, seemingly-random event. This whole aspect of the novel was fascinating and heartbreaking to read. There are also some thrilling moments in this story that kept me on the edge of my seat (and apparently making facial expressions as well).

There is a second POV of Niall, the hostage negotiator from "that day" who continues to feel that something is not quite right with how Luke was behaving on that day versus how it ended; and, subsequently, how the police are investigating. His POV also contains some heartbreak as he navigates his own relationships.

There were so many great twists in this! Later on they just keep coming and things start falling into place and I was captivated by the story! Please see: beginning of this review LOL At a certain point there are just surprises coming and apparently it was enough that I could not school my features in a public setting.

Some of the littler twists I had figured out earlier on. Some of the BIG twists I didn't foresee which is always so fun.

If I had to nitpick, certain parts of the ending were a bit too neat, like the shooting at the end and how it resolved. But not enough to take away at all from the rating or overall enjoyment of this story.

🖋️Famous Last Words🖋️
Pub date: 2/25/25
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow…this book was absolutely captivating at the beginning!! Camilla is going back to work after being on maternity leave. It’s her first day dropping her daughter off at daycare. When she wakes up her husband is not there to help her off. He left her a cryptic note. She goes about her busy and emotional day, drops off her daughter and goes to work.
Then all of a sudden there is BREAKING NEWS!!! A hostage situation. The police come to her as her husband is involved…just not in the way she thought. I couldn’t stop reading at the beginning!! This was an absolute page turner!! The middle was a little slower paced and then the end really picked up. Lots of twists and turns throughout this unique thriller!!!
It was fun to read with @thrillersbythebookclub.mke and lead to some great discussions!

Thank you @williammorrowbooks and @netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Another classic Gillian McAllister thriller has been given to us! And it holds to the McAllister standard, a twisty, emotional, heart-pounding story of love, loss, and determination. I finished the first chapter and knew I was thoroughly hooked, and ended up reading the whole book in one sitting.
McAllister is an expert on creating well-developed, nuanced female main characters, and Camilla was no exception. With her point of view, we get to experience her frustration with a missing husband, then her nervousness that something has happened, then her world turning upside down when she’s told he’s taken three people hostage.
In addition to Cam and her missing, then presumed dead, husband Luke, we spend a lot of time with Cam’s sister, Libby and Cam’s daughter, Polly. With Luke gone, Libby becomes Cam and Polly’s support system, even seven years later. Libby is a fully developed character with her own issues and minor subplot, which helped keep me fully invested in the story as a whole.
The plot mainly focuses on Cam’s secret investigation, and she’s eventually joined by Niall, the hostage negotiator who worked on Luke’s case. As they work together and slowly piece together the pieces Luke left behind, the tension continues to heighten to an incredibly fast-paced ending.
I’d highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a mystery-thriller. If you’ve read any of McAllister’s other works and liked them, this will be a perfect choice for you. I’d also recommend it to anyone who loves police procedurals in general!
Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

After loving Wrong Place Wrong Time, I was so excited to dive into Famous Last Words!

This book started so strong and I was hooked from the first page. Camilla’s seemingly normal husband goes MIA one morning only for her to find out that he is holding hostages in a local warehouse. STRONG start. Camilla being at the crime scene getting questioned by the cops and the hostage negotiator at the crime scene were equally interesting POV’s.

However, after the hostage situation ends and the book jumps 7 years in the future, the story loses some steam. I didn’t necessarily care about the hostage negotiator, Niall’s, relationship issues. Cam’s life after her husband was interesting enough, but it didn’t grip me as much as I wish it would have. I did switch to the audio around this time to push through.

The end redeemed itself a bit! I didn’t guess the twist and really enjoyed the ending and how It wrapped itself up nicely.

Overall, this wasn’t my favorite read of the year, but it was still enjoyable.

“Famous Last Words,” by Gillian McAllister, William Morrow, 336 pages, Feb. 25, 2025.

Camilla Deschamps has been on maternity leave since the birth of her daughter, Polly. She is happy to be returning to work as a literary agent. It is June 21, 2017.

When she goes to wake her husband, Luke, he isn’t there. Luke is a ghostwriter and has a co-working space, so Cam thinks that’s where he is. They live in Pimlico, a neighborhood in London.

Then as she is leaving, she finds an odd note from Luke, but puts it out of her mind and takes Polly to daycare. While at work, she sees a breaking news report about a hostage situation at a warehouse in central London.

Detective Sergeant Steven Lambert and Constable Emma Smith come to Cam’s office and tell her that they believe Luke is holding three people hostage. Niall Thompson is the hostage negotiator. James Maidstone is the lead detective.

“Famous Last Words” is the story of a complicated crime and of a complicated marriage. It has multiple twists and the reveal is shocking. Mystery lovers don’t want to miss this one.

I rate it five out of five stars.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

When you hear the terms “unputdownable” and “edge of your seat”, that describes this book perfectly! How well do we know the person we are married/partnered to? What if one day you learned your loved one was accused of the unthinkable? Would you believe others or follow your heart and what you know of this person? That’s what happens in this book!!! I really loved the setup of this story from the wife’s perspective. Everything you learn about the husband is from others so you are left taking sides, switching back and forth not knowing what to believe. I don’t want to give away too much and spoil it for others but I will say this: You will want to lose sleep to read this book! Thank you Netgalley and William morrow for the opportunity to read this book!

“Things feel calmer in the lemonade morning light”. There are many lines within Famous Last Words that will long stick with me, but this one moved me. The way Gillian McAllister writes a mystery with such drama and utter punctuation, and then intersperses pure poetry is truly a special talent.

Famous Last Words is the story of a literary agent and new mom, Camilla, who finds out her husband is involved in a hostage situation in London. The police tell her that Luke is indeed involved, but he isn’t a hostage. Her husband, doting father, and eternal optimist is indeed the gunman. I absolutely loved how this story took flight from the first page. You are pulled into Cam’s story from the beginning of the siege and you find yourself rooting for her all along the way.

McAllister’s writing is evocative and thought provoking, continually putting yourself in Cam’s shoes. What would you do if you found yourself in an impossible situation? Wanting to help the police and hoping you had not missed signs over the “goodness” of your husband. The pacing of this book is well-executed, although midway I did start to lose a bit of focus when we uncovering the situation Luke found himself in. McAllister’s skill in character development shined throughout though as we watch these characters evolve over time, revealing layers of vulnerability and strength.

I also think the author did a superb job of using time line shifts to build more suspense towards the end which was shocking and satisfying.

This is a must read for fans of psychological thrillers and anyone who appreciates a well-told dramatic suspense page-turner. I read this book front to back in one day and would recommend it if you are looking for an action packed whodunit!

Gillian McAllister is a thriller queen. New mom Camilla drops her daughter off at daycare. The police come to her and tell her that her husband is involved in an active hostage situation. Camilla does not believe her husband could ever be involved in an act like this. Whew! This was a fun ride.

Happy Publishing Day!! This book is more of a slow burn. I wish it did have a little more excitement to it but overall a good read. I liked that it was told from different perspectives as well.
Thank you Gillian McAllister, William Morrow Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Pub Date: 2/25
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“Motherhood, for introverts, is a special kind of difficult, the usual escape routes not available, a thought Cam feels regularly guilty about, but is nevertheless true”
•
Gillian McAllister is a master at creating suspenseful, unputdownable stories. Right form the start, I felt like she was speaking to me because I am most definitely an introverted mom and I totally find it difficult to find my escape from reality on days where I need to. My only escape recently has been through books. I was quickly immersed in this story, just wanting to know exactly what happened.
•
I love how she jumped forward in time and gave us the aftermath of everything that happened and how a single text message once again flipped her life upside down. I love the lengths that Cam was willing to go in order to get the truth. The characters are fantastic, the pasting is fast and nonstop and the twist and turns were perfectly placed. Such a great ending as well!
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I listened to this while bopping between my eARC and my physical copy from my BOTM pick. Emilia Fox was a fantastic narrator for this one!! Most definitely recommend the audiobook if your thinking of checking this one out.
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Overall, McAllister has written another fantastic story that will keep your eyes glued to the pages. Huge thank you to NetGalley, Libro.fm, Gillian McAllister, William Morrow and Harper Audio for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

📝Book Review📝
*
Summary- It is June 21st, the longest day of the year, and new mother Camilla’s life is about to change forever. After months of maternity leave, she will drop her infant daughter off at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Finally. But, when she wakes, her husband Luke isn’t there, and in his place is a cryptic note.
Then it starts. Breaking news: there's a hostage situation developing in London. The police arrive, and tell her Luke is involved. But he isn't a hostage. Her husband - doting father, eternal optimist - is the gunman.
What she does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind that morning says... 
*
Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*
My thoughts- Thank you @netgalley and @williammorrow for the advanced e arc, I just had to snag a hardcover copy of it through @bookofthemonth ! This book was action packed, I finished it in a day! I enjoyed the shifting perspectives and the moral question of it all! The main character did drive me a bit nuts, but overall this one would be perfect for fans of TJ Newman. My favorite of hers is still the debut, but I enjoyed this one quite a bit! It was a super quick, fast paced, and mindless read!
*
QOTD- what are you currently reading ?! I just started the crescent city series!

Gillian McAllister does it again!

She described the book as a love story set in the middle of a hostage situation, and I think I'll not say anything more than that. This was slower-paced than her previous books but still engaging. Cam was very relatable (she's an introvert who loves reading), and the aforementioned love story was a sweet one.

I loved the twists, even if some of them were predictable. The book was ultimately fun and well-plotted with likeable characters- exactly how thrillers should be.

Thanks to Netgalley & William Morrow for the advanced readers' copy!

I really liked this twisty thriller. Camilla and Luke have such a wonderful relationship, so how is it that Luke leaves for the day and ends up taking hostages and never coming home?
There are time jumps, but they felt seamless. The perspective on what happened kept changing, and part of what makes this work is that I liked the characters and was invested in what happened to them. Than goodness there is a detective who can't stop searching for the truth.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Ms. McAllister is on a roll!

What would you do if you couldn’t get ahold of your spouse and shortly thereafter found out he was in an active hostage situation…as the perpetrator? The love of your life, the one who gently took care of your infant together, the one who always could make you laugh?

It wouldn’t compute.

And yet. The truth is right in front of you, playing out in real time.

Your life would never be the same.

Pick up a copy of this book to search for clues along with Camilla, the utterly blindsided wife.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 336 / Genre: Domestic Thriller
Release Date: TOMORROW! February 25, 2025

Cam is living the dream. She has the perfect husband and the perfect baby girl. She’s dropping her daughter off at daycare for the first time and going back to her dream job as a literary agent. And then her entire life implodes. The police come to her work. Her husband has taken three hostages at gunpoint. She watches him on the CCTV and it’s beyond a doubt her sweet, gentle soulmate. What is happening?!

I loved this domestic thriller! It’s a bit of a slow burn in the lead up to the action, but I enjoyed the journey. I liked getting to know Cam as well as the hostage negotiator, whose life was also forever changed after that fateful day. Once the ball gets rolling it doesn’t stop. I loved all the clues and twists that finally led to all the answers. Gillian McAllister is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

Thank you, @GillianMAuthor, @WilliamMorrowBooks, and @NetGalley for my free copy.

This was a thriller unlike any I’ve read before because it was centered around a hostage situation. I really enjoyed the premise and found it unique and interesting. Cam was a well developed main character with lots of depth and feeling. I also enjoyed Niall’s point of view because it added layers to the story.

I did think there were a few slow points especially with Cam’s sister. There were lots of twists I didn’t see coming but the ending seemed a little quick. I wish the reveals were drawn out a little more and the ending could have had more description

Overall this was really unique and different with a twisty ending I didn’t see coming.

The author herself described this book as a love story set in a hostage situation. This is a completely accurate summation! It was such an unusual concept and I loved it!

Camilla and her loving husband Luke have a lovely marriage and a new baby daughter. It is Camilla's first day back at work after completing her maternity leave and she awakens to a strange note left by Luke but no sign of her husband. When she gets to work, she hears of a hostage situation taking place in London and when the police arrive at her office, she thinks her husband must be one of the hostages but learns that he is actually the gunman. Niall, the hostage negotiator (and probably my favorite character) wants her at the scene and the action regarding "The Siege" takes place. It is super intense and very fast paced.

The second half of the book is more introspective as it describes the aftermath of the siege from the perspective of both Cam and Niall. The second half dragged a little bit, but that may just have been because the first part was so exciting. Trust me though, you want to keep reading to find out exactly what happened and why. One of my qualifiers for a great book is when there is a satisfying conclusion and this book did not disappoint. There was a point where I thought I had maybe figured some of it out because of a red herring employed by the author. Suffice it to say, I wasn't even close!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the digital ARC.. And thank you also to Gillian McAllister. This was my first book by this author but it definetly won't be my last!  Publication day is TOMORROW so Happy Reading!

Happy pub week to Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister! Wrong Place, Wrong Time is one of my favorite thrillers of all time, so I’m always excited to have the opportunity to read something else by the author. I’m so grateful to @williammorrowbooks for a e-arc and to HarperAudio (@harpercollins) for an ALC of this one. It comes out tomorrow!

On the day new mom, Camilla is supposed to go back to her job as a literary agent after maternity leave, her life changes forever. Her sweet, easygoing ghostwriter husband Luke is involved in an armed hostage situation and the authorities tell Camilla Luke is the one holding the gun.
That’s the set up and I don’t really want to say anything else about the book. It’s kind of a hard one to talk about without giving away plot points. What I will say is that I think McAllister excels at writing love stories masked as thrillers. Which is not to say this is a romance. It isn’t. There are plenty of twists and turns—some I saw coming, some I didn’t. But the beating heart of the novel is Camilla’s love for Luke and her quest to figure out if she was wrong about the man she fell in love with.

I loved the characters and I loved the writing. McAllister really has a way of creating characters that stick with me long after I finish the book and I’m not sure any thriller author creates a sense of yearning in me quite the way she does. It didn’t surprise me to see that Emily Henry had written a blurb for this book because, even though their books are completely different genres, they are both masters of that yearning element. In terms of plot, there were a lot of moving parts and I’m not sure I believed all of them. But I will absolutely remember Camilla and Luke.

This book had me gripped to the very end. The way the story was woven together was nothing short of incredible. I was suspicious of everyone, and still surprised at the end!

The character development was great, pacing was spot on, and the twists and turns didn't stop coming. It was a little bit slower of a book than I usually like, but there was so much development that happened, that I think it was perfect for this story. Plus, what's not to like when a book starts out with a hostage situation!?

I highly recommend for anyone who loves thrillers or mysteries.

TW: death, murder, stalking, abandonment, infertility/miscarriage

**Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for sending this book for review. All opinions are my own.**

Thank you to William Morrow Books for the finished copy and to LibroFM / HarperAudio for the ALC to review.

I am a huge fan of Gillian McAllister’s books and really enjoyed this one. I listened via audio and with the time jumps, I did have to follow along with the book to make sure I understood what was going on, especially with the first one. The audio was excellent though, and I highly enjoyed listening to it! This is one you definitely need to pay attention to, but with that out of the way, it is an enjoyable read that I honestly did not figure out and thought it was very well done.

This is fast paced, especially the first third, slows a bit for the middle, and then picks back up again for the final third and is very intense. Oh, and I loved how it all came together due to writing. Cryptic? Yes, but you’ll have to read this to know what I mean. This one is out tomorrow, and you do NOT want to miss it!