FAMOUS LAST WORDS | Gillian McAllister
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Format: 🎧 thank you for my gifted audio book, @librofm!!!

I feel like Gillian McAllister does such a good job at crafting a mystery/thriller that keeps you completely captivated and drawn in with twists that you couldn’t have imagined. I vividly remember her last two books. I was so, so excited to read this one!

I feel like this starts with a bang! Instant action with things happening that have you truly questioning everything. The middle and ending kind of lagged a bit for me. I guessed where this was going pretty quickly, but despite those things I still really enjoyed this!

One thing I did love was the subtle romance throughout. I can’t imagine being in Camilla’s place, but if I was I wonder what I would do and how much I would hold on? Ugh, these things do get me!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #WilliamMorrow for the book #FamousLastWords by #GillianMcAllister. I loved this book with all the conspiracy, secrets and the huge plot twist. Camilla and Luke are happily married with an infant. When Camilla finds a cryptic note on their table, she didn’t think much of it. That is, until the police show up at her work to tell her about a hostage situation, and the gunman is her husband. Why is he doing this? He is such a great man and would never do anything to hurt a single person. Will she ever find out the truth?

I loved McAllister’s most popular release, Wrong Place Wrong Time, as I felt the storytelling was quite creative. I liked her next book, Just Another Missing Person, which had some pretty great twists. But her newest book was just not for me.

The book is broken down into four acts. The first act sets the stage with a hostage situation. The second act is very slow and I was bored through most of it, but parts of the mystery are revealed near the end. The third act is where the action picks up again, when the story reaches its climax and things start to finally come together. The fourth is the conclusion and it was fine, and that basically sums up my feelings. It was fine. Should I have stopped reading? Probably. Will I read her next book? Most likely, but it won’t be a priority.

Camilla returns to work following maternity leave.
She wakes up to find her house empty and that her husband has left with only a note that leaves her wondering "Why didn't he say Good-bye"?
Then.. while at work, she finds out her husband is in the middle of a hostage situation and that he is the kidnapper.
The story continues in 7 year time gaps as Camilla tries to resume her life, always wondering if her husband Luke is alive…I really enjoyed reading Famous Last Words. It was a very quick read, fast paced and well written. It was almost a love story/thriller which is an interesting combination but it worked. I definitely recommend this one. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC.

Thank you @gillianmauthor @williammorrowbooks
The twists were amazing, thought I knew what was going to happen and was fooled wrong TWICE!
Also, I love learning new words and there were so many British terms I wasn’t familiar with that I learned so many.

This book was exactly what I needed. From the second I picked it up, I could not put it down. It moved quickly, the characters were incredibly well done. I found that I put myself in their shoes at many different points of the book. I loved that the book started the day that new mom, Camille, dropped her daughter off at daycare for the first time. It is also the day that her husband is the gunman in a hostage situation. The book switches to 7 years after the incident - we get to see where life takes the characters and the questions the characters have asked themselves for many years. Lots of twists and turns - unfortunately some I was able to easily predict. But it did not stop me from flying through this book.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

This had such an interesting premise--Camilla sees on the news that her husband is involved in a hostage situation, but he's not a victim, he's the one holding hostages--but while it had some good twists, I didn't entirely love it.
*
It starts off so exciting, but very quickly slows down pretty dramatically. The middle half of the book is still interesting, but very different from the rest. It's more about examining how Camilla is handling the grief of what her husband has done, as well as some separate issues her sister is dealing with, and their relationship with each other.
*
There are several twists that completely surprised me, so that was fun. But there were some major aspects of the mystery that just weren't particularly logical, so I have a hard time looking past that. The other thing I don't like is just how often Camilla talks about her husband being "good", and there are separate references to other characters being "bad", it left everything to be very black and white, without room for any nuance in the characters.
*
Not a bad read, but not my favorite.

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”
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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.
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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📝
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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... 
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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!
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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