The book is separated into 4 acts. Act one grabbed my attention from the start. Act two was very slow, making it hard to read. It started to pick back up during act 3 and 4. Overall, loved the idea but the book could have been shorter.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of Famous Last Words.

I really was invested in this story at the beginning. It reminded me of a favorite show called Flashpoint but then the pacing slowed down and the ending dragged a little. I enjoyed an introverted MC and the thoughts concerning parenting and books as an escape but I didn't feel the characters were developed deeply enough for me to really care about them.
It was an interesting story and mystery that did keep me reading to see how it would conclude so if that is what you are looking for, I recommend. It has a medium amount of language but no spice
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read it in exchange for my honest thoughts!

This was just ok for me. It started off great and I was intrigued, but then about halfway in or so it was pretty slow and just dragged a bit too much for me.

Thank you and NetGalley and publisher for this ARC. I really love this author, and her new book did not disappoint me at all. It was fast pay from beginning to the very end. I absolutely related to these characters and I was thoroughly invested in this story!! Amazing, psychological thriller, I would highly recommend it!

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212421066-famous-last-words" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Famous Last Words" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1726491569l/212421066._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212421066-famous-last-words">Famous Last Words</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15967497.Gillian_McAllister">Gillian McAllister</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6882450989">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This book sucked me in straight from the beginning. That being said, I did start figuring out some of the surprise elements before they happened. It’s a great story of essentially one person being in the wrong place at the wrong time and the series of events that explodes around them. The wife left behind with a million questions and a hostage negotiator who can’t figure out why things went bad so quickly. These two just can’t give up and move on but it makes the story go round! Definitely a mystery that I would recommend!
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/77080137-jami-johnston">View all my reviews</a>

Such a gripping thriller! I love that the action started just after the first chapter. This book follows two perspectives Cam the wife of a suspected hostage taker and murder and Niall the hostage negotiator in charge of trying and failing to successful end the hostage situation. This book is so much more than just the "siege". This book spans 14 years and follows Cam and Niall throughout their life and how this one day changed both of their lives forever. I really enjoyed this book! 4.5 stars rounded to 5. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC.

I loved this book! I could not put it down! Do not pass this one by Gillian McAllister has written an exciting thriller that is every married womans worst fear. Is the man I married really who I thought he was. This is exactly what Cam fears when she sees her husband on the news in a hostage situation on her first day back at work from maternity leave. McAllister takes us on a journey as Cam struggles to move on after the event and questions all that she knew and loved about her husband Luke. I loved this book for all the twists we are taken on I thought I had it figured out several times! I loved the dual narrative of the wife Cam and Niall the hostage negotiator, I love the difference in the story line seen through both of these characters. I have only read one other book by McAllister but I think this one is her best yet

Cam and Luke are happily married and have a young daughter.
On the morning Cam is to go back to work from her maternity leave, her husband is no where to be found. Not answering texts, calls, nothing. She did find a weird note but it still isn't cause for concern.

Police show up at her work later that morning and her very sweet, calm husband is on the news for holding people hostage by gun! How is this her husband? She does not understand!

Famous Last Words was a terrific unputdownable thriller. I did not want to stop listening to this one so I requested the book so I could read it when I wasn't listening!

This is told from two perspectives, Cam the wife of Luke a man who changes from doting father to hostage taker and Niall the hostage negotiator.
I enjoyed this one and cant wait to hear what you all think when it comes out soon!

I absolutely enjoyed every minute of this book. The author did an excellent job with the characters and the story line. I thought this was a fast paced thriller that I couldn't put down. I loved the way it was written and the twist. I can't wait to read more from this author. I highly recommend this book to the thriller lovers out there.

Thank you Net Galley, William Morrow, and Gillian McAllister

Cam returns to work after maternity leave and the police turn up at the office to break the news that her husband is involved in a hostage situation.
Gillian McAllister always hits for me! I love the way time is like a character in her thrillers. Famous Last Words is superbly-plotted with fast pacing and cliff hangers that make it extremely hard to put down. I am a huge fan of procedural-meets-suspense thrillers and Gillian McAllister writes them so well. I will always pick up Gillian McAllister's books.

I've always believed the best stories are about love, and it's love at the heart of every book, regardless of genre, and Famous Last Words is exactly that.

What a tense, compelling and propulsive page-turner!!! It's been ages since I've been so glued to a book that I simply had to finish it in the office before I could continue with my work (The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was the last one) 😂

I loved everything about this: the premise, the writing, the main leads, their relationship and inside jokes (!!!), all the clues and foreshadowing and reveals. It was all so clever and kept me guessing. A fantastic read from start to end!

Can't believe this is my first Gillian McAllister novel because what have I been missing out on?

Famous Last Words was a twisty thriller. The beginning was really exciting and then it got a little long in the middle, but then the last part of the book got so exciting! There were several twists which I love! The ending was unpredictable!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I haven't found a missing person, mystery thriller that has sucked me in like Famous Last Words did in a few years. Twisty, unputdownable, didn't know how it was going end until the end... it was one of the best books of 2025 so far. Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing this digital review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Imagine that you are Cam and that your entire world is turned upside down. You have always found your husband, Luke, to be pretty laid back and so supportive. He cooks! Both of you are exhausted but adore your baby, Polly. And, Luke is so good that you always have some time to have a break and read. Imagine that you are a book agent, ready to go back to work on your first day…AND THEN, the unthinkable happens.

Your husband wasn’t there when you woke up and left a somewhat cryptic note. You soon discover that he is involved in a tense hostage situation. WTF (as the rude might say). How can this be? Why? How do you a piece a life back together after this? Did you ever know your spouse? Where is he? Alive? Not?

Also, imagine That you are Niall. He was the hostage negotiator. The decisions that you made are haunting you.

How will events unfold? Find out in this page turner. I was absolutely glued to it and recommend it highly for those who enjoy suspenseful stories.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this title. All opinions are my own.

Wow get ready for a tense thrill from McAllister. Cam’s life gets turned upside down one when her husband, Luke Deschamps, leaves her a cryptic note and then involved in a hostage situation.

I was immediately drawn into this book and trying to figure out the why. Why had Cam’s husband become a criminal? It’s a multi POV story as we get the viewpoint of Cam as well as the hostage negotiatior, Niahll. The plot is propulsive and full of surprising twists that I didn’t see coming at all.

Pick this up for a nail biting intro and an addictive mysterious story.

This was not as tightly woven for me as the author's past two works. I was drawn in to the story right at the beginning but had trouble as it went on with predictably and slightly outlandish scenarios. Still a strong read for fans though.

Please note that this ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Gillian McAllister is an automatic author I purchase and will continue to do so. The premise of this book was intriguing for sure. The plot it instantly fast-paced and intense. I think McAllister does a great job of developing the characters, especially Cam and Niall.

There were certain “twists” that felt a bit predicable (cough- Charlie), but overall, I loved it.

I loved this book. Wonderful writing and a really great mystery at its heart. I read this in 2 days and loved it. Just placed holds on the rest of this authors books at my local library. I know I’m late to the party but Gillian Mccalister has a new fan in me.

Camilla is going back to work as a literary agent after a 9 month maternity leave. Her husband, Luke, isn’t there to see her off. Instead there’s a cryptic note. Then there’s a hostage situation on the news and the police show up at her office. Luke is involved but it appears he is not a hostage but the gunman.

I enjoyed this one and thought the plot was well done. The book alternates from Camilla’s POV to the hostage negotiator, Niall’s, POV which I liked. There’s a mystery here but also a strong focus on marriage and relationships. I felt it was a little slow in the middle but enjoyed the pieces coming together in a way I didn’t expect. Somethings you’ll see coming but others were a surprise.

I loved this! I was gripped from the very beginning and was equally gripped throughout the entire story! I loved the timeline jump, I loved the multiple POV, and I loved the suspense. I always wanted to know what was going to come next and be revealed next. I had such a fun time trying to guess what happened, why things happened, and what was going to happen. I was able to guess some of the mystery’s but not in a bad way. It made me feel a part of the story, solving the mystery alongside the characters m. And when reveals were made it gave me a giddy, I knew it!, kind of feeling. There was one twist that crossed my mind early on but then I dismissed it. When it was reveled to be true, it was such a fun reveal, with again that giddy feeling.
This was such an enticing read from the first page to the last page. I loved being apart of everything unfolding and finding out the truth of what happened June 21, 2017.

Thank you so much to William Marrow and NetGalley for the Arc!