This is my third book by Gillian McAllister and unfortunately, this one was just okay for me.

It started off pretty strong with a hostage situation, but then it just sort of fell off for me. It was a slower pace than I was expecting given the start and there were so many missing pieces and connections that it just didn’t logically make sense for me as a reader until it was all revealed in the last 1/4 of the book. Even then, it just seemed to jump out of nowhere to make it all connect so the book could be finished.

Wow! I was at the edge of my seat the entire time I was sucked into this thrill a second read. I loved the concept, the twists I did not see coming, and so much more I want to talk about but I will not ruin this book for you. I did figure out who was behind, that did not matter to me. I needed to know what happened to this family, to these characters, how this particular moment in time affected everyone. Told from two points of view and seven years apart. This book made me stay up way too late and get up way too early to finish.

June 21st is not just the longest day of the year. It is also Camilla's first day back to work since having her baby Polly. Cam is already on edge, mom guilt inching into her brain, overwhelmed with having to be separated from Polly. She is also a bit excited to be back at her job as a literary agent. She cannot wait to dig into some new manuscripts. The only thing missing from their morning is her husband. Where is Luke? Why is he not here to wish them well and good luck? This thought settles into the back of Cam's brain as she strides into work. Her entire world is about to come crashing down on itself. Her husband is in a standoff, he has kidnapped three people. Who is this man, this is not her husband! Niall is the hostage negotiator on site that day. He does not feel like Luke will shoot the three captives. What is actually going on inside the warehouse?

I am just going to give you a tease because you need to go in without any background. Just know it is fantastic, heart pounding, emotional, and it will lead you down so many paths. Thank you to Gillian McAllister and William Morrow for this phenomenal read.

Thank you to the publisher, HarperCollins, and to NetGallery for sending me an advance copy to read.

I usually read at night to help clear my mind and go to sleep. You can't do that with this book! I wanted to stay up and keep reading it, and when I put it down, I still thought about it. It was very well written and keeps you wondering about the truth.

Some take aways:
. Maybe fiction is one of life's great comforts; we use fiction to drown out the real world.
. Funny how things look different depending on what you know to be true.
. Sometimes people do bad things for good reasons.

DNF at 50%.
I have read two of this author's books; LOVED Wrong Place Wrong Time, and did not care for The Last Missing Person. I still wanted to give this one a shot; however, about 50% in, I was still as bored as I was at the beginning and felt NO suspense at all. I also just was not interested in the plot/felt like nothing was happening. Just wasn't for me.

If you're looking to put a thriller on your TBR list, definitely grab this one when it drops Feb. 25th.

Wow, this book offers so much! We are presented with a hostage situation right off the bat; one character is a ghostwriter; one works as a literary agent; we have drug dealing families at odds with each other; we have some corrupt police; and to top it all off, we have London as our setting.

The story opens with Camilla's husband, Luke, missing on the day that Cam returns to her job from her maternity leave. News comes on that there is a hostage situation. The police come for Cam and deliver the most unbelievable, disturbing news - her husband is involved. He, however, is not being held hostage, he is the hostage taker.

One hostage is released - Isabella, the wife of a cop, and two others are shot. Luke escapes through a secret entrance of the warehouse and is on the lam for seven years.

As the story resumes seven years later, Cam is getting ready to legally declare Luke dead so she can sell the house and move on with her life. She has never quite come to terms with the fact that he is indeed dead though; neither has Niall, the hostage negotiator who was on the scene seven years ago. New information is introduced, and Niall refuses to give up on the case.

Famous Last Words is not only a thriller and story of crime, it is a story of the examination of marriage and the power of love and trust. Reading it is like look through a kaleidoscope with its ever changing plot twists.

If you are a fan of crime novels filled with suspense, I definitely recommend this new one by Gillian McAllister. Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for this intoxicating thriller. It's 4.5 stars for me.

Camilla knows that June 21st will mark the start of a new chapter in her life. After nine months home with her newborn Polly, Camilla will be back to work today and dropping Polly off at daycare for the first time. Oddly, her husband Luke isn't at home to wish them off and has only left the briefest of goodbye notes for them.

As Cam gets settled back into her London literary agency office, news breaks that a gunman is holding three hostages in a city warehouse. Dread descends over Cam before the police even arrive to question her. Luke is part of the siege. And for some unimaginable reason, her funny, devoted husband is the man holding the gun.

Famous Last Words alternates between Camilla and hostage negotiator Niall Thompson, unfolding both the day of the siege and its aftermath seven years later. McAllister excels at immersing the reader in Camilla’s turmoil as she grapples with the truth about her husband and what his actions mean for everything she thought she knew. (Niall also has a subplot about his marriage, but I found his wife’s stance frustratingly unreasonable, so I wasn’t as invested.)

While the novel starts strong, I found the mystery’s resolution disappointing. A glaringly obvious clue is ignored for far too long, making the latter half of the book feel less like a sharp psychological thriller and more like a frustrating oversight. The earlier sections, rich with emotional depth, gave way to a plot-driven unraveling that didn’t quite land for me.

That said, Famous Last Words is a gripping, suspenseful look at how one moment can shatter a life built on trust. Camilla’s devastation is palpable, and McAllister has a true gift for crafting emotional stakes. While this particular mystery didn’t fully satisfy me, I’m eager to read more from her.

This was a fast-paced thrill ride that started off as a nail biter and evolved into a more slowly meandering mystery. I appreciated the varied pacing throughout the book that created a unique flow. It's always refreshing to experience a story told slightly differently than the rest.

The story is about Cam, who wakes up for work one morning to find an ominous note and no signs of her husband. The story quickly turns into a tense hostage situation that leaves Cam reeling and her life upended. Fast forward seven years, and the conflict is still unresolved. Part thriller, part mystery, part love story - Famous Last Words did not disappoint!

Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and Gillian McAllister for an advanced copy of the ebook!

Did I read a different book than everyone else?

I do not get the hype for this one at all. This was a cool concept that was so poorly executed. First off, there is a literal hostage situation, but I felt no urgency whatsoever. The story read slooooow. And, when things do start getting revealed, the plot is extremely vague. There are no details or explanations that back up anything that happens. If anything that happened had actually been explored, sure it would have been an interesting ending. But nothing is. And the few things that are delved into a bit are superfluous to the actual story arc (like - VAGUE SPOILER ALERT: the negotiator’s love story? Why is that a highlight??)

The only real positive is that I genuinely enjoy McAllister’s writing style, so it kept me engaged at least. I just thought the plot was lacking.

Anyway, overall, I really did not like this and I’m so confused why everyone does. Am I missing something??

Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. Famous Last Words is out 2/25

This was another excellent, layered, twisty mystery from McAllister! I was hooked from the first chapter and really enjoyed the fast pace. Things slowed down a bit in the middle section, but I didn't mind too much. The slower pace left more space for our two main characters, Cam and Niall, to really sit with what happened and examine the influence it's had on their lives. I thought this section was interesting and compelling, but I also found myself itching to return to the mystery and figure out what exactly happened. One thing I always love about McAllister's books is how she can flip a situation on its head and make you see things from a new perspective - and this was no exception! I found this one to be slightly more predictable than a few of her previous works, but that didn't make the book any less enjoyable.

Overall this is a clever and twisty rollercoaster ride of a book! I recommend this to any mystery, thriller, or suspense lovers out there… just make sure you clear your calendar before you start reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

This started out so good for me. Hostages? Stand offs? No idea what's going on? Amazing. But after all of that the book kind of just... hit a lull. I thought it was strange that Cam couldn't get over her husband who had disappeared for 7 years without a trace. Like, I wanted her to move on for her and her daughter and just be better. There was a lot of waiting for something, anything to happen. The plot just never really picked back up for me.

📝𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗨𝗦 𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗦
𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯
🗓️𝙿𝚞𝚋 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙵𝚎𝚋𝚛𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝟸𝟻, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟻
🤩𝕄𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 𝟜.𝟚𝟝 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤! ★★★★✫

🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝...How is her{very normal & doting}husband the gunman of a hostage situation?….

🌻𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢...This one was so clever & fun! 💟You get part crime drama, part domestic suspense & part romantic love story. I loved the multiple POVs that even involved the hostage negotiator! Like, I say this one was so clever! 👏To me, anyone could read this book. It wasn’t too gruesome or all that scary, I mean. Just a shit ton of suspense that you may stay up too late to read!😬Mark those calendars..🗓️ 3 more weeks. 🥳

Loved the ending of this one. Felt the middle section was a little bit of a drag but both the beginning and end were exciting to me.

4.5 🌟

Can you imagine waking up one day and finding out your (normal, boring) husband has taken two people host?! 😲

This book grabbed me right from the beginning. And you know how with some thrillers by about 50% of the way through you have everything figured out? Not the case with this book. At all. If you liked Gillian's Wrong Place, Wrong Time ... I'd run to get this book. I think I liked it even better.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

I LOVED the first 75% of this book. Once part 3 hit, it felt like something shifted and I really struggled to get to the end. It almost felt rushed all of the sudden when the rest of the story had great pacing. The main POVs, Cam and Niall are likable, and well written! The twists were great too and unexpected.

Thank you Netgalley for an early of Famous Last Words. I really liked this one even though I guessed the twists, but overall it was still very enjoyable. I rated this 4 stars.

Famous Last Words is the third book I have read by Gillian McAllister. This book mostly follows Camilla, who is a new mother returning to work when something unexpected happens with her husband. Because of this event, Cam’s life is completely changed in a way she never could have expected.

I enjoyed this book but I didn’t love it. I feel like the middle section of this book was very slow and in my opinion, the reveals towards the end were pretty predictable. I don’t want to say too much about what happens because I think anything I say would be a spoiler but this book didn’t really surprise me. And maybe that wasn’t the goal. Maybe it was just about solving the mystery but the other two books I read by this author left my jaw on the floor.

I never wanted to dnf this book but it got to where it felt very long in some parts. I also had to suspend my disbelief quite a bit for some of it and that can be hard for me to do.

I do think this author crafts great characters for thrillers. They feel fully formed and as someone who loves characters, I will always pick up this author’s new releases. I just hope I enjoy the next one more! I think a lot of people will enjoy this book, especially people that don’t read many thrillers. So I will definitely be recommending this to the correct audience for it.

On the longest day of the year, new mother Camilla's life takes a sudden and unexpected turn when she discovers her husband Luke is involved in a hostage situation in London, but not as a hostage - he is the gunman.

I am absolutely obsessed with Gillian McAllister's books - I am never disappointed! The premise of this story was so intriguing and had me hooked from the very beginning. While it did have a fast start, at times it felt a bit too detailed and drawn out. However, the storyline was fantastic and kept me on the edge of my seat, trying to piece everything together.

The main character, Camilla, was introduced gradually, and we learned more about her husband as the story progressed. It's a clever narrative that really makes you empathize with the characters and imagine yourself in their shoes. You can't help but think that these kinds of situations only happen in movies, but in reality, it could easily be someone's life.

If you're a fan of thrilling, unpredictable, and thought-provoking reads, then this book is a must-read for you! I can't wait to listen to the audiobook, as I know it will enhance the overall experience even more. Happy reading!

Thank you, William Morrow, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you for the ARC !
This book was great ! It got my attention from the beginning and I had to keep reading to find out the ending ! It was definitely not what I expected .

I was so excited to get approved for this ARC! I’ve been a fan of @gillianmauthor for several years, and I knew I was going to love this book. And I was right!

Cam is living a normal life. She loves her job as a literary agent; she’s just finished her maternity leave and her delightful daughter, Polly, is thriving, and her husband Luke, a writer is the kindest, sweetest partner anyone co ask for.

Then, in the blink of an eye, everything changes. People are calling her husband a criminal and saying he did terrible things. And she can’t ask him about it because he has disappeared. Now she’s a single mom to a grade-schooler still searching for her husband when everyone else tells her to move on.

There’s so much emotion in this book! I could feel the desperation and despair. The hopelessness of not knowing what happened to her husband. Cam is a great main character.

The plot was perfectly twisty. I loved following the little clues that dropped one by one and the gasp-inducing moment when you say “Oh! That’s what happened!” It’s why I read thrillers! I appreciate that McAllister includes so much humanity in her thrillers. They’re not grisly tales of violence and darkness. There are relationships blooming in the heart of the story. And I found the conclusion satisfying.

This thriller definitely lives up to the hype! Get it on your preorder list today.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for the chance to review this ARC.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister
Pub Date: 2/4/25
Format: ebook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My first book finished in 2025 is going to be pretty hard to top! Gillian McAllister has quickly become one of my favorite authors and even still this novel exceeded my expectations.

My darling @thenightstandbook is often talking about romance books vs. romantic books and despite this being a thriller, this story is ROMANTIC. Is it trying to solve a mystery? Yes. But it’s also really a story about the bonds that hold us together across the years and gosh it is just absolutely beautiful.

McAllister is such a pro at writing mysteries with depth. I felt like such a part of his family and my heart was breaking for our main character as she went through this journey of her husband suddenly being a wanted man (all while they have a brand new daughter at home). I was sucked in and glued to this book from beginning to end and cannot recommend it enough!

Thank you to @netgalley and William Morrow Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion! Obsessed is an understatement!