I probably would have rated this higher if I didn’t have such high expectations for this author. I was really interested in where the story was going and until about 70% in I was on board where it was going. But the resolution was too far fetched for me. The “bad guys” were never fully developed and their reasoning seemed forced and unearned. Just an ok thriller for me.

Loved this one! It was twisty and surprising - I definitely recommend it to all my fellow mystery lovers, and loved seeing that it was chosen as a book of the month!

I really liked this time bendy thriller from Gillian McAllister. I can count on her to write motherhood friendly mysteries that are engaging and make you think. Really enjoyed.

I really enjoyed Wrong Place Wrong Time by this author. The two books released after have not hit the mark. It felt very predictable & a bit overwhelming the top. As soon as the dark web was introduced I just rolled my eyes & just wanted the story to end.

I have really enjoyed this author in the past and I think she delivered another great thriller with this book. Her scenarios are very interesting and I have to say that the events put in motion at the beginning of this novel made me think that there was no way that this story could end up being OK. Told from two perspectives, Camilla, the wife of the perpetrator and Niall, the hostage negotiator, the mystery slowly unravels. Both characters are portrayed as very dedicated and creative in how they uncover the truth about Camilla’s husband, Luke. I did find that the story moved somewhat slowly in the middle but wrapped up nicely. While I was correctly suspicious of at least one character (no spoilers), there were also some great surprises that I didn’t see coming. Overall, a fun and enjoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

Gillian I think will always be an auto buy author for me. The beginning of this had me hooked. It was easy to put myself in the MCs shoes because Gillian does an amazing job writing to where it feels real. The dual POV I enjoyed also! Overall this was a fun binge read!

This book was good! I liked it but didn’t love it. I definitely see potential in it and look forward to seeing what else the author does.

I though the book was ok. Nothing really special it could have been better. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I've enjoyed some of Gillians writing, she writes solid thrillers that keep you intrigued and interested in the plot but not a mind blowing earth shattering experience. This was a good book with the premise being interesting and exciting to find out what would happen with the "criminal" husband but several of the other characters were a little bit of a let down. The main character was enough to keep me very intrigued though!

3.5

This book had the pacing and promise of her other book I loved, with a bit less satisfaction as the story came to a close. I think that Gillian is my kind of thriller writer despite my overall feelings about this book, and I can’t wait to see what else she writes!

What a riveting novel! Although I don't usually read thrillers, I was gripped by Gillian McAllister's novel Famous Last Words, which is the tale of a mother of a young child who finds herself in a situation we can't imagine: her husband has allegedly created a hostage situation. The twists and turns of the plot along with the excellent descriptions of Camilla's inner turmoil make this a book I think most readers won't want to miss.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC; all opinions are my own.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister presents a compelling premise: Camilla, a new mother, discovers that her husband Luke is involved in a hostage situation, not as a victim but as the perpetrator. The novel delves into themes of trust, identity, and the secrets that can lurk beneath the surface of even the closest relationships.

The story is emotionally charged, capturing the turmoil and disbelief Camilla experiences as she grapples with the revelation of her husband's actions. The pacing is generally strong, with twists that keep the reader engaged. However, some secondary characters could have been more fully developed to add depth to the narrative.

While the book offers a thought-provoking exploration of personal and relational complexities, it occasionally requires the reader to suspend disbelief, particularly in certain plot developments. Despite these minor drawbacks, McAllister's writing is sharp, and the emotional core of the story resonates.

In summary, Famous Last Words is a solid psychological thriller that combines suspense with emotional insight. It's a worthwhile read for those interested in character-driven narratives with unexpected twists.

**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Gillian McAllister is well known for her psychological thrillers. I've read her books a few times and have always loved them. I was very intrigued to read this one because it seemed more domestic than her other books.

This story follows Camilla as she is a new mom and ready to return to work, only for her entire world to crumble. Her husband is holding a hostage and then disappears, and she just doesn't understand what is happening.

I really liked the twists of this book. It was kind of nice for it to stretch over time. We got the current issue and then Camilla, a long while later as you see what her life looks like now. I really wasn't expecting that and really thought it would be just the hostage situation. This gave it a unique twist that I hadn't seen in other books. What I didn't love was the pace of the book. I really felt it could have moved faster and just flowed a bit quicker. I felt like it had lulls that were boring at times.

With that being said, overall this book was good. I really like Camilla and how she handled things and her strength. I really liked the progress of the story and the uniqueness was definitely a winning point. I will continue to read Gillian McAllister going forward because she is very good at what she does and I'm always entertained by her stories.

Another really captivating read from Gillian McAllister! I thought the hostage storyline would be a bit predictable but I found it to be enjoyable as the story unfolded. It’s also important to me that all of my questions are answered by the end and that there are no plot holes, so I was content with the ending.

2 stars.

I wanted to like this so much but it unfortunately fell flat after the first part of the story. I thought for a hostage story this would keep me on my toes but it was very bored. The ending for everything that caused this was very lackluster.

3.5⭐️ - this book is such an interesting concept and was an enjoyable listen. It dragged a little in the middle and some of the answers were meh, but it was overall a fun reading experience.

Camilla is a new mom returning to her job for the first time after maternity leave. However, when she wakes up her husband is not at home and has only left a vague note behind. When a hostage situation breaks in London, Camilla's world is turned upside down. The police are saying her husband is involved in the hostage situation, but not as a hostage. Camilla must come to terms with how well she really knows her husband. What secrets does he have that would lead him into this situation? What do you do when the one you love and have built your life with has done something terrible?

This book was thrilling and suspenseful. There were twists and turns around every corner and it kept me guessing until the end.

Camilla Deschamps is spending what should be a banner day in her small family’s life feeling deeply annoyed instead. Her infant daughter Polly is about to attend nursery school for the very first time, freeing Camilla herself to go back to work at her literary agency. Her husband Luke, however, has suddenly gone missing. He’s always been the carefree foil to her more fretful nature, but surely even he wouldn’t forget to accompany her on their only child’s first school drop-off?

It does worry her somewhat that Luke hasn’t looked at, much less responded, to any of her messages. He doesn’t pick up when she calls either. He’s usually a terrific communicator: it’s part of what makes him such a wonderful husband and, professionally, writer. And then there was that weird little note she found earlier in the morning, with its one ambivalent sentence that only mystified her further. Even so, she’s unprepared when the police show up at her workplace, asking to speak to her in relation to her husband.

After DS Steven Lambert informs her that there’s a hostage situation in Bermondsey, where Luke’s workspace is, Cam assumes for a horrifying moment that he’s being held captive. The truth, however, is far worse, as Lambert hands her a phone with video. Cam can barely believe what she’s seeing:

QUOTE
A shivery, fluey feeling comes over her. She holds on to the video and presses Play again, ignoring Lambert. Soon, on this video, she’ll notice something different. She knows Luke’s face so well. It’ll be easy to spot that it isn’t actually him. She can screenshot it and send it to him. They’ll laugh about it later. [...]

He comes back into view, pacing, and she thinks it again: It’s Luke. That’s what her brain supplies once more, the second she sees him. Unmistakably him, the man she’s loved for four years. His hair, his walk–are those his trainers? They are: the ones with the yellow soles. Distinctive. At this, Cam truly begins to panic.
END QUOTE

How could the loving, funny, considerate man Cam has known and adored for four years possibly be holding three people at gunpoint in a warehouse? If she didn’t have the video evidence right in front of her, she would outright refuse to believe it.

Meanwhile, DCI Niall Thompson has been called in to start negotiations with Luke. He thinks that if he can loop Cam in, they’ll be able to talk Luke down and free the hostages. Luke doesn’t fit the profile of the usual hostage-taker, after all, and Niall is hopeful of a peaceful resolution. But things go horribly awry, and Cam and Niall are thrown together under nightmare circumstances that feel so much worse for being so bewilderingly unexpected.

Niall’s professional instincts tell him that something is deeply wrong with this picture of a mild-mannered writer suddenly taking three others hostage. Cam is in agreement. She knows Luke, knows that he’s good and kind and moral, even if the evidence against him is overwhelming. And so she makes the only choice she believes she has when another police officer questions her about an address saved to Luke’s phone:

QUOTE
“Ring any bells?” Smith says, and Cam stands at a crossroads once more. At the fork in the road. Here it is: the opportunity. The truth is, Cam doesn’t recognize that property, has no idea why Luke has saved it, and on that app.

But she doesn’t want the police to go there, to check it out. What if… what if he’s hiding something there? What if it’s significant, somehow, in ways she doesn’t yet know? What if this location is just for her?

Cam stares at the decision, but the truth is that there isn’t one, not for her. She is his wife. And, here and now, she tumbles across an invisible line, drawn somewhere between her and Smith, made of loyalty and love for her husband.
END QUOTE

Cam’s fierce devotion to her husband and fervent belief in his innocence despite all odds were both weird and refreshing to a cynical mystery reader like myself. Gillian McAllister plays with time and format to slowly unravel the puzzle at the heart of this novel, using multiple viewpoints to reveal the awful truth behind why a seemingly average man would suddenly turn into a violent criminal. Between Cam’s fidelity and Niall’s inability to let things go, they uncover a truth far stranger than either had ever imagined, in this twisty thriller about impossible situations and how surprisingly far blind faith can take you.

<i> 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. </i>

Famous Last Words was a wildly entertaining and suspense-filled read. It kept me on the edge of the seat and guessing right up until the end, through twist after unexpected twist. I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it.

Thank you Gillian McAllister, William Morrow, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

I found this book to be really enjoyable overall, but a few times in the middle I did find myself getting distracted because some of it felt too laborious to read. Like, I just felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere with it. However, I pushed through those moments and now on the other side, I can appreciate them more.

Camilla (Cam) Deschamps—wife of Luke, mother of Polly, sister of Libby—is a literary agent. One morning, Cam wakes up alone and, come to find out, it’s because her husband is in an empty warehouse holding three individuals hostage at gunpoint. Needless to say, Camilla is shocked and confused.

There are 4 acts in this book. The first is set in 2017, when the hostage situation occurs. The second and third are seven years after, and the last is essentially an epilogue. Acts I & III flew by for me, Act II had some moments that dragged, but it was by no means tedious to read. This was a fun thriller and I’m incredibly happy to have chosen it as my February BOTM pick! I was also given an eARC on NetGalley from the publisher. 😊