This book was so good! I read over half of it in one sitting and picked it up every chance I got. My favorite kind of book!

This one will be a crime thriller of 2025. It starts out with a bang: Cam wakes up one morning and her husband is missing. They have a 9 month old, it’s Cam’s first day back to work, and she can’t figure out why her husband Luke isn’t responding to her. Then she finds out there is a hostage situation going on and her husband may not be innocent. She finds a note he left on his way out the door, his last words to her..

This book has dual POV between Cam and the hostage negotiator, Niall. It’s packed full of twists and suspense and i absolutely loved it! Highly recommend!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and William Morrow for my ARC! Pub date 02.25.25

Famous Last Words was divided into three distinct sections for me. The beginning was a captivating, thrilling, high intensity start of the story as the beloved husband surprisingly takes three hostages and then disappears. The middle is a seven year, exhaustingly slow discovery of seemingly unrelated crimes while the abandoned wife also exhaustingly repeats and replays her love for her husband. The ending is a surprising reveal of the actual situation with the bad actions of involved characters coming fully to light. The book has an intriguing concept but soars, drags, then simmers.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this ARC.

For readers who enjoy intelligent, character-driven thrillers that don't sacrifice depth for suspense, "Famous Last Words" is a must-read that will leave you questioning just how far you'd go to protect the ones you love.

A great read that keeps you reading to find out exactly what happened. I liked the two different POV which was a great way to see and understand as the story develops. I liked the characters and it makes you think … what would I do in this situation if it happened to me. I think this book would be a great book club read.

I was totally sucked into this one! I found the pace fast and attention-grabbing and couldn’t put it down. I found certain decisions Camilla made irritating personally but also were very true to her character and realistic. Overall I was impressed and look forward to more from this author.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A woman is contacted by the police and informed that her husband has taken hostages. A negotiator is called in and questions her. People die. Her husband escapes. What in the world happened?

Famous Last Words is a story about a woman named Camila whose husband Luke is found in a warehouse holding 3 people hostage and then murdering them. Not knowing the full story of what happened after Luke disappeared, Camila tries to discover the truth of that day in order to try to save her family. 4/5 stars.

I love every book that I have read so far by Gillian McAllister. I like her writing style, the content, the pacing and her characters. This book was no exception. I found the character development to be so interesting and at times, felt like I was there in the moment during the events. I love that this book (and others by her) contain these nuanced plot lines and characters where they are not all good or all bad but cause you to consider what you would do if you were in that character's shoes? Would you make the same decision? What about for someone you love? How far would you go to keep those people safe? To keep yourself safe? The plot twists were unexpected for me, I loved them, I loved the suspense in the story and the payoff was well worth it in the end. I definitely recommend this book.

I also want to add that I love, love, love and there is a lot of love and heart in this book also.

I loved this. I had loved Wrong Place Wrong Time and the second one I read was good but not as strong. So I went into this hopeful but it’s just great. What I really like about her books is that there are compelling mysteries but also deep character studies. If someone is more plot-minded, that could annoy them, but I love books centered around characters I can connect with. I figured out most of the mysteries but they were woven together quite well.

What would you do if you woke up one day to find your husband on the news performing a kidnapping that ends in two hostages dead? Things are not what they seem and after her husband disappears, Camilla has to raise their daughter by herself. Twisty story that has a happy ending.

This was a very interesting read. I kept finding myself thinking I had figured out what happened only to be completely surprised by the ending.

Amazing! I got immersed in this book right from the start. I wanted to read it all in one sitting but didn't have time, but still read over the course of just 2 days. Cam's husband Luke isn't home in the AM and she can't get a hold of him. She drops their child off at daycare and goes to work - her first day back after parental leave. Then the news breaks - there's a hostage situation. And then the police show up at her work - her husband has taken three people hostage. This is the most intense part of the book.
Fast forward 7 years and Cam is working to move on with her life. But strange things are happening and she can't quite move on.
I don't want to provide any spoilers as this is worth reading and sticking with it for the twists. Absolutely loved it and it's a must read.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

I was gripped from Chapter 1. The beginning of this story had me sweating from the comfort of my own couch.

One thing I love about Gillian McAllister thrillers is how she not only gives us fast-paced action but she gives depth with her characters that makes you want to keep reading their story. Not many thriller authors can do this. She has solidified herself on my list of auto-buy authors and I can't wait to recommend this one on pub day!

Very, very cleverly-plotted and well-written. Even sub-par me can see that

There are certain things in life that it's perfectly OK not to do if the circumstances are wrong. For example, if you have a fear of heights, there's no shame in refusing to do a parachute jump. Or, if you suffer from motion sickness, there'll probably be plenty of people that are thankful if you don't go on the fastest fairground ride. And I can now add a third thing to that list: it's probably best to choose a book by someone other than Gillian McAllister if you're suffering from what may be simply (and childishly) described as 'the lurgy'.

I should emphasise that this is in no way a criticism of the author, or of her latest book, Famous Last Words. And I'll explain further. I'm writing this whilst on my fifth day of having my sinuses, nasal passages, larynx and chest cavity all either blocked or broken. Which means that I may be single-handedly responsible for keeping the manufacturers of nasal decongestant and Vaporub in profit for another year, my chest is aching from coughing so much, I can only speak in whispers or croaks and my head hurts from not having had an uninterrupted night's sleep in the last week.

All of this means that my ability to concentrate isn't quite what it could be. Which wouldn't be a big issue if I'd been reading something like a cosy crime novel, or perhaps a children's book. But in a Gillian McAllister novel, where the plots are so clever and so intricate that every detail matters, it's a problem.

That said, I still adored the first third of Famous Last Words. Camilla (Cam) is surprised, but not initially concerned when she wakes to find that her husband Luke has already left the house. She's perplexed, but still not worried at the cryptic note that he's left her. But these early chapters, of mostly normality with just the tiniest hint of mystery, do their thing. They make the reader form enough of a connection to Cam that when, just a few short hours later, she learns of a hostage situation in which Luke is the gunman, we're with her when her whole world is turned upside-down. We're routing for her, and for hostage negotiator Niall, as we hope against hope that Luke and his three hostages will escape unharmed. Right until ...

No spoilers here. But, after the shock had subsided, I realised that there were still two-thirds of the book left to go and thought: where can it go from here?

I wonder if Gillian McAllister struggled as well, or whether I just missed some subtle hints. But to me, the book seemed very slow in the middle. It feels as though Cam and Niall, separately and over some time discover what appear to be new clues, only for each one to seemingly reach a dead end. Don't get me wrong, I was never - not once and not for so much as a single second - tempted to stop reading. But nor was I glued to my kindle, turning page after page. The portrayal of both Cam and Niall, who for their own separate reasons have tried to move on but equally won't - can't - give up is powerful. And the added details relating to both law proceedings and the publishing industry - both matters on which Gillian has knowledge aplenty but I have none - kept me interested. But compare this sections of the book to my two favourites of this author's novels - Wrong Place, Wrong Time and How to Disappear, in which almost every chapter has the reader asking questions about themselves as well as the main characters, and it does seem to be lacking something.

But then comes the final section, and, wow. Perhaps it's a little improbable, but I didn't care. Because, and I know I've used this word before but, with my brain's current capacity I can't think of another that will do: man, it's clever. The way the conclusion is reached, and the way in which details you hadn't thought mattered - including the title of the book - suddenly become significant, is masterful. But even better is the way in which the truth is finally revealed, and you realise that it's done in such a way that only Cam could possibly have understood. Which, quite apart from firmly reinforcing the reader's connection to the main character, makes it OK that you didn't get it.

Summing up Famous Last Words is fairly easy. Rating it is much harder. Because I loved the beginning and the end. I just wish that the book had been able to do more to hold my attention in the middle. But I suspect that's down to me as much as to Gillian McAllister's writing.

I'm therefore going to give it four stars for now, with the potential for this to rise if I can find the time to read it again when I'm able to pay more attention. My final message to you, however, is this: if you're able to give your next book your full attention, make it this one. But if you're not feeling quite well, there's no shame in picking up something by Agatha Christie instead.

My thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for my digital ARC of this book, which will be published on 30th January 2025. I have reviewed it voluntarily and honestly, and will post my review on Goodreads, Amazon and my social media pages.

Terrific book! Gillian McAllister has a knack for creating a compelling premise and delivering beyond expectations, and this novel does not disappoint. Suspenseful and unpredictable, FAMOUS LAST WORDS keeps readers' attention with a dual POV and rising stakes. I also loved that she pulled in a sister relationship and issues of motherhood. Definitely recommend!

Cam wakes up on her first day back to work after the birth of her daughter. She’s surprised that her husband Luke has already left without waiting to accompany her to Polly’s first time at daycare. She begins to worry when Luke doesn’t return any of her calls and texts. Then, in the afternoon, her life changes. In a rundown factory in London, Luke is holding three hostages at gunpoint. He releases one, kills the other two and escapes. Fast forward seven years. Cam has never stopped hoping that she will see Luke again. I can’t describe what happens next without spoilers but it won’t be like anything you have read before. There will be surprises. There will be twists. And there will a perfect ending. Famous Last Words deserves every one of 5 stars. I will be reading everything that Gillian McAllister writes from now on.

Thank you yo NetGalley, William Morrow and Gillian McAllister for this ARC.

okay… I loved this! Cam wakes up on her first day back from maternity leave and her husband isn’t home. Assuming Luke went to his work space to write, she drops her 9 month old, Polly, off at day care and heads to work. Once she arrives, she sees the news of a hostage situation and soon the police arrive looking for her, asking about her husband. Only Luke isn’t one of the hostages, he’s the one with the gun. Hostage negotiator Niall is called in, but things don’t go as planned. Fast forward 7 years, and no one has closure. What really happened that day?

I don’t wanna spoil anything but I will say, there was no slow start to this book. we jumped right in! I was hooked pretty quickly with this one and couldn’t put it down. definitely recommend this fast paced thriller!

thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister. A bit slow paced and just couldn't get into the story. Ms McAllister's fans will most likely enjoy the story.
Thank you to the author, William Morrow and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

When I get a new book by Gillian McAllister I am always torn. Read slowly to prolong my reading enjoyment or rush through to figure out the story? It never fails that I rush through and Famous Last Words was no exception. The story starts with a life changing bang and we are left to follow why…what caused a loving family man to commit a horrible crime and then disappear? And how does his wife go on..she loves her husband and can’t believe he committed this terrible crime but the evidence looks that way. The author is a master at dropping clues along the way and I found myself going in one direction then another.
If you have never read Gillian McAllister do yourself a favor and start now. Then start to wish for her next book.

This was a fantastic novel with a unique plot. A mystery, a love story and a thriller, all wrapped up in one package!
It’s well-written, full of suspense and has excellent character development. I really enjoyed the literary references throughout.
This was an emotional and
heartfelt read with many surprising, unexpected twists. Cam resonated with me in many ways. 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.