This is a surprisingly different book. It is the story of two different people, a wife in a loving marriage who discovers something terrible about her husband and the hostage negotiator whose life is changed when a hostage situation goes very wrong. It is a story of love and a story of being able to heal and to trust yourself. It is a story of what happens in the 14 years after and if the mystery will ever be solved. I guessed a couple of the twists but overall it was not predictable and I enjoyed it a lot. got involved right away 4.5

Famous Last Words started off so strong. I enjoyed the confusion surrounding the inciting event. I liked the multiple perspectives as well. After the first part, it sort of just turned into a standard mystery. I was still compelled to read wanting answers, but less so than the strong start. It was a perfectly good mystery with twists and reveals, but not one I think will stick with me. Thanks to William Morrow for the ARC through NetGallery.

A hostage situation. A warehouse. Police surrounding the warehouse trying to negotiate with the hostage taker. This sounds like a familiar plot from a tv show or movie. But in Gillian McAllister's hands this starting plot twists into a fantastic story with complex characters and a twist the reader won't see coming. Camilla Way's life is turned upside down when the police inform her that her husband has taken three people hostage in a London warehouse. Camilla swears there must be a mistake. But then two of the hostages are shot dead and her husband escapes she is devastated. Seven years pass by and Camilla has moved on with her life. But she can't help but wonder what happened with her husband that day. Neither can Niall, the hostage negotiator from seven years ago. Together they unravel a web of deceit and finally get to the truth about what happened. I loved how the story kept me guessing right until the end. I also enjoyed the fact that Camilla is a devoted fan of books, a relatable trait for sure. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Gillian does it AGAIN, folks. A gripping story with twists that you never see coming.

Camilla and Luke had it all. Great jobs in writing/publishing, a beautiful baby girl, a quirky home that they enjoyed, and of course, each other.
But when Luke starts acting off, Cam notices, but all hell breaks loose before she can get to the bottom of it.

Luke. Her Luke. Luke is involved in a hostage situation, but not as a hostage … as the hostage-taker. Cam’s world is turned upside down that day. Shots are fired, Luke is MIA, Cam is left to parent by herself. Nothing will ever be the same.

Though Cam can never get over what her husband did, she still misses him. And 7 years after the hostage situation, she receives clues leading her to believe that she may finally get some answers.

Between Cam, and Niall (the hostage negotiator from Luke’s case), they are absolutely determined to figure out what exact happened that night … and more importantly … why?!

This book was un-put-down-able, just like McAllister’s others. Once this book is released to the public, SPRINT to the closest bookstore and buy this bad boy. You won’t regret it.

DNF @ 30%. It had an interesting premise, but I just couldn't get into the story. I liked the perspective of the wife, but not so much the hostage negotiator. Other reviewers on Goodreads seemed to love it, so maybe it's just me?

The suspense started immediately and I loved it. The first part of the book had me on the edge of my seat. I loved Cam and the integration of books in the story. I also loved the twists and did not see them coming. This was a good thriller and love story!

This is my third Gillian McAllister and as always, I love her fast-paced writing! This one had some hits and unfortunately some misses overall.

What worked for me:
•As aforementioned, love this authors pacing and writing as a whole. Her stories do hook the reader in.
•I really had zero clue where this story was headed initially and couldn’t even theorize throughout part one!
•I thought the ending was solid.

What I didn’t love (and both of these are purely just personal preference):
•I figured out most of the twists (husband writing the book and George being the bad guy) which made the story feel too predictable by the time I got into part 2.
•I really don’t like mafia/crime family stories.

Overall I thought this premise was unique and is still absolutely a book I would recommend to others! 3.25 stars.

This book is going to be really popular. I think I’d really enjoy this as a movie to watch with my fiancé but as a solo read, it really wasn’t my cup of tea. I just don’t love organized crime and shady businesses dealings, so nothing against the book itself just a preference thing. I have loved all of the other books I’ve read by this author and will continue to read her books. This particular book’s plot just wasn’t my vibe.

This was a decent thriller that many people will enjoy. The hostage situation is compelling, and Camilla's role as a literary agent adds an interesting layer. A few plot twists I saw coming from a mile away, and one caught me completely off guard. McAllister’s writing keeps you engaged and turning pages.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy.

Well written, a fresh, interesting plot that kept me glued to the story. I enjoyed the ending, and the characters were well developed. Thanks to #netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a well written and thought out mystery. Loved the first act of the book, but the second really drug for me. All in all the ending was well done.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow! This book was hard to put down. Unpredictable and thrilling.

In Cams first day back at work after maternity leave, she learns her husband is involved in a hostage situation. But he’s not a hostage, he’s the captor! Again, wow! I can’t say more without giving too much away but Gillian McAllister has done it again.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC approval

I’m a huge fan of Gillian McAllister, so I was excited to get to read her latest book. Famous Last Words is a solid thriller, which is to be expected from McAllister. It is Camilla’s first day back at work and it’s her 9 month old daughter’s first day at daycare. She’s feeling a little anxious about everything and could use some encouraging words from her husband, Luke. But Luke isn’t answering her texts or phone calls, which is out of the ordinary for him, especially since he knows how nervous Cam is.

Cam doesn’t know it yet, but her life is about to change irrevocably. The police show up at her work to tell her that Luke is involved in a hostage situation - but he’s not a hostage. Cam’s world crumbles as she realizes that Luke has taken 3 people hostage, and soon learns that he has killed the hostages and escaped. Torn between her steadfast love for Luke and her unwavering belief that he is a good person, she struggles to move on from the incident and accept that Luke is never coming back.

The story is told from Cam’s pov and the pov of the hostage negotiator. The first part is fast paced, but the last 1/3 moves a little slower and I felt like the ending was a bit convoluted - but I enjoyed the book and didn’t not guess any of the twists. If you love thrillers, this is a good one!

Thanks to William Morrow for the copy of this book!

Camilla is a new mom and has finally made it to that day where she’s heading back into the office. It’s a little weird, though… that morning, her husband woke up and left early, leaving her to take Poppy to day care herself and leaving behind a cryptic post-it note on the table. Cam heads to work expecting a regular day as a literary agent, but what she gets instead is the police showing up at the office with some news….

Gillian did it again! If you’re into fast-paced thrillers like me, you have to read this. I loved our cast of characters and really felt for Cam, and was on the edge of my seat as the situation developed in part 1. I also really appreciated the timeline in this book and how all the twists were revealed — just so excellently done and with a perfect ending.

A unique premise, an armed siege, Camilla is shocked to hear her husband is involved, and stunned to hear that her law abiding husband is the perpetrator.

Told from the perspectives of Camilla, and Niall a hostage negotiator, I had high hopes for this book.

It starts with a bang, straight into the action, but then the middle, a large part of the book felt rather slow and flat, Camilla pondering on how and why her husband became an armed criminal. There are some twists, but not unpredictable.

It pains me to rate this three stars, I’m a big fan of this author’s early books, up to and including the brilliant How To Disappear.

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow

4.5 to 5 stars

Wow, I am SHOCKED. I seriously tried so hard to guess who was the bad guy and figure out her husband's involvement in all of this. The twist just kept twisting, and I was 100% here for it! I DID NOT guess the biggest twist near the ending, but I'm so glad it happened. The ending truly made me happy!!! I loved this, as it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! There is so much suspense and filled with twists to force you to read it in one sitting.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and William Morrow to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

This may be the best thriller I’ve read this year!!

Cam, a new mother and literary agent, just had her world turned upside down when her husband is found at the center of a hostage situation.

Gillian McAllister always delivers a jaw dropping thriller but at the same time makes me FEEL. I felt connected to Cam as she navigated an impossible situation and questioned how much she truly knew the person closest to her. at he hostage negotiated Nail, was an amazing secondary character who brought a new perspective to the story. The best part was the execution. I don’t want to give any spoilers but the pacing, revelations and twists were perfect and made it impossible to put down. Beyond brilliantly done !!

Thank you William Morrow for the gifted copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC of Famous Last Words.

This was...fine? The beginning was mildly interesting but then it became much more of a police procedural than I expected from the blurb, which is not really my cup of tea. I did love the main characters love of reading, but other than that I didn't feel very connected to any of the characters or find their relationships compelling. It wasn't a bad story, but I won't go out of my way to recommend it

3 stars.

I loved this book! It was really interesting how the plot was divided into multiple timelines and I think it added a lot to the story. Will definitely be recommending this to family and friends when it comes out!

Wow, wow, wow! Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister is an absolute page-turner that I found myself wishing I could finish in a single day. Unfortunately, mom duties got in the way, but the story was so gripping that I found myself gripping the book tighter and internally pleading to read faster. This captivating read seamlessly weaves together elements of mystery, crime, and love, making it hard to put down. While I haven’t always been a fan of McAllister’s previous works, this one reads like a Paula Hawkins novel—it's that good.