Starts off straight in the action and keeps you gripped and guessing until the end. Knocked a start off for a bit of fill in waffle with Niall visiting his therapist and talking about Viv, didn’t think that added anything.

I absolutely loved Famous Last Words!

Having previously only read Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister and liking but not loving it, I was intrigued to see if I would enjoy this one any more and I certainly wasn’t disappointed.

I felt like I was chipping away at the story quite slowly but when the plot twists started coming about 60/70% through the book, I couldn’t stop until I finished it.

I usually can’t stand a lot of the characters in most books of this genre and that’s usually the idea but both Camilla and Niall were hard not to root for and the mystery behind Luke and his actions really kept me hooked.

This is one of those reads that I’m disappointed to have finished and it has definitely left me wanting more!

I can’t praise this latest book highly enough, possibly my favourite so far! I was hooked from the first page. Full of suspense and intrigue, well plotted storyline and told from the point of view of the two main characters. This book has it all in spades! Just a slight moment of thinking “well that was very convenient” at a crucial moment but I was happy to go with it even though slightly far fetched at one point for the sake of a good story. All in all, I would thoroughly recommend and look forward to more excellent books from Gillian McAllister.

This was my first time reading a Thriller by Gillian McAllister and I was not disappointed.
I was hooked within the first chapter which takes some doing!! This is such an intense read, one you really want to know what's going to happen next and dont want to have to wait for the storyline to play out!.
I could not for the life of me work out what the plot actually was, where was this going, who actually did what!?!? This kept me turning page after page!! I loved the storyline, I loved the characters, my one and only little personal pet peave was when it came to the name "Cam", short for "Camille", that I would always envision a male character for some reason when returning to Cam's Narrative - when switching back from Niall's Narrative. Really insignificant but irrationally irritated me at times!
I would definitely recommend putting this on your 2025 read list!!

I am 50/50 lover of Gillian McAllister - so I will be completely un-biased here.

The premise of this story is AMAZING, the blurb grabs your attention and I wanted to devour this.

However - I do feel like it could have been a little bit shorter - some parts of this dragged.

The ending was also a little too Fairytale for my liking.

I did LOVE the references to being a reader, writer, Kindles and other authors!

Anything you do Say and How to Disappear by Gillian McAllsiter are up there with two of my all time favouties books but whilst everyone esle raved about Wrong Place, Wrong time it just didn't quite do it for me in the same way. Therefore, whilst I was excited to read Famous Last Words I was concerned I wouldn't enjoy it as much as her back catalogue. I needn't have worried though. This was right up there with the first two for me. I read so much these days that it's becomingly increasingly rare for a book to grab like this one did. If gripping suspense and books to devour in 24 hours is your bag this is for you.. 100% a 5* read from me. I can't wait for her next book now!

Rating: 2.3/5

One thing you can be sure of when you pick up a Gillian MaAllister novel is that it will be intelligently written. The recurrent theme in most of this author's books revolve around some form of moral dilemma, though occasionally she will go off piste and venture into new territory. She did that very successfully a couple of years ago with the time-bending "Wrong Place Wrong Time". In this latest offering, "Famous Last Words", Gillian McAllister also steps outside her more established comfort zone. However, whilst I applaud the writer's willingness to take a risk and try something different, I have to say that it didn't really work for me on this occasion.

The premise surrounding a hostage situation and the subsequent fallout from that siege has all the potential to be full of intrigue and suspense, but it never really delivers on that. I could have coped with a slow-burning, atmospheric development, but rather than becoming increasingly captivating, the narrative remained ponderous and plodding. The pace only shifts up a gear in the closing chapters, but by then it is very much a case of too little, too late and most readers will probably not be particularly surprised by the reveals relating to the main plot developments. I have little doubt that I will return for Gillian McAllister's next novel, but this one does not rank as one of my favourites.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Gillian McAllister’s Famous Last Words is a psychological thriller that weaves together mystery, emotion and suspense in a compelling narrative. The story centres on Camilla, a new mother whose life unravels when her husband, Luke, unexpectedly becomes the gunman in a shocking hostage situation. The book explores Camilla’s quest to understand how and why her husband committed this crime The alternates between timelines to reveal layers of secrets.

Famous Last Words has intricate plot and realistically portrays grief, trust, and emotional conflict. The first part is especially intense and hooks you with its fast-paced drama, while the latter parts delve into the fallout of the crime and its impact on those involved. McAllister’s skill at placing characters in morally complex situations, compel the reader to question how they might react under similar circumstances. Unfortunately i found that the pacing occasionally lagged in the middle sections, which slightly spoilt my enjoyment of this read. Although I’m sure new and old fans of the author are going to love this book you only have to look at all the 5 star reviews.

Camilla, a Literary Agent, wakes up to her first day back at work after maternity leave and is surprised her husband is not at home. Breaking news about a hostage situation is released later in the day and she is shocked to learn that her husband is involved… and that he is the gun man.

I was so excited to read this as I love this author’s books. You know you are going to get a clever, complex thriller and this one definitely offered these characteristics. Not only was this a thrilling, dark read but there was also a lot of emotion between the pages, exploring important themes such as family dynamics and moving on. The story slowly twists and turns to the finale and I was desperate to take the clues and work out was going on. However, I have to admit that I did work out some of the mystery earlier on in the story.

The characters are strongly written. I found myself empathising with the main character and found her interesting. I also found the whole hostage storyline intriguing and a nice focus. I did find that as the story started with a lot of action, the middle felt a bit slow, however by the end it picks up again. This was another entertaining, creative and well written thriller by this author. I can’t wait to find out what her next idea will be! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Absolutely devourable! This book took over my life for the few days it took me to read; it was all I could think about and couldn’t wait to get back to it whilst going about my day. Suspenseful, action-packed and thrilling.

I've not read anything by this author, but I've seen many reviews and friends that highly rate this author. So, I was pretty excited when my request to read her upcoming release was accepted. Thank you, #netgalley.

The story flowed pretty well, and it felt it was well written with a strong plot. I wasn't able to guess what was coming next, which is a huge bonus in my eyes. I just think some areas fell a bit flat.

Character wise I think they were fairly well developed overall however the amount of times we were told Cam was introverted was a tad annoying, as a reader it was fairly obvious throughout the story without the need for it to be repeated twenty times [ Okay some exaggeration here but you get my meaning lol ]. Also, I'd really like Lukes POV alongside Cams maybe or in some instances as I think that would have definitely added another spin to the story.

Overall, it was a fairly decent read, and it won't be my last. im intrigued now to read some of the authors' other books.

A brilliant book that had me gripped! The story is based around the main character Camilla who is a book publisher. On the day she returns to work following maternity leave she discovers her husband, an author, has been involved in a hostage situation. From that moment her life changes and the story is full of twists and turns as she tries to piece her life together again.

Brilliant thriller based on a book publisher and her husband who suddenly becomes entwined in a hostage situation. Very clever and surprising twists- loved it

4.5/5

Thank you Penguin MJ for an advanced copy of this!

It's Cam’s first day back at work as she returns to work from mat leave and it’s her daughter's first day at nursery. Her husband Luke is nowhere to be seen. However, he’s left an unfinished note.

There is a lot more to the story than the above but my lips are sealed, you need to read it yourself!

There is one word I can use to describe this book and that is addictive!! I could not put this down and I flew through it!

It’s so well written and I liked the characters. It’s told through a couple of POVs and it’s so easy to follow and never confusing.

It was so close to being a 5 ⭐️ read but the ending was a little predictable.

I've loved every single book by this lovely author, and Famous Last Words is no exception. It's just what McAllister writes best. Twisty, suspenseful thrillers, that'll keep you guessing until you're right at the very end. In this book, Cam and her husband, Luke, have a lovely life with their nine month old daughter, Poppy. The book begins on Cam's first day back at work. Maternity leave over, it is time to drop Poppy off at childcare and head off to work. Not thinking anything at all of Luke not being home, she sets off, totally unaware of a hostage situation taking place nearby. And then the story starts.

I did enjoy this book, but I would have loved a bit more of the hostage situation. The book dropped off a bit for me after that, and didn't pick up again for a few chapters, but once it did, I loved it!

The author herself has called this book 'a love story within a hostage situation' and that's exactly what it is

Gillian McAllister has done it again!!

Although it is abit predictable in places it doesn’t really take away from the over all story!!

The side character (Libby) her story was just as amazing as the main characters Camilla’s!!

I had such a high expectations for this as every book I’ve read by Gillian McAllister has been 5 stars and I’m so glad this one hit just as much!!

Gillian McAllister deserves all the praise!!

What an absolutely fabulous book. From start to finish it is totally gripping and straight away I was right there in the story and feeling for the characters. Gillian is a master at storytelling and building the suspense.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I always look forward to a new Gillian McAllister book and Famous Last Words did not disappoint. A fast paced, edge of your seat thriller that will keep you guessing to the very end. This book is full of emotions from heartbreak to suspense and it certainly had it all for me. A fantastic read that I will be recommending to everyone. 5 stars

I LOVE Gillian McAllister's books, so was really excited to be able to read this one early and it didn't disappoint.

Famous Last Words follows the story of Camilla, a literary agent who is heading back to work after maternity leave; but that morning she finds a cryptic note left by her husband and she can't get in touch with him. Before long, she is made aware of a hostage situation involving her husband, but he isn't a hostage, he's the gunman. As the story unravels, Camilla finds herself thrown into the role of detective where she tries to find out whether anything she knew about her husband was actually true.

I wondered where this was going at the start as it is a novel premise, but I was drawn in straight away. The first part of the book is set on the day of the situation and the rest is set a number of years later. I enjoyed the divide and liked seeing how the characters' lives had developed over time.

As always with McAllister's books, this was well written and I could relate to the characters from early one.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

An enjoyable thriller that had me hooked from the beginning. Camilla’s husband Luke goes missing and then the news reveals that there is a hostage situation but Luke isn’t a hostage. Full of many twists and turns I enjoyed this one from start to finish.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.