Really cool concept, found the beginning slow which nearly made me give up but the premise was good enough to make me carry on. Glad I did, was a good thriller.

Superbly Plotted..
Seemingly humdrum lives are upturned in this superbly plotted and ingeniously devised novel of suspense where an apparent siege/hostage situation is not at all what it seems. Perfectly executed plot populated with a host of credible and well drawn characters, a pacy narrative littered with hair bend twists and turns and an edge of seat denouement. An all round fabulous read.

What a fantastic read!

This had me completely gripped from the first page and I could not put it down! You are pulled into the plot and the characters instantly grab your attention.

Something felt very real about the plot of the story and how it plays out, as the characters are so well developed and relatable. Gillian McAllister has done brilliantly to make you question the husband and who his wife thinks he is as a person in their marriage.

Famous Last Words is filled with unexpected twists and turns but the major twist was exceptional, personal and fitted the characters in the most perfect way. My jaw dropped!

A totally immersive story that kept me hooked and involved from early on. This is my kind of thriller- characters that I can connect to and a plot that keeps me guessing and gasping. I enjoyed having a different point of view from the hostage negotiator and the seven year time taps worked well in the author’s skilled hands. Another great read, bring on the next McAllister!

4.5 stars rounded up.

Cam is already anxious to head back to work and leave her baby girl, as the day has come where her maternity leave has ended...so when she wakes up to find her husband has left for the day.....it does nothing to soothe her anxiety. She then finds a cryptic note.....but tries to brush it off and go on with her day. A few hours later, the police show up and inform her that her husband is involved in a hostage situation....and SHOCKER.....he is the hostage taker....the gunman! What would drive Luke to do this? Does Cam even know the man she married?

As a mother, this book grabs me from the outset, because I know that stressful first day back to work.....added to that a missing husband and a cryptic note, I felt for Cam! The story just goes from there.....every page is a page turner and because it moves so fast, you're wondering....what is coming??? Gillian does this so well....gets you to imagine what you'd do in that situation. Would you abandon your own morals and values to help somebody you love? Wrong Place, Wrong time was a classic example of that...and she does it again here.

I don't want to say too much, because unfortunately I'd have to give some good plotlines away. I was so surprised by the turn the book takes as the blurb doesn't give it away. Another reviewer actually spoilt that for me.....but it didn't spoil the story for me....though I really wish I didn't know. Anyways....that may make no sense....lol....but I don't want to do that to any of you.

I'm docking half a star, just because I just loved Wrong Place, Wrong Time a bit more...a smidgen more. With this book, there were some things that I guessed and I thought perhaps some characters were a bit too unhinged for me in the end, but really that's just me nit picking.

If you love a well plotted story with great plot twists, you'll love this one! Page turner, thriller, hold your breath, whodunnit....Famous Last Words has it all!

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Random House and Michael Joseph for this advanced review e-copy :)

Thank you to Netgallery and the publisher for this ARC. The publication date is the 30th Jan 2025. This book was a fast- paced whirlwind of a ride! I absolutely devoured it in one sitting.

The storyline had to hooked from the get go and I was fully convinced I had it all figured out I couldn’t have been more wrong!

Oh and the ending!! What an amazing ending one word WOW. I’d highly recommend this book another fantastic book by Gillian McAllister.


🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟stars

As soon as this was ready to request I jumped on it! This author never lets me down. The twists and turns are both surprising AND emotional. One thing I love about the writing style is the heart she gives every book, with a huge focus on family and how the traumatic events affect a family unit or those involved.

I personally loved seeing the perspective of a professional - Niall - the hostage negotiator. His story was so interesting from the way he lived and breathed his job, to the PTSD of missing something with the current case.

I will admit the time jump took me a while to get my head around, but it worked so well!

Definitely recommend to all the thriller / family drama lovers out there.

I hate to say this as I have enjoyed Gillian McAllister's other books but this did not grip me at all. I found myself skipping pages as nothing interesting was happening after the hostage situation. Had to wait till the last few chapters for it to get interesting again.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time is my favourite Gillian McAllister book, Famous Last Words is a close second.
As ever with Gillian's work Famous Last Words grips the reader instantly and is incredibly well paced. The twist at the end was incredibly satisfying and unexpected.
4.5 stars.

Famous Last Words is a book where nothing is as it seems! I truly felt that this book pulled me in, and I could not put it down until I finished it

Gillian McAllister’s Famous Last Words is a gripping exploration of choice, consequence, and the complex tapestry of human relationships. From the very first page, McAllister's unique writing style draws you in, immersing you in a narrative that is both thought-provoking and emotionally charged.

The story revolves around a central premise that hooks you instantly—what if you had the chance to know the last words of someone close to you? This intriguing concept serves as a springboard for deep character development and moral dilemmas that are expertly woven throughout the narrative. McAllister's ability to blend suspense with profound introspection sets this book apart, making it an unforgettable read.

I found myself unable to put the book down, captivated by the twists and turns that kept me guessing until the very end. The pacing is impeccable, with each chapter leaving me eager to uncover more about the characters’ fates and the weight of their choices. McAllister’s prose is both lyrical and engaging, striking a balance that resonates with readers who appreciate a thoughtful narrative.

While I can see how the writing style may not appeal to everyone, for me, it was nothing short of incredible.

In conclusion, Famous Last Words is a remarkable work that brilliantly examines the intersections of love, regret, and the choices we make. It’s a book that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a compelling story that challenges the way we think about our own narratives.

like always, mcallister has knocked it out of the park. i was hooked from chapter one and had to take my kindle everywhere until i finished! i had no idea what to expect but i loved slotting the pieces together with the characters. another incredible read. 4.5 stars!!

"That feeling you get as a reader, 10 per cent in, when you just kind of sink into the novel and it's world"

This quote from Famous Last Words summed up Famous Last Words almost perfectly, except, it didn't take me 10 per cent. I think it took me about 5 pages. From the first few words, from those first few pages, my reading sense tingled. 

I loved Wrong Place Wrong Time. I recommend it all the time, and Famous Last Words hit in just the same way.  I was absorbed. There was a perfect balance between plot and character development. The plot was well paced, not rushed so the characters could evolve and expand into the gaps, and the tension could soak in, but not so slow that I lost interest.

I kept knitting together various elements so by the end, I'd probably worked it out mostly, but it didn't deter from the telling at all.

Very enjoyable, tense, detail rich love story set amidst a thrilling mystery.

Where do I even begin. This book was a wild emotional ride.

I was gripped me from the very first page. I loved that this book was chopped down into different Acts I think it worked so effectively to tell the story.

Gillian McAllister is incredible at not only immersing you into the story but into the emotions of the characters you are reading. During The Siege I felt like I was Cam, her emotions bled through the pages and were completely consuming.

I spent the entirety of this book praying there was more to Luke’s story than there seemed. How could this fun, Jaffa cake loving man be capable of something so awful? I just didn’t want to believe it. I was rooting for a happy ending for their little family from the first page.

I also adored the chapters from Niall’s POV. I wasn’t expecting this book to be such a heartbreaking story about love, loss and starting over.

This book was full of twists and turns. So many times I thought I knew the real story and so many times I was proven wrong. Reading this was an absolute thrill and I could not recommend it more.

Thank you NetGalley for the free arc ❤️


#FamousLastWords #NetGalley

Another fantastic read from Gillian McAllister! I'm amazed at how she can build such competitive stories that surprise the reader, even one like me who reads Alot of thrillers!
I really liked the character of Cam, and as a fellow introvert, could see myself in her. I liked that the main character was introverted and that was referenced in the book.
There is so much to appreciate in this book, the twists and turns, I finished this in 1 day, much like the other books I've read from Gillian.

Superb read with a great storyline and characters . I really enjoyed reading the book. Different from other stories I have read which made it better!

This is my second book by this author and it was great. Told in dual POV you will be hooked from the first page. Can't wait to read more by her.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Another absolute belter from Gillian Mcallister! I loved the hostage storyline, even better the husband was the hostage taker rather than the hostage. Very very clever written with lots of in depth research. I will always read this author’s work and I cannot express my delight at being sent this copy. The quickest gifted copy I’ve ever read I would say!

I loved the sample opening of Famous Last Words at the back of Gillian McAllister's previous thriller Just Another Missing Person: it immediately pulled me into the 'ordinary world' of Camilla, a literary agent returning to work after mat leave, who has no idea that her husband Luke is holding three people hostage at gunpoint until she sees it on the news. Interestingly, when I compared this sample opening with the opening of this ARC, it's taken on more of the characteristics that I usually associate with McAllister's writing, and which I personally struggle with, although I think McAllister's novels have got better as she's gone on. Suddenly, there's a lot more backstory, Camilla is more aware that something is up, and the writing feels a bit more cluttered in consequence - I also identified less with Camilla's shock at the news because we'd already been tipped off that Luke was behaving strangely. In itself, this doesn't matter, but unfortunately it foreshadowed some of the problems I had with the novel as a whole. I struggled to connect with Camilla, especially given the big time jumps, and I never really felt her love for Luke. Her relationships with sister Libby and daughter Polly felt much stronger and more central to the story but are given less page-time, while the B-plot with hostage negotiator Niall - especially his marital problems - was a consistent distraction. It just didn't have the tension or emotion that I wanted. I do think Famous Last Words is a good thriller that will please McAllister fans, but it's confirmed that something about her writing doesn't click for me. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for the ARC

I loved Wrong Place Wrong Time and was so excited for another Gillian McAllister novel. She didn't disappoint. This was thrilling, fast paced and mindbending. I truly never knew where the story was going or who the culprit could be. I love that! It was so engaging and captivating. I had a great time reading in and couldn't pull away. Read the entire book in one evening.