Gillian McAllisters new thriller , Famous Last Words, due out 30th January. An ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.
I have to give her books 5/5. They are such good pageturners.
This starts with a Hostage siege, a man on the run, and a police officer willing to do what's necessary, even if it's not legal.
An excellent novel with plenty of twists and turns.

This has been my GO TO book so far this year! Bloody loved it. If you want a book that’s sucks you in and spits you out…. THIS is it!

Hostages, cops, murder, disappearances; if these are the ingredients of a good book for you then, you are going to have a feast!
Very well-written crime thriller.

4.5 stars

This might just claim the top spot on my personal Gillian McAllister reading list. This gripping thriller is a masterclass in suspense, constantly twisting and turning in unexpected directions, leaving me completely captivated until the very end.

Camilla's world shatters when her writer husband, Luke, inexplicably disappears on her first day back from maternity leave. Initially, she dismisses his absence, assuming he's found a quiet corner to work. However, this naivete quickly crumbles as Luke becomes embroiled in a terrifying hostage situation – not as a victim, but as the hostage-taker. The narrative follows Camilla's descent into disbelief and despair as she grapples with the impossible truth about her husband.

McAllister masterfully explores the emotional turmoil of a shattered marriage and the agonizing process of rebuilding a life.What truly sets "Famous Last Words" apart is its unpredictability. I pride myself on my ability to unravel plot twists, but McAllister consistently outmaneuvered me, keeping me guessing at every turn. The suspense was palpable, leaving me breathless and on the edge of my seat.

A clever, compelling, and unforgettable thriller. Highly recommended.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with a review copy.

I loved the premise of the story, and the first act was really good.
It felt like the middle of the book dragged a little, for ages I didn't feel like we were getting anywhere, and I'd guessed one of the twists before it unfolded.
While the first time hop at least made a little sense, once everything came together I was disappointed we then jumped again - I'd have rather we stayed closer to that point to find out all the consequences, then an epilogue that jumped and finished the story.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc ebook.

Good book. I was gripped at the start and remained gripped up until about 60% through and then it became a bit too complicated and it lost me at bits. The plot twists were a bit predictable and I wasn’t surprised at any point. A good read overall though.

I loved this book so much. It quickly became one of my favourites by Gillian McAllister.

When Camilla learns of a hostage situation happening in London, her world falls apart as she is told that the gunman is her husband Luke. She is desperate to uncover the truth with only a note that he left behind.

Within just a few pages you are right there seeing this terrible situation unfold yet you have already learned enough about Camilla to instantly root for her. I completely felt for her as she went through the realisation of what was going on with her husband. It was exciting and emotional at the same time.

This is one of those all-consuming books that you find yourself constantly thinking about and itching to get back to reading.

If you enjoyed Wrong Place Wrong Time or Just Another Missing Person by the same author then this will definitely be for you as well.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I read the first chapter of this book at the end of Gillian’s last book and was hooked so I was delighted to receive an advance copy via NetGalley.

Gillian has a knack of immersing her readers right in the middle of the action. It’s Cam’s first day of work following her maternity leave and Luke, Cam’s husband is nowhere to be seen. He leaves a slightly cryptic note for her so
Cam is forced to get on with her day and take their daughter to nursery before starting work.

Later she hears about a siege in London and is shocked to find out from the police that Luke is involved but not as a hostage but as the hostage taker.

Without giving too much away Luke completely disappears after the siege and Cam is left to get on with her life, bringing up their daughter alone. Cam can’t get her head round the fact that her loving husband would harm anyone.

I liked how the hostage negotiator narrates part of the story and he is like a dog with a bone, trying to find out exactly what happened on that fateful day.

Cam gets on with her life as best as she can. Without giving anything away I was shocked by the conclusion of the book and didn’t guess the ending!

As expected from Gillian’s writing nothing is as it seems and the whole story is refreshingly different!

Couldn’t wait to read this after reading previous books by the author and I wasn’t disappointed. A 5🌟 read to start of 2025.

It’s Cam’s first day back at work after maternity leave and she wakes to find her husband has left the house already leaving a strange note behind.
After dropping her daughter Polly at daycare and arriving at work she is payed a visit by the Police who inform her that there is a hostage situation and her husband Luke is involved. Cam’s world is turned upside down when they tell her he isn’t a hostage but the perpetrator.

The story is told through the POV’s of Cam and hostage negotiator Niall. It is told through a duel timeline, the time of the incident and straight after and then 7 years later.

The part of the story about the hostage situation felt tense and fast paced and then the second part of the book set years afterwards was intriguing and had twists as the plot unfolded.

A clever original thriller with a great end. Would definitely recommend.

This is a smart, gripping outing for McAllister who often turns the thriller genre on its head. From the first page I was drawn into a novel that was unsettling and exciting.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Cam is a new mum, is married, and has a dream job where she reads books for a living. Her daughter has her first day at nursery, and it's Cam's first day back at work after maternity. but her husband left early, leaving a cryptic note, which is the first sign that things aren't all they seem. Then she sees that there is a hostage situation going on, and then she finds out her husband is in fact the hostage taker.

This was a real wild ride!! There were so many twists and turns. The story was written so well, and how the story flowed and came to a conclusion was brilliant. I really liked Cam, I really liked all the characters, but Cam was the perfect mix of level headed and vulnerable throughout. The story had a really good pace, there was something new happening on every page. It really was suspenseful and every time I thought I was on the right track, I was completely wrong. Really loved this book and would highly recommend.

LOVED IT!! Gillian McAllister is now a must read author for me! A great thriller, with great sub plots, kept me hooked throughout. 5* would recommend!

FANTASTIC!
I Loved this book and cannot recommend it enough.

It's a thriller but had brilliant subplots, I loved the storyline so much.

What would you do if your husband held people hostage, killed 2 of them and then went on the run? Would you think he was bad or still believe deep down he was a good person?

Thank you to netgalley for the arc of this book and thank you Gillian for yet another masterpiece

I have to begin by saying this has to be my number one thriller book that I have ever read. Honestly this book has everything you want. It’s extremely exciting, thrilling and absolutely terrifying! I made the mistake of picking this up one evening because I didn’t end up getting much sleep as I couldn’t put this down u till I finished it literally a few hours later!
I swear I was so scared throughout the book, my heart was pounding in fear for all these characters, I was so scared what was going to happen next.
This author sure knows how to capture a readers attention and hold it right until the end. In fact this is a book il always think about and remember.

Another amazing thriller from Gillian McAllister who is now a must-read author for me!
Famous Last Words is so original - the story of an unlikely hostage scenario involving a happy couple on what started out as a normal day.
Tense hostage negotiations lead to an unpredictable outcome.

The characters in this book are superbly lifelike, the twists are clever and unexpected.

This one is a joy to read.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5

Simply wow! I Loved this book!

It's a thriller but also with a love story running through it and I loved how it all came together!

What would you do if your husband held people hostage, killed 2 of them and then went on the run? Would you think he was bad or still believe deep down he was a good person?

Thank you to netgalley for the arc of this book, it's out at the end of Jan and one you don't want to miss!

#bookreview #bookrecommendations #reading

An enjoyable read, told from multiple points of view which is always a winner for me. Plenty of twists and turns that make you want to keep turning the pages to find out what will happen next.

I was utterly captivated by Famous Last Words and found myself reaching for it at every opportunity. From the very first chapter, I was hooked, drawn in by Gillian McAllister’s ability to craft a story that feels both personal and suspenseful. The premise was refreshingly original, and the way the narrative unfolded kept me guessing throughout. It was one of those books where, at the end of every chapter, I found myself saying, “Just one more,” until suddenly hours had flown by. There’s a real skill in writing a story where the twists feel earned rather than forced, and McAllister has mastered that.
The characters felt believable and flawed in a way that made them deeply relatable. I could easily understand their motivations and found myself empathising with their struggles, even when I didn’t necessarily agree with their choices. McAllister has a real knack for portraying the grey areas of morality, which added an extra layer of complexity to the story. I loved how the plot danced between tension and introspection, making me think as much as it entertained me.
That said, as much as I enjoyed the book overall, I did feel let down by the conclusion. After such an engaging build-up, the ending didn’t quite deliver the impact I had hoped for. Some aspects of the resolution felt rushed as if there wasn’t enough time to fully explore the consequences of everything that had happened. I found myself wondering about the aftermath of certain events—what happened to certain characters? How did they move on? While some of these questions were addressed, not all of them were, leaving me with a sense of incompleteness.
Additionally, there were moments in the story where I felt slightly confused. For instance, one particular action—how a character knew where to go without having been given that information—didn’t seem to add up. It left me flipping back through previous chapters to see if I had missed something, but even then, I couldn’t make sense of it. It’s not a huge issue, but it did take me out of the story briefly.
Despite these small frustrations, I have to say that the book as a whole was a fantastic experience. McAllister’s writing is gripping and immersive, and her ability to keep the reader in suspense is remarkable. I found myself thinking about the story long after I had finished it, replaying scenes in my head and wishing I could discuss the twists with someone who had also read it.
While the ending may not have been everything I hoped for, it doesn’t detract from the enjoyment I felt while reading the majority of the book. I’d definitely recommend Famous Last Words to anyone who loves a thought-provoking, suspenseful story. It’s the kind of book that keeps you glued to the pages and leaves you eager to explore more of McAllister’s work. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable read, even if I wanted just a bit more from the conclusion.

Famous Last Words is going to be a huge hit!!
Cam is getting her daughter ready for her very first day at nursery as Cam is going back to work after nine months of maternity leave. She was hoping to have some help and a shoulder to cry on with Luke, doting husband and father but he’s no where to be seen, not answering his phone and not replying to messages, this is most unlike him! Later at work the police want to speak to her, Luke is in a warehouse in the middle of a hostage situation, Cam cannot believe it but she’s got her wires crossed as Luke is the hostage taker. We follow Cam and Niall the hostage negotiator over that day and in years to come and how this has affected their own lives.
This was a book I read in a day as I couldn’t put it down. I loved the style of writing and that the main characters were all very real feeling making the whole book a lot more believable. The book is in three parts, during that day, seven years later and seven years later again. This worked well as you get to really know how the characters have struggled, not just Cam but Niall the hostage negotiator. I liked that there was a side story with Cam’s sister and her own struggles and now something she really didn’t want to do turned out to be the bast thing for her.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! A compelling and twisty thriller that kept me guessing and turning the pages. Gillian McAllister always delivers.