Clare Mackintosh has nailed it once again with an exceptional thriller! As I read, I found myself convinced I had figured out the plot at least three times, only to be completely blindsided each time. The twists and turns were relentless, and I found myself doubting every character, never knowing who to trust. The atmosphere was charged with suspense, and the story was packed with unexpected shocks that kept me hooked from start to finish. A flawless example of a thrilling mystery!

I received an ARC of this book as a gift, and I’m so glad I did!

As a big fan of Gillian McAllister, this book didn't disappoint. I was enthralled right from the very beginning, drawn in to the life of Camilla and Luke. I couldn't put it down, desperately wanting to know what happened next.

I really liked the characters in the book, especially Camilla. Her strength to continue on with her life after the siege was admirable, despite her struggle to come to terms with what Luke was accused of. I enjoy the switching points of view between Camilla and Hostage Negotiater Niall, and how they were both searching for the truth for different reasons.

The ending tied up all the loose ends with a few jaw dropping twists thrown in. Overall I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm fairly new to Gillian McAllister but I'm quickly becoming a big fan. "Famous Last Words" doesn't disappoint. Full of twists and turns that you would expect from a good thriller and an every changing storyline as the plot slowly changes perspective as time goes on. I'm going to add McAllister to my auto-buy list.

One of my auto buy authors, super excited to grab a NetGalley copy. Great cover art. Excellent plot, great story building, and relatable characters, great overall

Cam wakes up on her first day back at work, finishing her maternity leave and going back to her beloved job as a literary agent. Still nervous about leaving baby Polly at nursery, she is glad her and husband Luke had planned to drop her off together, but he is nowhere to be found, leaving only a cryptic note. Deciding to take Polly herself and go to work, she tries to distract herself, despite the niggling worry. Then the breaking news hits...

This was fast-paced to start, the edginess done well from when Cam wakes up and Luke isn't there, with the tension building up quickly. The middle slowed and did a great job of exploring what happened, with the ending being twisty and exciting!

As Cam wakes on her first day back at work after maternity leave, she wonders where her husband Luke is.
After trying to contact him unsuccessfully, Cam takes Polly to nursery. She tries to immerse herself in work but is wondering why Luke's phone is not switched on.
All becomes apparent when Cam sees a breaking news story. There is a seige in a warehouse with hostages. Luke is not a hostage. He is the kidnapper.
To begin with, this is fast-paced and draws you straight in. Cam can not understand how Luke is involved.He is a loving husband and father. Her emotions are a rollercoaster.
The second part slows down a bit, and we hear from Niall, the hostage negotiator and Cam, seven years after the event. How their lives have been affected.
The last part ties everything up
I absolutely loved this. There are lots of dramas and a few twists. I did guess bits of it, but not enough to suss the plot.
Mcallister's writing just gets better and better. I look forward to seeing what she writes next and top this one.
Thanks to Netgalley and Michael Joseph,Penguin, Random House for the ARC in return for an honest review.

What an amazing book! I couldn't imagine how it could possibly be resolved and am in awe of the plotting skills of Gillian McAllister.

I enjoyed every word of it and was happy to read long into the night. When I had finished it, I wanted to continue living in that world, with those characters. A triumph.

I love Gillian’s books and this was no exception. Clever, spine tingling and unexpected this story is laced with tension. I couldn’t put this book down I was totally transfixed with where the story was headed. A fantastic read.

Another brilliant psychological thriller from the consistently excellent Gillian McAllister. Camilla has been on maternity leave and is returning to work, having taken her baby to nursery for the first time. While she is busy working, news of a siege breaks and the gunman is her husband...! All is not as it seems at first and the story unfolds tantalisingly. Superb.

This is an excellent book that starts with a bang. Cam’s husband is the perpetrator in a deadly hostage situation. The novel fast forwards to seven years later, but although Cam has moved on, she’s never been able to reconcile what Luke supposedly did with the man she knew so well. As she uncovers the truth, the book twists and turns, ending in a very satisfying, exciting finale. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Gillian McAllister, the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy.

One of the reasons I really like Gillian McAllister's books is that each one is original, clever and often thought-provoking.

Famous Last Words starts off with a real shocker. Camilla and Luke are new parents to a little girl and after several months on maternity leave it's the morning Camilla is finally returned to work. She's been looking forward to getting back to her job as a literary agent and upon waking she finds that Luke is not there, but has left a strange and cryptic note.

After dropping their daughter at day care and arriving at the office, a hostage situation which is taking place locally is all over the news and then Camilla's life implodes when she finds out from the police that Luke is involved. Initially terrified for his safety, her feelings quickly change to horrified and then confused when she is told Luke is actually the gunman.

4* Not your average thriller, but not sure I buy it. Glad I read it, but could they really have ended up where they do?

This is well written and makes you think. There's a huge moral dilemma that Cam's faced with, on top of her first day back at work following mat leave. At first I thought her husband must have been looking for a way out of a maybe-going-stale marriage with his evasiveness but omg, the hostage situation was totally out of the blue. It had me thinking of Michael Douglas in Falling Down, but then the author followed through with more twists and reveals.

Parts were well done, like the message and the book at the end, but bits felt glossed over, as did the departing new love/r after Luke came back. I'm not sure I bought why Luke didn't go to the police before things came to a head, when he saw/heard what he did and 'did' what he did, but maybe human panic and frailties made him more human and provided the backbone to this tale?

I'd definitely pick up more from this author.

ARC courtesy of Penguin Michael Joseph and NetGalley for my reading pleasure.

Gripping thriller which kept me reading from the first chapter. The story unfolds with the hostage situation but is it all as it seems. Time moves on and only later does the full story start to come out with those involved unable to let go from what happened.

Great read

Gillian McAllister's books are reliably excellent, and this was no exception.

The first day back at work after maternity leave is always going to be stressful, but for Camilla, it reaches another level. It's strange enough that husband Luke is missing that morning and there's been no word from him other than a cryptic note. Things get a lot worse, though, when she learns that not only has he been caught up in a frightening hostage situation, but he is in fact the gunman... something Camilla finds it impossible to reconcile with her knowledge of her husband.

We see the tense events unfolding from Camilla's point of view and that of the hostage negotiator. But even when the siege is over, it will take a long time for Camilla to get the answers she needs...

An excellent, engrossing read.

I enjoyed the book and the hostage premise was a little different and not ‘run of the mill’ - a refreshing change. It did slow a little for me in the middle but overall an enjoyable read with good character development.

McAllister does it again with a narrative that gets under the skin of the characters, drawing them to the surface for the reader. It’s compulsively readable and the twist is epic.

I found the premise of this novel very compelling. Literary agent Camilla is plunged into a nightmare when she discovers her husband, Luke, is the gunman in a hostage situation. The plot follows her desperate journey to uncover why he did this and what really happened that day.

The first part of the book was gripping, and I raced through it. While the pace slowed in the middle, it all came together in an exciting and satisfying ending. The story is full of twists and turns—some I guessed, but others took me completely by surprise.

I particularly enjoyed how the characters felt like real people. We learn so much about their lives and relationships, which added depth to the story.
Another great novel from this author—I’d definitely recommend it!

This is my first Gillian McAllister book and I loved it!
Cam has a busy day ahead, she's returning to work after maternity leave and her precious daughter, Polly, is off for her first day at nursery. Husband Luke left early for work, leaving a strange note for Cam.
Following news of a hostage situation developing close by, Cam finds herself connected to it and her life unravelling.
I had no idea how this storyline was going to develop and resolve, so I was gripped by this book.
I can't wait to explore more by this author.

This is a slow burner but there’s something beguiling about it. I think it’s because the character development is so good - the characters develop so gradually but so humanly that you feel that they’re real. A really good read.

Full disclosure, this book wasn’t for me. I love a good thriller and I love twists but I cannot stand filler. That said, this is a beautifully observed book, the characters and their relationships were perfectly written and made this a very enjoyable ride, even if there was a bit of predictability.