Having loved some of this author's other books, I'm not sure this one quite hit the mark for me. The narration was a little difficult to follow st times and the storyline lacked the author's usual grip. I got a bit bored by the storyline and can't say that the ending left me wanting any more. Not usual for me from this author and I won't let it put me off. And nor should it you if the theme of hostage taking and the costs of underground criminal activity are your thing.

Looking at the other reviews for this book, I do appear to be in the minority with my enjoyment of this! It was an okay read, but didn't grip me as much as I thought it was going to. The story is about Cam who finds her husband is caught up in a hostage situation in London - not as a hostage, but as the person holding the gun. She has no idea what is going on, and no idea why he's doing it. I liked the beginning part of the story and found the build up to what happens full of suspense. For me though, as Cam tries to find out what happened to her husband for him to be caught up in this, it felt like it lost it's pace and began to slow up. Cam's character wasn't particularly likeable, and the hostage negotiator's part in the story was a little confusing. I did finish the story and like the beginning, I quite liked the ending! However, the middle part was just a little too slow and confusing for my liking.

It’s Cam’s first day back at work after having a baby and she’s already feeling anxious about that.
Her husband Luke had left home before she’d woken up and is not answering his phone, which ramps her anxiety up further.
Then a hostage situation develops and she learns that her husband is involved. Only he’s not one of the hostages, but the hostage taker…

Cam’s nightmare situation is gut-wrenchingly palpable. The feeling of thinking of her life before and after the incident and how every single thing will change. Of being lied to. Of not noticing that something was wrong. Of thinking she didn’t really know her husband like she thought she did. Of what people will think and say. And why? What possible reason did her husband have for taking hostage two men and then shooting them in the head.

Seven years pass by and Cam, alongside the original hostage negotiator Niall, start to receive clues that Luke is still alive and they’re both determined to find him and what really happened in that Bermondsey warehouse.

This is an engaging and exciting read. My only slight complaint is that Gillian McAllister is great for the twisty psychological plot-lines but just falls a bit short on character development.

This was a long read which kept me hooked long into the night. I was full of questions , loads of action mixed with emotion as we along with the main character try to make sense of how a moment can change your life forever but part of you still lives in that moment. A note left, a hostage situation played out live and now your husband is on the run and you still cant help think something just does not. This was so full of emotion from all the characters i was hooked from the first word. when i got to the end i felt like i had gone through the story with them all. Skillfully written full of rich complex characters an action packed mystery , I cant recommend this enough. Thank you netgallery, publisher and author for this 5 star read that is worth the length.

I loved Wrong Time Wrong Place and so I was eager to read Gillian McAllistair’s new novel, Famous Last Words.

Camilla, on the day she returns to work following maternity leave, wakes to find her husband missing and a strange, incomplete note left behind. At work, she is shocked when the police arrive to inform her of her husband’s involvement in an ongoing hostage situation - only he is the one holding people hostage….

A twisty, well constructed read which I really enjoyed. I did guess the outcome and some of the twists ahead of time, but I enjoyed the journey nonetheless! A safe bet if you love a thriller! 4.5/5

The tagline of this really dragged me in, and I'm so glad it did. I adore Gillian's writing anyway and I really enjoyed this. Whilst it wasn't my favourite of hers, mainly due to some of the details feeling a bit unrealistic, I still enjoyed reading it and would always recommend any book by Gillian to anyone wanting a thriller to devour!

WOW ! Twists galore in this story that had me gripped from the start. Another great story from this author.
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC which I highly recommend

A clever thriller with a jaw-dropping twist. On Camilla's first day back at work after maternity leave, the Met police arrive to tell her that her husband is involved in a hostage siege and that he is the gunman. As events take a a surprising turn, it soon becomes clear the situation isn't quite what it seems. Genuinely gripping.

From the bestselling author of Wrong Place Wrong Time comes Famous Last Words – a jaw-dropping thriller that will keep you turning the pages late into the night.

It is June 21st, the longest day of the year, and new mother Camilla is ready to return to work after months of maternity leave. But her plans are shattered when her husband, Luke, vanishes—leaving only a cryptic note behind.

Then comes the breaking news. A hostage situation is unfolding in London, and Luke is at the centre of it. But he is not a victim. He is the gunman.

As the truth unravels, Camilla is forced to question everything she thought she knew about the man she loves. What led him to this moment? What secrets has he been hiding? And what danger is she in if her entire life has been built on a lie?

With shocking twists and an addictive plot, Famous Last Words is a must-read for thriller fans. I was completely hooked—each revelation hit me in full force!

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

Yet another great read from this author. The story had me hooked from the first page, and I found myself so absorbed I was turning the pages to read what happens next. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading. Highly recommend this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review

Another beauty of a read from this author. A really unusual story, that hooks you in immediately. Very subtle thriller which definitely keeps you guessing right until the last chapter.
Thoroughly enjoyable, I loved it.

Camilla is racing around her London home preparing to go back to work after nine months of maternity leave. It’s a busy morning as she also gets baby Poppy ready for her first day at nursery school and is surprised husband Luke is not there on this big day for them. He’s also not responding to text messages and has left an odd note stating, “it’s been so lovely with both of you”. Luke is a ghostwriter so she would expect him to leave a more clear note but maybe he has an urgent deadline she’s forgotten about and had to go to his co-working space, still something doesn’t feel right.
When the police come to the publishing company where she works Cam is terrified to hear Luke is caught up in a hostage drama. Then horrified when she’s told he’s the one who has taken three people hostage in a warehouse and threatening to shoot them. Her Luke would never do something like that and where would he even get a gun.
The story is told by Cam and hostage negotiator Niall who are separately trying to figure things out as something doesn’t quite make sense. It then picks up seven years later with the same narrators.
It’s an interesting concept and had me hooked. The reader is just as in the dark as Cam and Niall and it’s compelling. In the end it didn’t quite deliver on the promising start but had enough for a solid mystery that’s great for a weekend read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

It is Camilla's first day back at work after maternity leave but when she wakes up her husband, Luke, has left home leaving just a cryptic note for her. After dropping baby Polly at nursery Camilla arrives at her office where she works as a literary agent. She's becoming increasingly concerned that Luke still hasn't been in touch, when she learns that he is involved in a hostage situation but not as a victim but the perpetrator. One hostage is released but two are shot dead and Luke escapes and disappears without trace.
Seven years later Camilla is in the process of having Luke declared dead when strange things start to happen which lead Camilla to wonder if Luke can possibly still be alive.
Told from the perspectives of Camilla and Niall, the hostage negotiator, this is a very enjoyable read with plenty of twists.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity of reading an ARC of this book.

Excellent, she has done it again with a masterful story. Engaging characters and a fantastic plot. A short review to avoid spoilers, but just read and enjoy. Thank you for my early access kindle edition.

#FamousLastWords #NetGalley This one started off with a bang with a hostage situation that had me on the edge of the seat. The pace then slowed down a bit and I found quite a few repetitions. That said, this is still a good thriller with lots of twists and turns and an ending I didn't see coming. All in all, a good book,

Cam wakes up on her first day back at work, after maternity leave to find her husband, Luke, not there and instead a cryptic note. After dropping her daughter at nursery, and heading to the office, Cam whole world implodes when the police turn up telling her Luke is involved in a hostage situation in a warehouse and he is the one holding the gun. During the siege, the readers are introduced to Niall, the hostage negotiator. The siege ends, and the characters are left trying to pick up the pieces.

The book then jumps to seven years later, where we see how Cam and Niall are getting on. As old wounds and cases surface, they are both drawn back into the past, to try and figure out what happened all those years ago in the warehouse.

It is a brilliant book, the plot complex and characters likeable and very believable in their actions and motivations. Loads of twists and turns, this is a real page turner.

5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for an advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

📖 BOOK REVIEW 📖

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#FamousLastWords by @gillianmauthor @penguinukbooks

➡️for synopsis

This one had an intense and gripping narrative that kept my attention throughout, the characters were on point, relatable and interesting and with a clever plot that was entwined with lots of twist and turns that kept me guessing. This was a really solid enjoyable read.

With thanks to author #gillianmcallister #penguinbooks and @netgalley for allowing us to read this one early (sorry my review is late)

Publishing: OUT NOW

-EMILY

@the_book_girls_1

This didn't go in the direction I was expecting. It was a lot more character-driven than I usually prefer in a mystery thriller but there were a few twists I didn't see coming and it was very compelling.

It is Cam’s first day at work after maternity leave and when she wakes up, her husband is not there and there is only a very weird note. She drops their daughter off at nursery and goes into the office, still no messages from Luke, who has also not returned her calls.
And then all of a sudden, the police are there questioning her and telling her Luke is holding 3 people hostages in a warehouse!

The siege ends with 2 people killed and Luke on the run. And the case is unresolved for 7 years, Cam is doing the paperwork to get Luke declared dead, but is he?

I just devoured this book. Brilliant writing and a book that is impossible to put down.

I was fascinated by the premise and couldn't wait to get stuck jn and see how it played out and what a ride. A really original concept. It's written from multiple povs and so well plotted out with multiple subplots woven throughout. This keeps you on your toes!! Such a breath of fresh air and an amazing book to get lost in. The only down side is that some bits maaaay be a bit of a stretch. In saying that, it's a fiction story so the whole point is that anything can happen