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Book Summary and Reviews of Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

Famous Last Words

A Novel

by Gillian McAllister

  • Critics' Consensus (10):
  • Readers' Rating (9):
  • Published:
  • Feb 2025, 336 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

From the author of Reese's Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller Wrong Place Wrong Time comes an addictive thriller about a new mother's world upended when her husband commits a terrifying crime. How well does she truly know the man she loves? And what danger does she face if her entire life has been built on a lie?

It is June 21st, the longest day of the year, and new mother Camilla's life is about to change forever. After months of maternity leave, she will drop her infant daughter off at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Finally. But, when she wakes, her husband Luke isn't there, and in his place is a cryptic note.

Then it starts. Breaking news: there's a hostage situation developing in London. The police arrive, and tell her Luke is involved. But he isn't a hostage. Her husband - doting father, eternal optimist - is the gunman.

What she does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind that morning says... 

Famous Last Words is the story of a crime, a marriage, and more secrets than Camilla ever could have imagined. This novel cements Gillian McAllister's reputation as "the best at putting her characters in impossible situations and making her readers not only contemplate but feel what it would be like to find themselves in those situations." (Emily Henry)

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If you could suggest one book for The Busybody Book Club to read, what would it be and why?
I recently read Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister. I think it would be a good mystery thriller book for discussion.
-Maureen_Connolly

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"A first-rate, fiendishly clever suspense novel that fans of Lisa Jewell, Megan Miranda, and Laura Lippman will eat up with a spoon." —Library Journal (starred review)

"McCallister hits another one out of the park…all the puzzle pieces click together for a satisfying ending." —Booklist (starred review)

"Though the pace can drag and certain twists are a bit convoluted, the gut-wrenching plight of McAllister's three-dimensional heroine will keep readers flipping pages. This satisfies." —Publishers Weekly

"A totally fresh read that kept me guessing until the very end!" —Ashley Flowers, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of All Good People Here

"Gillian McAllister [is] one of my favorite authors working in the genre. McAllister is the best at putting her characters in impossible situations and making her readers not only contemplate but feel what it would be like to find themselves in those situations." —Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author

This information about Famous Last Words was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

Write your own reviewwrite your own review

BonnieMG

Buckle up - this one is a roller coaster (in the best way!)
Not going to lie, I am here for anything Gillian McAllister writes. But unlike some of my other long term mystery and thriller writers favorites, McAllister's novels just keep getting better and better and better. My recommendation for Famous Last Words is to read it as soon as it is released but do not - and I repeat do not - read any reviews that may spoil even a scintilla of the carefully crafted clever plot. Highly recommend.

Becky_T

Where are you?
5.0

Cryptic note, doubt, dark web…

Cam is returning to her job as a lit agent today after a 9 month maternity leave. Her husband Luke is nowhere to be found on this, Cam’s first day back at work and daughter Polly’s first day at daycare.

A hostage situation arises in London - What is Luke’s link to this situation? What happens to this case during the next seven years? The negotiator Niall has learned one important fact during training. “Everyone wants something.” What is wanted in this hostage situation?


THOUGHTS:

The last 50 pp clinched my 5 ?? rating. An up in the air ending I only partially solved!

This was a LFL find! Thank you to LFL on Treeline!

The twists were like a sucker punch! Thrill seekers will like the changing situations!

So good! A must read! I will be looking at backlist titles although I have read Wrong Place Wrong Time.

Nice to be able to read & review before the pub date!

Available soon - Feb 25, 2025

Trisha

jaw dropping compelling read that's hard to put down
"It's been so lovely with you both. Lx"

A compelling race of a story. Once you start, clear out your afternoon - a plot that won't let you go until the final page!

Cam is a literary agent, going back to work for her first day back after having a baby. She has what she thinks of as the perfect life. A wonderful husband, a lovely nine-month old baby, a lovely upside down house with a garden, a job she loves. But her perfect life is rocked when, after dropping off her baby for day one of daycare, the police arrive and tell her something horrible.

There is hostage situation - and they think her husband is the one with the gun, not a victim.

And wow, the story is a race. You get a few POV: the hostage negotiation Niall and Cam, the wife, and a mysterious watcher. Each POV really rounded out the story, gave light to the parts that we needed and added really great layer of humanity and perspective. And Cam was so easy to love. A reader, an agent, a mother, a sister, a wife - she was a strong, amazing character who just wanted to understand what happened.

I can't recommend this enough! A tense plot that leaves you guessing and wondering until the very end. This one was So good!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

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Author Information

Gillian McAllister

Gillian McAllister is the New York Times bestselling author of Reese's Book Club Pick Wrong Place Wrong Time, Just Another Missing Person, Everything but the Truth, The Choice, The Good Sister, The Evidence Against You, How to Disappear, and the Richard & Judy Book Club pick That Night. She graduated with an English degree before working as a lawyer. She lives in Birmingham, England, where she now writes full-time. She is also the creator and co-host of the popular Honest Authors podcast. 

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Read-Alikes

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