Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister (Book Review)

 

Book Review

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

Publisher: William Morrow / HarperCollins

Publication Date: February 25, 2025

Format: Hardcover - 336 pages

               Paperback - 528 pages

              Audiobook - 13 Hours 5 Minutes

              Kindle - 2.6 MB / 332 pages

              Nook - 3 MB / 336 pages

ISBN (Hardcover): 978-0063338425

ISBN (Paperback): 978-0063386440

ASIN (Audiobook): B0D384SRMJ

ASIN (Kindle): B0D3CH5FZS

BNID: 978-0063338449

Genre: Thriller

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Disclosure: I purchased a hardcover copy of the book from my monthly subscription to Book Of The Month.

Book Description:

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)

My Book Review:

In Famous Last Words, author Gillian McAllister weaves a riveting thriller that easily draws the reader into a dark storyline that follows a woman's years long journey to find out the truth about her husband, who has disappeared after becoming a suspect in a deadly hostage siege. 

Set in London, Camilla Deschamps' first day back to work after a nine-month maternity leave doesn't go as planned when police come to the literary agency where she works to tell her that her husband Luke has taken three hostages in a warehouse. Stunned, she knows that's not like Luke to do such a thing, but the siege goes horribly wrong when Luke releases the woman and kills the remaining two men hostages and escapes the warehouse. 

Niall Thompson is the hostage negotiator who tried to talk Luke into surrendering before the siege ended badly. He's determined to find Luke and get to the truth of why the hostage siege took place, even if he has to work the investigation on his own.

Over many years of being under surveillance, Camilla still holds out hope that the truth will prevail, and that Luke is alive and will come home to her. The police let the case go cold, but Niall is determined to solve the mystery of Luke's disappearance. Will Camilla and Niall find the truth that they seek, and will the reason behind Luke's involvement in the hostage scene finally be revealed?

 
Famous Last Words is a complex and multi-layered tale that is rich in detail and vivid descriptions. It has intriguing and suspenseful twists and turns, and the author plays a clever cat-n-mouse game with the reader as she provides enough clues into Camilla and Niall's journey in search of Luke. As Luke's story slowly unfolds, the author keeps the reader guessing, and with no other option than to keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. The dark intensity of the storyline and the complexity of the reason behind the hostage siege kept me thoroughly riveted, engrossed, and guessing as the pieces to the puzzle come together.

With a complex and realistic cast of characters, the author does a phenomenal job of delving into the tangled web of secrets, lies, deceptions, and betrayals. The author transports the reader into this fast-paced white-knuckle storyline with her creative interweaving of a psychological cat-n-mouse game between the characters that leaves the reader trying to keep up with where the story will lead them until the surprising conclusion. 

Famous Last Words is one heck of a slow-building thriller, it just doesn't get any better than that!

RATING: 5 STARS 

About The Author

Gillian McAllister has been writing for as long as she can remember. She graduated with an English degree before working as a lawyer. She lives in Birmingham, England, where she now writes full-time. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller Wrong Place Wrong Time and the Sunday Times bestsellers Everything But the Truth, Anything You Do Say (titled The Choice in the US), No Further Questions (titled The Good Sister in the US), The Evidence Against You, How to Disappear, That Night, and Famous Last Words. 

She is also the creator and co-host of the popular Honest Authors podcast.

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The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan (Book Review)

The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan

Publisher: William Morrow / HarperCollins Publishers

Publication Date: April 28, 2020

Format: HC: 304 pages

               PB: 464 pages

               AudioBook: 10 Hours / 10 Minutes

               Kindle: 1440 KB / 304 pages

               Nook: 1 MB / 304 pages

ISBN (HC): 978-0062909046

ISBN (PB): 978-0062978790

ASIN (AudioBook): B083TPX1DF

ASIN (Kindle): B07VT93ZTT

BNID: 978-0062909060
Genre: Women's Fiction

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Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in my monthly (April 2020) The Bookish Box subscription. 

Book Description:

An accomplished storyteller returns with her biggest, boldest, most entertaining novel yet—a hilarious, heartfelt story about books, love, sisterhood, and the surprises we discover in our DNA that combines the wit of Jonathan Tropper with the heart of Susan Wiggs.

Maggie, Eliza, and Tricia Sweeney grew up as a happy threesome in the idyllic seaside town of Southport, Connecticut. But their mother’s death from cancer fifteen years ago tarnished their golden-hued memories, and the sisters drifted apart. Their one touchstone is their father, Bill Sweeney, an internationally famous literary lion and college professor universally adored by critics, publishers, and book lovers. When Bill dies unexpectedly one cool June night, his shell-shocked daughters return to their childhood home. They aren’t quite sure what the future holds without their larger-than-life father, but they do know how to throw an Irish wake to honor a man of his stature.

But as guests pay their respects and reminisce, one stranger, emboldened by whiskey, has crashed the party. It turns out that she too is a Sweeney sister.

When Washington, DC based journalist Serena Tucker had her DNA tested on a whim a few weeks earlier, she learned she had a 50% genetic match with a childhood neighbor—Maggie Sweeney of Southport, Connecticut. It seems Serena’s chilly WASP mother, Birdie, had a history with Bill Sweeney—one that has remained totally secret until now.

Once the shock wears off, questions abound. What does this mean for William’s literary legacy? Where is the unfinished memoir he’s stashed away, and what will it reveal? And how will a fourth Sweeney sister—a blond among redheads—fit into their story?

By turns revealing, insightful, and uproarious, The Sweeney Sisters is equal parts cautionary tale and celebration—a festive and heartfelt look at what truly makes a family. 

Book Excerpt: Click on the link for the book excerpt

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49978226-the-sweeney-sisters?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=a4noOYnDD6&rank=1




My Book Review:

In The Sweeney Sisters, author Lian Dolan weaves a wonderful women's fiction story about the bonds of sisterhood and friendship.

The Sweeney sisters: Liza, Maggie, and Tricia come home to Southport, Connecticut, when their father, literary icon author and Yale professor William Sweeney unexpectedly passes away. After sending their father off with a traditional Irish wake, the sisters are surprised to find that their father's estate is in a terrible financial state. And that's not all, they learn that there is another Sweeney sister, Serena Tucker! As the four Sweeney sisters work through the complexities of their father's estate, and search for his elusive memoir manuscript, they discover long-held family secrets, which helps strengthen their sisterly bond as they deal with their own individual issues as well. 

The Sweeney Sisters is an intriguing story that depicts the complexity of the family dynamic: its secrets, challenges, heartaches, and the amazing bond of sisterhood and friendship. You can't help but get drawn into the Sweeney family, each sister is different from one another, but when it comes to family matters, their sisterly bond is solid. As Liza, Maggie, and Tricia face their father's death and past while searching for his memoir manuscript, they have to determine how their new relationship with Serena will emerge, while also dealing with their own personal issues. As their family saga unfolds, the Sweeney sisters are given a chance to strengthen their sisterly bonds, and make personal changes in their lives, and there's even a little bit of romance added into the mix!

This is a fast-paced and realistic look into the Sweeney sisters' family dynamic. I loved how each sister is so different from each other, but I was even more impressed by how well they unite when it came down to family matters. You can't help but cheer the sisters on as they come to terms with the surprising drama that arose from their family's past, and their sisterly interactions had a realistic mixture of humor and grace. This was a thoroughly enjoyable story that easily kept me engaged. I loved how the author made sure that the Sweeney sisters' individual stories were intertwined with their father's larger than life history and death, and the discovery of the surprising secrets from his past. 

The Sweeney Sisters is a heartwarming women's fiction tale that will keep the reader engaged from beginning to end! 

RATING: 5 Stars

About The Author

Lian Dolan is a writer, producer and broadcaster. She is the author of two bestselling novels, Helen of Pasadena and Elizabeth the First Wife. Her latest book, The Sweeney Sisters, was published in April 2020 from William Morrow. Both are romantic comedies with a touch of history. Two decades ago, Lian created Satellite Sisters, an award-winning radio talk show, blog and website with her four real sisters. Satellite Sisters is now a top-rated podcast for women. Lian is also the co-author of Satellite Sisters UnCommon Senses and You're the Best: A Celebration of Friendship. Her writing has appeared in many national magazines, including regular columns in O, The Oprah Magazine and Working Mother. She is currently a regular columnist for Pasadena Magazine. TV appearances have included The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning and The Oprah Winfrey Show. She is a popular speaker for groups and corporations, always using humor as hook.She lives in Pasadena, CA with her husband a her German shepherd Steffi. She has two grown sons who live on their own-- and that's just fine.


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