therainbowshelf's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I only read this for a Storygraph reading challenge, and almost didn't finish. It starts out alright, and the female protagonist is strong, but by 80% I hated it. I didn't like the unnecessary misdirect of there only being 2 (bad) reasons to change your name, found Hannah's conclusions made less and less sense, dislike obligatory one-dimensional angry teen characters, and don't understand how you don't notice the piggy bank isn't full of coins.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Murder, Violence, Abandonment, and Grief
Minor: Gun violence
addyisnothere's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Abandonment
Moderate: Drug use, Gaslighting, Murder, Grief, Alcohol, and Car accident
carlytenille's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Abandonment, and Death of parent
kelly_e's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Title: The Last Thing He Told Me
Author: Laura Dave
Genre: Mystery
Rating: 4.0
Pub Date: May 4, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Captivating • Mysterious • Original
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When the CEO of the company he works for comes under fire, Owen disappears but he has one final message for his wife, Hannah "protect her". Hannah knows the note refers to his daughter, Bailey, who is his pride and joy. With very few clues to work with, Hannah and Bailey are determined to find him by and know they must take matters into their own hands.
When a U.S. Marshall appears at their home, suggesting Owen isn't who he says he is, they find themselves attempting to piece together a puzzle. A story of unconditional parental love and found family, of ultimate trust and the sacrifices of marriage.
💭 T H O U G H T S
As soon as I read the first few pages of The Last Thing He Told Me, I knew I was going to enjoy it. Although not overly suspenseful, I was instantly engaged by the quiet mystery, and somehow still managed to take me for a roller coaster ride.
Laura Dave combines great characters and great writing in this perfectly paced novel that keeps you guessing. She did a fabulous job weaving together the two timelines and the characters had depth. I really grew to care about them, and the relationship that developed between Hannah and Bailey was heartwarming.
The Last Thing He Told Me is definitely more of a domestic mystery than a thriller, yet it was one of those books I just couldn't put down. It didn't have the ending I was expecting, which I appreciated as it felt truer to life. Just a solid, quick and refreshing read worth my time.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• family drama enthusiasts
• fans of Sally Hepworth
• readers looking for a beach or cottage read
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"This is the terrible thing about a tragedy. It isn't with you every minute. You forget it, and then you remember it again. And you see it with a stark quality: This is what is required of you now, just to get along."
"It was a little bit of all of that and something far bigger than all of that. How do you explain it when you find in someone what you've been waiting for your whole life? Do you call it fate? It feels lazy to call it fate. It's more like finding your way home - where home is a place you secretly hoped for, a place you imagined, but where you'd never before been."
Author: Laura Dave
Genre: Mystery
Rating: 4.0
Pub Date: May 4, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Captivating • Mysterious • Original
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When the CEO of the company he works for comes under fire, Owen disappears but he has one final message for his wife, Hannah "protect her". Hannah knows the note refers to his daughter, Bailey, who is his pride and joy. With very few clues to work with, Hannah and Bailey are determined to find him by and know they must take matters into their own hands.
When a U.S. Marshall appears at their home, suggesting Owen isn't who he says he is, they find themselves attempting to piece together a puzzle. A story of unconditional parental love and found family, of ultimate trust and the sacrifices of marriage.
💭 T H O U G H T S
As soon as I read the first few pages of The Last Thing He Told Me, I knew I was going to enjoy it. Although not overly suspenseful, I was instantly engaged by the quiet mystery, and somehow still managed to take me for a roller coaster ride.
Laura Dave combines great characters and great writing in this perfectly paced novel that keeps you guessing. She did a fabulous job weaving together the two timelines and the characters had depth. I really grew to care about them, and the relationship that developed between Hannah and Bailey was heartwarming.
The Last Thing He Told Me is definitely more of a domestic mystery than a thriller, yet it was one of those books I just couldn't put down. It didn't have the ending I was expecting, which I appreciated as it felt truer to life. Just a solid, quick and refreshing read worth my time.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• family drama enthusiasts
• fans of Sally Hepworth
• readers looking for a beach or cottage read
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"This is the terrible thing about a tragedy. It isn't with you every minute. You forget it, and then you remember it again. And you see it with a stark quality: This is what is required of you now, just to get along."
"It was a little bit of all of that and something far bigger than all of that. How do you explain it when you find in someone what you've been waiting for your whole life? Do you call it fate? It feels lazy to call it fate. It's more like finding your way home - where home is a place you secretly hoped for, a place you imagined, but where you'd never before been."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Gun violence, Grief, Murder, Death of parent, Violence, and Death
Minor: Car accident and Alcohol
sharebear431's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Abandonment
Minor: Murder, Bullying, and Grief
kelseygrachek's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Murder, Death of parent, and Grief
readbycarina's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Grief
Moderate: Car accident and Murder
Minor: Stalking
cakrolik's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a fast, easy, but intense read. This book reminds us, point-blank, that humans are complicated, multi-faceted, messy, and impossible to understand. Do we ever truly know anyone other than ourselves?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Death of parent
Minor: Kidnapping, Addiction, Alcohol, Car accident, Drug abuse, and Grief
nataliebootlah's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Hannah’s whole world flips upside down when a neighbor knocks on her door with a note from her husband: protect her. Who is her? Hannah’s teenage step-daughter who absolutely can’t stand her, Bailey. And after receiving that note, her husband Owen is gone without a trace.
Hannah is left questioning where her husband is, what happened to make him leave… and who he actually is. And as Hannah and Bailey are forced to tolerate each other, they follow the few hints they have to find Owen.
The Last Thing He Told Me is a suspense thriller with a slow, slow burn. It felt more about the characters and their relationships than the actual hunt for Owen. I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the latter, but the ending was sweet enough to leave me pleased.
Hannah is left questioning where her husband is, what happened to make him leave… and who he actually is. And as Hannah and Bailey are forced to tolerate each other, they follow the few hints they have to find Owen.
The Last Thing He Told Me is a suspense thriller with a slow, slow burn. It felt more about the characters and their relationships than the actual hunt for Owen. I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the latter, but the ending was sweet enough to leave me pleased.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Murder and Abandonment
toorsdenote's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Car accident