The Last Thing He Told Me 3⭐️/5
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
3⭐️/5
** spoiler alert ** This was a really solid 3.5 stars for me. If I’d read it during the hype, I can see how disappointment would have been unavoidable because it’s definitely not a thriller, and it’s not entirely a family drama either. It does, however, have something I’ve found I adore in novels - fantastic pacing. Laura Dave paces this novel extraordinarily well, with enough intrigue to keep you guessing, but not so much that it begins to feel like work.
Though the suspense is not akin to a thriller, where the stakes are high and the consequences drive the story. This felt more like a dabbling in suspense, more intrigue than irreversible mystery that must be solved. I would recommend this read if you’re in the mood for a mystery with entertaining plot twists and an analysis on marriage, family, and who we are to one another.
The momentum of the story, main characters hungrily searching for answers, and an exploration of relationships, trust, and identity, are all elements that made this a remarkably consumable novel, easy to read and gripping in many ways. I found the dynamic between our main characters, Hannah and Bailey, to be authentic for a daughter and her new stepmother. The author’s acknowledgement and portrayal of Bailey’s situation felt appropriately focused, but not overly overplayed, she was an angsty teen, but one with depth.
However, Hannah’s backstory, her motivations, her relationship with her ex-fiance who (of course) is a lawyer with perfectly useful connections, all faded the moment they were introduced. Each detail around Hannah (who’s name I honestly forgot often because she just didn’t stand out) felt relevant as I read them, and then the second I finished the sentence, the details were immaterial. She and Owen’s complexities often got reduced down to their role as a parental figure, which leaves the reader wanting in many ways.
I main think the letdown for me was the somewhat unsatisfying, and bit outlandish wrap up of our story. It went from zero to Ozark in a mere matter of pages. I was still flipping through quickly because Laura Dave had done a great job managing build up, but because the main character was a bit bland, the marriage of events and personality of our hero fell a little flat to me.
I would give this a read, but I think I really benefited from adjusting my expectations: this is not a thriller, it’s more a family drama with some mystery.