Review of "The Last Thing He Told Me"

Genre: Thriller/Suspense/Psychological Thriller

Published: May 2021

Goodreads Rating: 3.86

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave piqued my interest from start to finish. I read this novel morning, noon, and night! I’m not one to usually take lunch breaks at work, but I couldn’t resist escaping from my job for at least thirty minutes to read in the middle of the day. (I would then read again into the late hours of the night…needless to say, I read this book fairly quickly).

Dave creates an interesting tale, feeding the reader details throughout the novel to paint a cast of characters we thought we knew from the beginning. I personally found myself invested in the relationship between Hannah, the main character, and Bailey, her stepdaughter.

The story is told in first person through the eyes of Hannah. Hannah is married to Owen, who seems to be an amazingly sweet guy (which makes the reader naturally think well he’s too good to be true). By marrying Owen, Hannah became the stepmother to Bailey, an obstinate young woman that wants nothing to do with Hannah. The feeling is not mutual, as Hannah automatically loves the young girl and wants to care for her. She goes out of her way to try to befriend the teen, but it usually doesn’t work out in her favor. Bailey had been used to spending her time strictly with her father; she barely remembered her mother. Owen told both women that Bailey’s mother died in a terrible car accident when Bailey was a small child. Why would anyone question that?

Before the reader truly gets to know Owen, he runs off! The president of the company he works for is imprisoned and there’s a whole bunch of drama surrounding the fall out of the company. Hannah assumes Owen is running because he is trying to fix it and not because he’s guilty. Before he vanishes, he has a student bring Hannah a note that simply says, “Protect her”.

Dave introduces Owen to the reader through flashback chapters. We ride down memory lane with Hannah to significant dates, family outings, and the day she met Owen. We, like Hannah, believe we know Owen, but a Texas Marshall soon comes along to tell us that Owen isn’t who he claims to be. Everything has been a fabricated tale. Even Hannah’s ex-husband (who happens to be a lawyer) is unable to find any trace of Owen ever really existing.

Hannah and Bailey fly to Austin, Texas to begin digging into the mystery that is Owen. They hope to uncover something that will tell them where he went, or perhaps even find him on the Texas streets. Soon they learn more than they bargained for and though Hannah intended to keep Bailey safe, she realizes she brought her to the most dangerous place possible.

Owen’s original life, as Ethan Young, had significant ties to dangerous and powerful people. When he left them, he also pulled Bailey away from a family that continued to think of her every day. These same people continued to hold onto a grudge against Owen-Ethan.

From the beginning, Hannah’s intention is to find Owen. She wants to reunite her family, not only for herself, but also for Bailey. Soon it becomes apparent that it is not possible for Owen to return. This is confirmed when Owen calls Bailey one last time. Instead of listening to the Texas Marshall, Bailey turns to Hannah to confirm that her father will not be coming home. It is a devasting realization, but it is also one of the largest turning points in the relationship between Hannah and Bailey. Bailey, who typically questions everything Hannah says or does, shows her trust in the older woman who is simply trying to help her. When Hannah realizes what kind of trouble Owen is in, she does what she believes he would want her to do to keep Bailey safe. Even if that means never seeing Owen again.

There are numerous character conflicts throughout the story, but the central one is the relationship between Hannah and Bailey. Dave paints a relatable relationship showing Hannah as the mother who is trying too hard for the relationship and Bailey the independent young girl who goes out of her way to show that she doesn’t care at all. Her lack of caring seems forced at times.

The two are on the plane to Austin when Bailey realizes Hannah is the only one she has at that time. Her father is missing, but Hannah is there for her.

“I pretend not to notice Bailey’s despair, but I don’t put on my headphones either. It’s the best I can come up with for giving her some breathing room while trying to let her know I’m there if she wants me” (95). Hannah has to learn how to communicate with Bailey and she often reflects upon her relationship with her grandfather, the man who raised her, to steer her communications with the teenager. By the end of the novel, Hannah learns that Bailey needs to know she can depend upon her for the truth and Bailey learns to lower her shield and let Hannah into her life. The novel ends with Bailey beginning to speak to Hannah, opening her conversation with “Mom”.

In a way, this novel reminds me of Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman. In both novels, the newly married women find they don’t truly know who their spouse is. However, Owen doesn’t carry nearly as many red flags as Mark in Something in the Water and Hannah is far more likeable than Erin. I find Hannah to be a more relatable character. Both novels also hint at mafia-esque crimes, but never fully introduce the main characters to it. It is presented as something lurking just on the edge of the storyline, something the characters have to avoid.

If you are debating between The Last Thing He Told Me and Something in the Water, I would recommend reading The Last Thing He Told Me. Overall, I rate this novel 5/5!

Now, I’m off to read Hang the Moon by Jeanette Walls. I’ll let you know how it is!

To read the kindle version of The Last Thing He Told Me, click here.

To read my review of Something in the Water, click here.