THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME
by Laura Dave
Like so many Reece Witherspoon book club picks, The Last Thing He Told Me is a gripping and entertaining read. While I wouldn’t call it great literature, I absolutely could not put this book down and highly recommend it as a perfect book to take to the beach this summer.
The book begins with a mysterious note delivered by hand to the protagonist Hannah. She knows it is from Owen, her husband that she recently married, and it only contains two words: ”Protect her.” As the news breaks that Owen’s company is being investigated for fraud, it seems Owen has completely disappeared leaving Hannah to try and solve the mysteries he has left behind while parenting and protecting his sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey.
Their search takes them from their home on the west coast to Austin,Texas, following litte more than a hunch and a memory from when Bailey was three. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on Hannah from all sides and she has no idea who to trust. Author Laura Dave also fills in the romantic backstory of Hannah and Owen’s relationship, allowing the reader to search for clues right along with Hannah.
Dave provides plenty of twists and turns, along with surprising character developments along the way. And although the stakes are high and some of the characters quite ruthless, I appreciated the lack of any graphic or sexual violence which seems to be the final twist in so many contemporary novels. This is truly a thriller with a strong and intelligent female protagonist, and you don’t want to miss it! (Lily)
Note: This book has also been turned into a TV series on Apple+ starring Jennifer Garner and produced by Reece Witherspoon. It has been renewed for a second season, so if you want to continue the story I guess we'll find out what happens next!
