Hannah is married to Owen, who has a 16 yr old daughter Bailey. Bailey’s mum died when Bailey was a toddler and her dad has been hers alone for a long time. When a 12 yr old kid knocks on Hannah’s door and gives her a note from Owen that simply says, ‘Protect her’, she knows instantly that it means Bailey. The company that Owen is part of has been shut down and the owner arrested on charges of Fraud. Owen has disappeared..

The story then follows Hannah and Bailey as they attempt to unravel what has happened and why? Is Owen guilty of fraud.............or of something much worse?

Hannah & Bailey then start to forge a relationship which, having been in that situation myself, I know is challenging, while trying to solve this mystery.

It’s a well written book and I couldn’t put it down. I wasn’t holding my breath in suspense, so I’m not sure thriller would be my description but did I want to get to the end and understand it all - most definitely!

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in return for an unbiased, unedited review.

My thanks to NetGalley and Viper for allowing me to review ‘The last thing he told me by Laura Dave’

A domestic suspense mystery that had me. Gripped. What would you do to protect the one you love and how much would you sacrifice. I wouldn’t describe this as a thriller but definitely a well written book that makes you turn each page to its conclusion.
I enjoyed the book and it’s pursuit of truth with the overriding premise of ‘Protect her’.

The Last Thing He Told Me is written by Laura Dave and is a mystery/drama.

It follows the story of Hannah, Owen and Bailey and is told in Hannah's point of view. Hannah's husband Owen disappears after the company he is working for becomes the main focus of a fraud case. Hannah is left with a note from Owen with two words written "Protect Her". Hannah and step daughter Bailey are left with a lot of unanswered questions. They team up to try and get to the bottom of the hard questions answered and we realise things aren't as they seem.

I really enjoyed this mystery and was a very quick read for me. It had all the right twists and turns. I am looking forward to this book turning in to a TV show and one I will be watching. I recommend reading this book and it will be released on the 4th May 2021.

Thank you Netgalley and Serpent's Tail / Viper for the advanced copy for an honest review.

The last interaction between Hannah and her beloved husband of one year Owen is a note he leaves for her saying only „Protect her“ 📝. Hannah knows instantly that he means his sixteen year old daughter Bailey. Bailey who lost her mother at toddler age and who doesn’t want to have anything to do with her stepmother. Hannah is confused and frustrated, that he doesn’t pick up his phone anymore. And very soon a US Marshal and FBI agents are on her doorstep asking questions for which she can’t provide answers. So Hannah and Bailey start their own inverstigation of the disappearence of Owen.

„The Last Thing He Told Me“ is a smart, thought-provoking, heart wrenching -/ warming domestic suspense thriller, that will consume you until the end.
The story is about parenthood, loyalty, love, loss and what we would do to protect the people we love the most, even if it means to vanish for their safety.
The writing was so captivating and brilliant even though it has only about 300 pages the characters were vivid and authentic. It was great to see how the relationship dynamic of Hannah and Bailey slowly started to shift and develop.

Thank you NetGalley / Serpent‘s Tail Viper for providing me with this outstanding novel in exchange of an honest review.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed it.
It’s an engaging and well written domestic noir with a unique plot.
The characters are interesting and I particularly liked how the relationship between step mother and daughter developed throughout.
I’d definitely recommend this book.

I would have given it a 3.5 star rating. Hannah's husband disappears leaving her a note only saying 'protect her' in reference to his daughter Bailey who is Hannah's step-daughter. Initially this book had me gripped and full of suspense to find out more, I was hooked up until the final third which although it explained some things I felt that some things were just brushed over and the ending seemed rushed to me. However I did enjoy it and it was a quick and easy read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for and advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a new author to me so I didn't know what to expect when I opened the book, but I was very pleasantly surprised. This story follows Hannah who late one night gets a note from her husband of 14 months asking her to protect his 16 year old daughter, he then disappears. As Hanna, and his daughter Bailey try to find out what happened to the missing Owen they find more than they bargained for. The story cleverly takes you between Hannahs present and her past as we join her in her hunt for her missing husband. There are several amazing twists and turns along the way, and the ending just left me sat there wondering how a book had left me so emotional. If you love a thriller that keeps you turning the page then this is definitely the book for you.

A beautifully engrossing read with a well paced unfolding of the story. this is a domestic suspense novel about about a man who disappears suddenly and his wife and his daughter who start to investigate and discover who he really is. The characters were enjoyable, complex rich and nuanced - the step daughter Bailey was especially well written, the complexity of the teenage years and step parent relationships were thoughtfully and honestly rendered.

A powerful tale about a missing husband, and explores whether we really know those we are closest to.

When her husband sends a note via a young girl from his football coaching class, asking her to protect his daughter, his wife is impelled to find out where he is and why he has disappeared. This becomes a more complex job when she realises she is not sure who he is. The quest takes her across America and into his past.

This is a tense, absorbing and reflective story and the journey to find him is both an internal thought process and external detective work. Beautifully plotted and shows the strength that can come from adversity. Highly recommended.

Hannah meets Owen when his boss is looking at some furniture she’s making for him and his wife. It’s not love at first sight but there’s definitely a spark. Their relationship moves on and Hannah and Owen get married, living together in the house boat he shares with his daughter Bailey.

The day the girl delivers the note it had started off just as any other day. Hannah had gone to work in her workshop, Owen had set off to work and Bailey to school. Only the note changed everything, where was her husband? His last words to her, written on a piece of paper, ‘protect her’.

I’m not sure what to say about this book other than it’s amazing. I started it this morning and I’ve just finished it tonight. I had to keep reading right from the very beginning. You are pulled into the story which is full of mystery and intrigue. I just wanted to see where the book was going and it took me an such a journey, it was totally unexpected and unputdownable.

I’m so pleased, it’s a fantastic page turner that keeps you hooked trying to find out where Owen is. Definitely recommend this book.

I waited a few days before writing this review. I felt a little conflicted because I enjoyed it, but was irritated by it too.

Things I enjoyed: easy to read. Didn’t feel like any unnecessary chapters/information. The story line kept me intrigued. I really wanted to know what happened. It did keep me captivated until the end. I guessed things I thought had happened, but I was wrong.

Things I hated: the reasoning just felt a bit flat. Like ‘arghhhh is this it!?’

However, I still give it 4 stars because I did enjoy reading it and I couldn’t wait to read it. It kept me wanting to know what happened.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher- I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.

This was a very well-written book and an intriguing read. It’s a mystery drama about family relationships and secrets, and about how well we actually know the people we love. The story begins when Hannah’s new husband, Owen, suddenly disappears without trace, leaving a note for Hannah ‘to protect’ his 16-year-old daughter from a previous marriage, Bailey. As the story progresses we’re taken from the past to the present in Hannah’s quest to unravel the truth. She does – and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep us enthralled. There was one character in the book that I didn’t like. Bailey. A stubborn and rude teenager who I wanted to slap! No spoilers here, but I was disappointed in the ending which just didn’t tell us enough. Apart from that it was a great read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

Hannah, 38 years old, single enjoying a successful career, in a life trying to coming to terms with, and moving on from the knowledge her mother had left her unloved at an early age. A lonely childhood with only a beloved grandfather, her rock through those early difficult years. Unexpectedly she falls in love with a widower , Owen, and knowing little other than he has a teenage daughter, enters headlong into marriage. Then reader, we enter the black hole of lies, mistrust, subterfuge and total responsibility for a stepdaughter who hates her: A disappearance is the catalyst for a most unusual mystery that leads us back through a series of events covering two decades of family secrets, hidden identities and a dilemma that is impossible to resolve. I did not see this gem unfolding until it hit me right between the eyes. A slow build up, a carefully constructed plot and an impossible ending that was impossible to predict and yet a so perfect reflection of the quandaries dealt in life’s journey. This is a story I have found myself unable to put down with a plot, characters and conclusion that leaves little choice other than to merit a five star read. Many thanks to publisher , NetGalley and especially the author for access to this total gem of a story.

Hannah's husband Owen disappears, leaving her to care for his 16 year old daughter, Bailey. I enjoyed this compelling read, the characters were well developed, the plot was interesting and the pace was slow but steady. I wanted to know more about Hannah's character and I felt the ending was unsatisfactory but overall, I was kept engaged until the end. A good domestic thriller which I would recommend as a good holiday read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC..

When Hannah’s husband, Owen, disappears in the midst of a workplace investigation into fraud, she is left confused and alone to look after her stepdaughter Bailey.

Hannah thought she knew her husband well, but the arrival of a US Marshal and a team of FBI agents, raises questions about Owen’s past and secrets which he has kept buried deep.

‘Protect her’ is Owen’s final request to his wife and ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ follows Hannah and Bailey as they work to uncover why Owen has disappeared and what exactly he is running from.

I must admit, I struggled with this book!

It’s described as a mystery and suspense novel but there were no real clues for the reader to get involved with and there were also no thrilling elements to make you keen to turn the page.

Although the chapters were relatively short, the pacing was slow and I found the storyline a little too far-fetched with a rather bland ending – no real insight into what happens for the characters next or closure on past events.

I also wasn’t fond of the stereotypical ‘teenage girl hates her stepmother but eventually learn to love each other storyline’ and Hannah seemed a bit of a doormat letting both Owen and Bailey make decisions for her.

Not one for me unfortunately!

I received a free review eARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Netgalley, Serpents Tail, Viper Books and Profile Books.
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave is out next month, May 2021, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I have only one complaint really... it wasn’t long enough!! To be clear, I don’t feel like the writing lacked anything, I just wanted it to be longer, because I did really love the story and the writing. The characters felt real, the family dynamics felt honest and I was really rooting for the step-Mom and daughter. It was a quick easy read, contemporary and clever.
I’ll certainly be buying a copy next month for my family members and will keep my eyes peeled for further books from this Author!

Wow! What a book, it hooked me in from page one and kept me gripped, reading well into the night. This is an intelligent thriller, beautifully written, with excellent pacing and an unusual plot. The characterisation is sublime, of all the players we encounter throughout the story, but especially Hannah, her husband Owen and his teenage daughter Bailley.
It’s difficult to say more without revealing spoilers, but I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a clever, intriguing thriller.
I am impressed by the author Laura Dave, and will be looking for more of her work.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title, I so enjoyed it.

When I was reading this novel, I could visualise it working as a TV series or film. It doesn't surprise me it's being made into a series.

The whole novel read as if it's a drama script. There were many reveals, twists, and turns. These worked on the whole but I feel it came at the price of character development. When it came to the final reveal I felt like I didn't know Owen enough to be as invested emotionally as I could have been.

This novel might have benefited from being longer. More time to explore the dynamics of the stepmother and stepdaughter relationship would have been great. I enjoyed reading how Hannah and Bailey's relationship changed. It felt like it wasn't given as much time and depth as I would have liked though.

Overall this is an enjoyable read. It's certainly packed with enough tension and suspense to maintain interest. I look forward to seeing how it transports to the screen and how Julia Roberts plays Hannah.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my early copy of this novel.

Hannah’s husband Owen has vanished, seemingly without a trace. The only clues left behind are a duffel bag of money, and a note containing only two words: protect her. Owen wants Hannah to protect his daughter, but the only problem is that she cannot stand her new stepmother. And where has Owen gone?

This was an absolute classic mystery read. I spent my whole read absolutely hooked - I knew something was going on, but I had no idea what. And that’s what was so frustrating! I couldn’t have predicted that ending in my wildest dreams.

Hannah and teenager Bailey must piece together exactly where Owen has vanished to. Is he in trouble? Are they?

This is a gripping and ultimately heart-warming story of love. What lengths would you go to in order to protect your loved ones? Even when they refuse to speak to you...

I’ve just found out that this book is being made into a series by Reese Witherspoon’s production company Hello Sunshine, and I can’t wait! If it’s going to be anything like Big Little Lies or Little Fires Everywhere, it’ll be a treat.

The last thing Owen Michaels told his wife Hannah Hall before disappearing is ‘Protect Her’. He must be referring to his sixteen year old daughter Bailey with whom step-mum Hannah has a tricky relationship. After receiving the note Hannah and Bailey’s lives change in ways they could never have foreseen. The story is told by Hannah in the present and with flashbacks from her first meeting Owen which works really well.

I couldn’t put this down!! This is how you write a domestic thriller novel! There’s nothing unnecessary, it’s not overlong, the chapters are short, crisp and to the point but the author skilfully creates a real feeling of authenticity. The writing isn’t flashy or over the top, it’s just darned good storytelling I engage with immediately. I love the chapter headings which have a good dose of wit about them. The settings are really good as is the characterisation. Hannah is clever, resourceful, an independent thinker and brave as she’s prepared to do whatever it takes. The portrait of teenager Bailey is very strong, you feel her confused and torn emotions. I like how their relationship changes, develops and morphs as they unite in their attempts to seek out the truth. There are some really good twists and turns in the well paced plot as Hannah pieces together what small snippets of information she has and maximises them. Their anger, confusion and uncertainty of what to believe about Owen comes across well and you admire Hannah’s ingenuity in piecing it together. There’s nail biting suspense as the very unpretty tale emerges which keeps me gripped throughout. The ending is maybe a bit too neatly tied in a bow but that’s not to say I don’t like it - I do!!

Overall, I love this book, finding it a well written and very entertaining, enjoyable thriller demonstrating just how far people will go for love.

With thanks to NetGalley and Serpents Tail/Viper/Profile Books. I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest unedited review.