Dave, Laura. The Last Thing He Told Me. Simon & Schuster, 2021.
So…do you know your parents? I mean REALLY know them. Not the the stories they have told you about their families, their childhoods, and their years before you were born. Are those stories true? Have you fact checked them? You might think about doing that after you read Laura Dave’s novel The Last Thing He told Me. A couple of times during the novel, I had to stop and think back to the childhood my parents claimed to have had and I wondered if I really knew the truth about them.
The book is about Owen Michael, his daughter Bailey and his new wife, Hannah. Hannah narrates the story in first person which is perfect for this thrilling quest novel as Hannah and Bailey figure out why Owen is missing and in the end find out more about who they really are.
Hannah was an only child raised by her grandfather when her parents found their busy lives had no room for a child in it. She is a surprisingly well adjusted adult in spite of her selfish parents. She figures she lucked out to be raised by her grandfather anyway. She becomes a famous designer of high-end wood turned furniture who is sought after by wealthy decorators from coast to coast. That is how she met and fell in love with Owen.
Bailey, the 16 year old daughter is portrayed as a pretty mouthy and rude young lady, but Hannah never takes offense. She has something in common with Bailey, both were raised without their mother. Hannah cuts Bailey some slack and waits patiently for her to come around and appreciate her new step mom.
It is fun to read a quest novel with a female protagonist. It is gratifying to have the ending be heroic and selfless as well. Dave does a great job of leading the reader through the quest and serves up a great surprise in the end that makes this a great book. It leaves the reader wondering, “Would I be selfless in that instance? Was it worth the sacrifice?”
Something else that is masterfully accomplished is the fact that the reader gets to know Owen through Hannah’s flashbacks. They are woven into the fast-paced, first person narrative nicely. Just when you want to know something about Owen to help it all make sense, Dave throws in a memory to make it all work.
There are two sidekicks who help Hannah on her quest. One is her best friend since childhood, a journalist who shows up to fill in some blanks in the narrative and who gives Hannah her credit cards and identification so she can accomplish her task without being traced. The second is Hannah’s ex fiancé-attorney who uses his legal prowess and private investigator to uncover the information that Hannah would never be able to find on her own. Every good hero has to have two sidekicks to make the journey possible.
Hannah and Bailey both grow as people by the end of the novel. They learn a lot about Owen but even more about themselves as a result of the predicament they are unexpectantly thrust into. I won’t spoil the ending for you, but I will say, it isn’t exactly a happy ending. It isn’t gruesome or gory, but it is a tough ending to a long quest.
How did this book change me or help to grow as a human? For sure, it makes me wonder if I am too naïve and trusting. I always said I would be a terrible jurist because I believe everything people tell me. I take people at face value. I’m never that curious about what people tell me, I just listen, believe and go on. What happened to Hannah could easily happen to me.