Diksia.com - What would you do if your husband suddenly disappeared, leaving behind a cryptic note and a pile of cash? How far would you go to find out the truth about his past and his identity? And how would you cope with a hostile stepdaughter who might hold the key to his secrets?
These are the questions that Hannah Hall faces in “The Last Thing He Told Me”, the #1 New York Times bestselling novel by Laura Dave. This fast-paced novel is a nail-biting suspenseful story, dealing with family relationships, love, devotion, personal sacrifices, and the chances parents must take sometimes to save their children from evil1.
Novel Details
- Title: The Last Thing He Told Me
- Author: Laura Dave
- Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller
- Chapter: 32
- Language: English
- Publisher: Goodnovel
- Publication date: May 4, 2021
- Rating: 3.84/5 (Goodreads)
- Awards: Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Mystery & Thriller (2021)
Synopsis
Hannah Hall has a good life. Her furniture business is successful, and she has a husband who adores her. The only thing that mars her life is her 16-year-old stepdaughter, Bailey, who is hostile toward her. Hannah tries to have a good relationship with Bailey, but it seems as if everything she tries is wrong. Bailey wants nothing to do with her. Her mother had died tragically when she was only three years old.
Hannah comes home one day to find Owen gone. He leaves a note: “Protect her” and a stash of cash. He doesn’t answer his cell phone, is not in the office, and neighbors haven’t seen him lately, either. Grady, a US Marshall, tells Hannah that he and the FBI are also looking for her husband. In addition, Owen Michaels is not the man whom he said he was.
Bailey reluctantly joins Hannah on her mission to discover the truth. Hannah is convinced that Bailey holds the clue to find her father and his true identity. Owen had told Hannah that he received his mathematics degree in Austin, Texas. So Austin is their first stop. But when they consult the librarian, they learn that there had not been football games for the past several years. Undaunted, Hannah wants to push on. But Bailey has had enough.
Hannah keeps on thinking of Owen’s note: “Protect her”. She knows he’s referring to Bailey but wracks her brain to find out from whom or what he’s running. And what it all means.
Meanwhile, the plot gains more intrigue when an inspector from the FBI arrests Owen’s boss. They think that he and his boss were involved in a business scam. Hannah refuses to believe that Owen is a crook. She tries to hide these accusations from Bailey, who further learns that her father was actually from Seattle, Washington, and went by a different name.
As Hannah and Bailey start putting together the pieces of Owen’s past, they soon realize they are also building a new future. One neither Hannah nor Bailey could have anticipated.
Plot Summary
The novel is divided into four parts, each corresponding to a different location where Hannah and Bailey search for clues about Owen’s past. The first part is set in Sausalito, California, where Hannah and Bailey live. The second part is set in Austin, Texas, where Owen claimed to have studied. The third part is set in Seattle, Washington, where Owen was born and raised. The fourth part is set in New York City, where Owen worked and met Hannah.
The novel alternates between Hannah’s and Bailey’s perspectives, as they narrate their experiences and emotions. The novel also includes flashbacks to Owen’s and Hannah’s relationship, as well as Owen’s childhood and family history.
The novel reveals that Owen was involved in a whistleblower scheme, exposing his boss’s illegal activities. His boss, Max, was the head of a tech company that developed a software called Sentinel, which was supposed to protect people’s data and privacy. However, Max was secretly selling people’s data to the highest bidder, including foreign governments and criminals. Owen discovered this and decided to leak the information to the FBI, with the help of his friend and colleague, Jake.
However, Max found out about Owen’s betrayal and hired a hitman to kill him. Owen managed to escape, but not before sending a message to Hannah, telling her to protect Bailey. He also left behind a USB drive with the evidence of Max’s crimes, which he hid in a wooden box that he made for Hannah. He also changed his name and identity, as he had done before, when he was a teenager.
Owen’s real name was Sam Lerner, and he was the son of a notorious mobster, Abe Lerner, who ran a crime syndicate in Seattle. Abe was abusive and violent, and he forced Sam to participate in his illegal activities. Sam hated his father and his life, and he dreamed of escaping. He found his chance when he met a girl named Sophie, who was also a victim of Abe’s crimes. Sophie was a hacker, and she helped Sam create a new identity and fake documents. They planned to run away together, but Abe found out and killed Sophie. Sam managed to flee, but he never forgot Sophie or his past.
Sam changed his name to Owen Michaels, and he moved to Austin, Texas, where he studied mathematics and computer science. He met Bailey’s mother, Natalie, who was a singer and songwriter. They fell in love and had Bailey, but Natalie died in a car accident when Bailey was three years old. Owen was devastated, and he devoted himself to raising Bailey and working as a software engineer. He eventually moved to New York City, where he met Hannah, who was a furniture designer. They fell in love and got married, and they moved to Sausalito, California, where they lived happily until Owen’s disappearance.
Hannah and Bailey follow the trail of Owen’s past, and they encounter danger, deception, and betrayal along the way. They also discover the truth about Owen’s motives, his love, and his sacrifice. They also bond with each other, and they learn to trust and forgive. They realize that Owen was not a perfect man, but he was a good man, who loved them and tried to protect them. They also realize that they are a family, and they have each other.
The novel ends with Hannah and Bailey finding Owen in New York City, where he is hiding from Max and his hitman. They reunite with him, and they tell him that they love him and they forgive him. They also tell him that they have the USB drive with the evidence, and they are ready to help him expose Max and clear his name. Owen is overjoyed, and he hugs them. He tells them that they are the best thing that ever happened to him, and he apologizes for everything. He also tells them that he has one more thing to tell them, but before he can say it, he is shot by the hitman, who followed them. Owen dies in Hannah’s arms, leaving behind his last words: “I love you”.
Pros and Cons
The novel has many strengths and weaknesses, depending on the reader’s preferences and expectations. Here are some of the pros and cons of the novel:
Pros:
- The novel is well-written, engaging, and suspenseful. It keeps the reader hooked and guessing until the end.
- The novel is a blend of mystery, thriller, and romance. It appeals to a wide range of readers who enjoy different genres and themes.
- The novel explores the topics of family, love, identity, secrets, and loyalty. It raises questions about what makes a family, how far one would go for love, and how much one can trust someone.
- The novel has realistic and relatable characters, especially Hannah and Bailey. They are flawed, complex, and sympathetic. They grow and change throughout the novel, and they develop a strong bond with each other.
- The novel has a surprising and emotional twist at the end. It shocks the reader and makes them feel for the characters.
Cons:
- The novel is predictable and clichéd at some points. It relies on some common tropes and stereotypes of the genre, such as the evil boss, the mysterious husband, and the rebellious teenager.
- The novel is unrealistic and implausible at some points. It requires the reader to suspend their disbelief and accept some coincidences and inconsistencies in the plot and the characters’ actions.
- The novel is melodramatic and sentimental at some points. It overuses some emotions and expressions, such as tears, hugs, and apologies.
- The novel is unsatisfying and frustrating at some points. It leaves some loose ends and unanswered questions, such as what happened to Max, Jake, and Grady, and what Owen wanted to tell Hannah and Bailey before he died.
Where To Read Novel The Last Thing He Told Me
If you are interested in reading this novel, you can find it on GoodNovel. You can read this Novel online for free on GoodNovel or download their app on your device and enjoy reading offline. GoodNovel is a platform that offers thousands of novels in various genres and languages for readers to enjoy. GoodNovel offers free chapters and coins for new users, as well as daily updates and rewards for loyal readers. You can also support the author by purchasing coins or subscribing to their membership plan.
Conclusion
The Last Thing He Told Me is a novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat and touch your heart. It is a novel that will make you think and feel.
