The Last Thing He Told Me
Laura Dave
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The Last Thing He Told Me is Laura Dave's thriller about a woman who receives a frantic call from her estranged husband asking her to find their daughter and a mysterious suitcase. The novel is a race against time as Hannah searches for her husband and daughter while uncovering secrets about her husband's past and his work. It is a fast-paced thriller about trust, family and what we're willing to do for those we love.
- 1Hannah receives a call from her estranged husband Bailey asking her to take care of their daughter and to find the suitcase.
- 2Bailey disappears, and Hannah is left with his teenage daughter Bailey and a mysterious suitcase that Bailey won't explain.
- 3Hannah must find Bailey and protect their daughter while uncovering the secrets behind the suitcase and Bailey's disappearance.
- 4The suitcase contains something valuable or dangerous that is sought by powerful people, making Hannah and Bailey targets.
- 5Hannah must navigate her complicated relationship with both Bailey and their daughter while staying ahead of those pursuing them.
- 6The novel alternates between Hannah's investigation and Bailey's past, gradually revealing the truth about what he has done and why.
Key ideas
Trust and betrayal
Hannah must decide whether to trust Bailey's final instruction despite their troubled relationship and his apparent deception.
Family obligation
Hannah's commitment to protecting her stepdaughter drives the novel, showing how family bonds persist even when relationships are complicated.
The power of secrets
Bailey's secrets shape the entire plot, and Hannah's journey involves uncovering what Bailey has hidden and why.
Protection and sacrifice
Hannah is willing to risk her own safety to protect Bailey and their daughter, suggesting that love requires sacrifice.
The nature of innocence
Bailey's guilt or innocence is complicated, and the novel explores whether those we love are capable of terrible things.
Redemption through action
Bailey's final act of asking Hannah to protect their daughter suggests a desire for redemption or at least for someone to do the right thing.
Who is it for?
Readers who love fast-paced thrillers with emotional stakes and complex family dynamics will find this engaging. It suits anyone interested in mysteries with multiple reveals and unreliable narration. Dave's focus on character and emotion alongside plot makes this appeal to readers of domestic thrillers.
Full summary
Hannah receives a frantic call from her estranged husband Bailey, whom she has not spoken to in years. He asks her to pick up their daughter from school and to find a suitcase he has hidden.
Bailey tells Hannah that the suitcase is crucial but doesn't explain what's in it or why. He instructs her not to open it and to hide it. Then he disappears.
Hannah is left with Bailey's teenage daughter Bailey (Bea), who is as confused as Hannah about what's happening and where her father has gone.
Powerful people begin searching for Bailey and for the suitcase, suggesting that whatever is inside is valuable or dangerous.
Hannah and Bea must go on the run to protect themselves and the suitcase while Hannah investigates what happened to Bailey and why he was being pursued.
The novel alternates between Hannah's present-day race against time and Bailey's backstory, gradually revealing the truth about what he did and why he disappeared.
Hannah must find the suitcase's true contents and determine whether Bailey is guilty or innocent, and whether she can truly trust him.
The novel builds toward a climax where Hannah must confront those pursuing the suitcase and decide what the right thing to do is.
