I chose this one as a buddy read and got to talk to 25 people about it, and enjoyed it so much! We felt like it was put together really well and propulsive, even if Hannah made lots of decisions that we wouldn't have made!

From the moment I started reading The Last Thing He Told Me, I had trouble putting it down. There was no way I could leave Hannah and Bailey until I saw them through to the end of their story!
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When the book opens, a girl shows up at Hannah’s front door with a note from her husband, Owen, simply saying, “Protect her.” Hannah knows Owen could only be referring to his 16-year-old daughter Bailey, whose mother died when Bailey was a small child. Hannah has no idea what’s happening — until she discovers that the tech company Owen worked for is imploding in the face of an SEC investigation. The CEO has been arrested, and it seems Owen is on the run. But there’s more than meets the eye — as Hannah starts to suspect that Owen is not simply fleeing to avoid prosecution. There are other secrets hidden here.
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This was a page-turning read, with some heart-pumping moments — and I also liked the portrayal of Hannah’s and Bailey’s fraught step-mother/step-daughter relationship. Definitely recommend.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat through the entirety of the novel. When I thought I had it figured out, here comes another twist. A solid 4 star read for me.

This was SO good and was another book I stayed up way too late reading one night because I had to see how it was going to end. It's a thriller/suspense/family drama about a woman trying to figure out where her husband is after the company he works for is under investigation and he goes missing only leaving a cryptic note for her and his step-daughter. I loved the plot, the characters, the way we learned about Hannah's relationship with Owen and the relationship between Hannah and Bailey, her step-daughter felt really authentic to me. The pacing kept you on the edge of your seat, there were so many times of almost finding things out, but then you had to wait.

Absolutely loved this! Kept me guessing….fast paced story, characters who I cared about. I’ve liked other books by this author, but this is definitely her. War yet!

The Last Thing He Told Me is what you might call a suspenseful domestic thriller. When a software company hits the news for unethical financial practices, Owen, its chief coder disappears. The unfolding story is told from the perspective of his wife, Hannah. She has been left with her prickly teenage step-daughter and absolutely no idea what’s going on. While Hannah has always been confident in the strength of the love she and Owen share, the only thing she knows for sure anymore is that he would never willingly do anything to hurt his daughter. Desperate and shell-shocked, Hannah embarks on a hunt for Owen, navigating a world where she no longer knows who to trust among their friends, Owen’s co-workers, federal agents and mysterious connections to Owen’s past life.
This is a very good read. It got my attention immediately and held it throughout. The story is well-plotted, and the main characters are relatable. Take it on your next flight- you’ll be there before you know it!

Before he disappears, Owen Michaels gets a note to his wife that simply says "protect her". For Hannah, that means only one thing and it begins and ends with protecting her stepdaughter Bailey. This is a fast paced page turner from start to finish.

This was a quick read—I read it in a day. Great characters and great storytelling. There was one moment where my heart was literally pounding.

I had heard a lot about this book and was anxious to read it. I am not sure, for me, that it lived up to all the hype, but it was definitely entertaining. I struggled with finding many of the characters likable, but the story moved along and it held my interest. Working with teenagers, I could identify with the challenges of mood swings and identity crisis. I am not a prude, but I did like that there was not a lot of bad language or sex in this book, so I can fairly comfortably recommend it to the 16-18 year old crowd that likes the mystery/suspense stories.

This was a great story! Could not put it down! The plot was engrossing! Looking forward to reading more by this author!

LOVED THIS BOOK. I read it in one sitting.

Hannah is living in NYC with her own successful woodworking business. She has a chance meeting with single-dad Owen while he is visiting her studio with his boss. This leads to a whirlwind bi-coastal romance and before she knows it she's living in the Bay Area with Owen and his teenage daughter Bailey.

Out of nowhere, the startup Owen is working for is raided by the authorities and Owen vanishes, but not before leaving mysterious notes for both Hannah and Bailey. They are left to try and piece together the clues and unwind the stories they've both been told about Owen & Bailey's past.

This book was fantastic! I'm so glad I started it on a rainy Saturday so I had absolutely no distractions and could rush through to the end! Every chapter left you wanting more and trying to put all of the pieces together! Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley for the gifted advance copy.

Owen Michael’s is in the move, dodging his problems and demons that have caught up to him. Hannah Hall, his wife is left behind. Utterly heartbroken that she has been deceived. How could the love of her life, have so much to hide? Where has he gone? Why did he leave his daughter with her. His daughter can’t stand Hannah. And what did he mean, when she finds a note from him, that says Protect Her.; nothing else. With mourns clue of what has happened to her husband and the life they are making, she decides to investigate on her own. She pieces together Owen’s life, secrets lies and all. She brings Bailey, her step daughter with her. They can’t believe how things are panning out. Each truth brings and secret and so on.. this book i o good. Twists and turns and secrets. I love how Hannah took things into her own hands. I love how you really can’t hide anything, these days. I had to keep reading to see how things turned out. I am so glad that Netgalley & Laura Dave, sent me this book to read, for an honest review.. it was a four star read for me.. I have recommended it to friends & family.. if you like a good thriller, with all kinds of twists, this one is for you.. Enjoy

I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be a real page turner and very suspenseful at times. Kept me guessing most of the book.

When Hannah gets a note from her husband with just two words, “Protect Her”, she doesn’t know what to think. She slowly learns that he has disappeared and has left his 16 year old daughter, Bailey, in her care, with no explanation. Where did he go, and more importantly, why? Who is Owen really? Hannah and Bailey decide to take matters into their own hands and try to figure out what is really going on.

It only took me an afternoon and evening to read through this suspense novel. It sucked me in quickly and kept me reading to find out the truth along with Hannah and Bailey. This is my first book by the author, but I plan to look at what else she has written now. I liked the short chapters and the writing style. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

3 Stars ***
"Protect Her"
The last words of a desperate man to his wife. Owen's company is being investigated by the FBI and accused of fraud but before they can come for him, he disappears leaving only this ominous note for his wife, Hannah. "Protect Her." is all she has and she knows exactly who "her' is, it's his teenage daughter, Bailey. But what is she supposed to protect Bailey from? Or who?
Hannah thought she really knew her husband well, so she is shocked and disappointed to find out he had a entire LIFE that neither she nor his own daughter knew about. The two of them go looking for clues to find out what could possibly have led Owen to desert his beloved daughter and wife. Along this journey, they not only get answers but finally begin to build a bond that has always been lacking between them.
This book has a lot of buzz right now, and it should. It's a domestic thriller with intricate characterization. I read the book a bit slower than expected, never felt fully invested but needed to know WHO and WHAT they were hiding from. It's a well-written novel with twists and a resolution that didn't quite work for me but I liked the journey.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

Wow, wow, wow! I had to take a moment to collect my thoughts on this one. I listened to this on audio and I was immediately hooked and I couldn’t stop listening. Typically in an audiobook I become distracted in the middle and have to rewind, well this book it held my attention the entire time! The twists and turns kept coming and I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.

Hannah, married to Owen, is a stepmom to 16 year old Bailey answers a knock on her door and finds a kid holding a duffle bag and a note saying she was told to bring this to her by her husband Owen. Hannah opens it and it’s 600k and the note tells Hannah to keep Bailey safe and the money is for Bailey. Apparently, Owens’s company is in the midst of a white collar scheme and the SEC is on to them, BUT that is just the beginning! Why does Owen run, when his boss doesn’t run nor his counterparts?

Can Hannah and Bailey figure out this mystery, because Owen isn’t who he says he is...

I really enjoyed this book. It was very mysterious and I liked the writing style. The chapters were short, suspenseful and to the point. The characters were easy to engage with.

My favorite quote from the book: ‘Because I am paying attention.’

Very well written; definitely recommend.

This is a suspenseful, well-written read with authentic characters and an introspective narrative.
Before Hannah’s husband, Owen, disappears, he leaves one note in reference to his daughter: Protect her. And so Hannah sets off to do just that and to discover what has happened to her husband along the way.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

In The Thing He Told Me, Laura Dave offers a perfect and immersive novel. Readers, put this one on your list of summer musts!

When Hannah falls in love with Owen, she marries him and moves to California to live with him and his teen daughter, Bailey. Owen has deep computer knowledge and is involved in the launch of a software program that is primed to make investors lots of money. The program that Owen works on will help users to erase items from their public histories. Is there an irony in this being Owen’s work?

One day, Owen disappears. He leaves a note for Hannah asking her to protect daughter, Bailey. From what? Who? From here a brilliant story filled with slow burning suspense engrosses readers. No spoilers so no more here.

The characters in this book and their relationships are so very well portrayed. I felt as if I knew Hannah and Bailey and found myself rooting for their developing connection with one another. Will Hannah, Owen and Bailey be reunited?

What led Owen to run? Is Hannah correct to believe in him? Find out. I highly (!) recommend this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.