Member Reviews
This book was a win for me! Not so much a thriller as it was a mystery surrounding the sudden death of a millionaire father at his private retreat which didn't sit well with his son or daughter. Was he pushed? Or did he jump when he went off the cliff to his death? Or was it an accident? The police have ruled it as unsuspicious yet Sam, his son does not agree so he brings his reluctant half-sister Nora into helping in solve the mystery. Estranged though they be, each discover that they are more alike than different. Together they set off to California to uncover the secrets of their father's past. Great character development, and I admit that I totally had it wrong about one character which surprised me at the end. Fast paced, this story had me glued as it unfolded until the end. Some may say it is a cross between a family drama and a mystery, but either take, I throughly enjoyed it. 4.5 stars. Many thanks to #netgalley #thenightwelosthim #lauradave #simonandshuster for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Laura Dave is always a good read with another thriller with great characters and plot. I enjoy her writing style that leads the reader to keep turning pages until conclusion. This was a exciting family drama with a thriller mystery aspect that was interesting to conclusion. Well done to the author. I look forward to her further works.
Thank you to the publisher, to Net Galley and to the author for the opportunity My review opinon is my own.
Liam Noone was seen in various lights: to the public, he was a meticulous hotel magnate fleeing his past, while to his three ex-wives, he was a distant yet loving family man who kept his wealth and families separate. To his daughter Nora, he was a distant father who loved her from afar, notably from a cliffside cottage where he fell to his death. Although authorities ruled the death accidental, Nora and her estranged brother Sam suspect foul play and reluctantly team up to uncover the truth.
**Thank you NetGalley, Simon Element and Laura Dave for an eARC of The Night We Lost Him.
I love Laura Dave’s writing style. She draws you into a good story with well developed characters so that you don’t want to put the book down. When I did put it down, I was thinking about it. Great family drama with a mystery thrown into the mix!
3.5 stars! Family drama, check. Lies, check. I went into this book thinking it was going to have a little thriller aspect to it but it’s definitely more mystery! I love how Laura Dave tells a story. This was the perfect book to dive into after a heavy read. It was a little slow at times but I’m glad I powered through! It was a great story and I really became invested in the characters and their lives!
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!
4.5 ☆
I love a family drama and I love a good mystery. The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave was the perfect mix of both these genres. I love the strong character development that Dave includes into her mystery/thriller novels - at some points I even forgot there was a potential murder to be solved because I was so invested in the characters. I highly recommend The Night We lost Him!
Laura Dave has a way of creating a story that captivates you and keeps you there for the entirety of her book. I’m not often a fan of thriller, suspense or mystery but Laura Dave makes the exception. I read “the last thing he told me” and was such a fan of her writing that I knew when I saw this book I would love it too and I did. The story follows 2 siblings trying to uncover the truth about their father’s sudden death. He was a loving father but it seems he had his own secrets he kept and everyone around them aren’t willing to divulge on what they know therefore leading the siblings to dig till they get to the truth. Somehow wrapped up into this mystery story about dining out how he really died, a beautiful love story unravels. I can’t say I loved the female character in that romance subplot because she seemed kind of mean and I found the male romance character very charming and sweet. But the story ends with a sweet ending where the main character finds answers she didn’t really know she was looking for. Would highly recommend!
I found "The Night We Lost Him" to be more of a love story/family drama than a mystery. There was a mystery, but I felt it wasn't the book's main story. That said, I enjoyed the book and the style of writing. It wasn't "The Last Thing He Told Me, " which was perfectly alright. I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Nora and Sam change and grow, and how that change affected their lives in the future.
I received an ARC for free and gave my honest opinion voluntarily.
The first half was exciting and the twists were palpable, but I must admit for me, that this thriller became more romance as the second half took over. I’m a huge fan of Dave’s writing, and ability to understand the complexities of human emotion, but the end was rather bland for me. A total fan, but hoping the next one is more suspenseful.
The Night We Lost Him
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I flew through this story! If you need a fast thriller/mystery this is definitely one to pick up, especially if you liked The Last Thing He Told Me.
Nora and her estranged brother Sam are forced closer when their father’s death comes with some mysterious circumstances. While it unfolds, we also get glimpses into their father’s love over the last fifty years.
This book was such a fast read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It felt a little more mystery than thriller, but still didn’t detract!
Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC!
2.5 stars rounded up.
Honestly, what a disappointment. Everyone seemed to love Laura Dave's previous novel, including myself, so my expectations for this one were high. But, man, this fell short. This novel doesn't seem to be either plot or character driven...not a ton happens and the character arcs are pretty weak (and we don't learn much about the characters except in relation to their father). There were some strong themes, but they were fairly blatantly stated instead of woven into the plot. Overall, it felt amateur. I'm wondering if this is an early novel that she never published?
Meh
The Night We Lost Him is a mystery about two siblings investigating what happened to their father when he died unexpectedly.
Nora isn’t close with her stepbrother, Sam, so she is surprised when he shows up out of the blue with a request to travel to the site where their father, Liam, died. Their journey results in them exploring not only what happened to their father the night that he died but also causes them to dig into his past, unearthing a long-hidden secret.
The timeline alternates from the present to the past. Nora narrates the present, and the past is shared through her father, Liam’s, eyes. Nora, a quiet character, was relatable, and her grief in the end was palpable. Liam’s chapters focus on a romance that felt underdeveloped and unconvincing to me. Liam's chapters add a confusing dynamic to the narrative. I can't say much without giving away a spoiler, but many elements were unclear.
This is an extremely slow-paced novel--I had to force myself to keep picking it up. The plot is flat, and the characters are boring. However, there is a decent twist towards the end when Nora's journey comes full circle. Her character was the saving grace of this novel.
Overall, I didn't hate this one--I just didn't fully connect.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Simon Element in exchange for an honest review.
The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave: Shortly after his death from a fall (or was he pushed) at his California cliffside property, wealthy developer Liam’s son Sm convinces his stepsister Nora to fly to the property because he suspects foul play. Nora and Sam don't trust the police investigation or the lack of information from others in liding their uncle and their father’s attorney. In this character-driven tale love supersedes the intrigue, but tension and secrets make it compelling.
3.5 stars
Like most readers who will be drawn to this book, I really enjoyed _The Last Thing He Told Me_, and my expectations were that this book would have a similarly mysterious, well-paced, intriguing series of characters and events.
While this is a worthy read, for me, it does not match the draw of its predecessor. There are some intriguing family dynamics, and while these are interesting to read about, I had a bit of a tough time getting particularly invested in really any of the characters. For obvious reasons, this made it challenging to stay focused on their outcomes, too.
The first moments of the book are absolutely gripping, but then the bulk of the book, which centers on the missing details of that first event, moves along without anything (or anyone) overly remarkable coming through. While I won't scream it from the rooftops, I'll recommend this one to those who enjoy family drama and who can manage a slower (NOT THRILLER) plot.
Laura Dave is the queen of weaving past and present together in a seamless manner. This book expertly balances the two as she tells a story fraught with pain, longing, and reconciling the truth of family.
Nora's father has died and she is grieving. Her half-brother Sam shows up and thinks the death in suspicious. They go in search of the truth about their father. This is a family drama with a mystery. It is not a thriller. It is two grieving siblings who go on a quest together. Their father had kept his children from different marriages apart so they don't know each other well. During this journey they learn about each other and who their father was.
If you like family drama with a side of mystery then this is a book for your. I did enjoy the family dynamics portrayed in the book.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #LauraDave and #MarysueRucciBooks for a copy of this book.
#TheNightWeLostHim
Thank you for the ARC ! I enjoyed this book by Laura Dave as much as the others ! Good story and easy to follow.
A family centered mystery with duel timelines that will keep you invested!
Nora and her brother don’t have the closest relationship, but when her brother is suspicious of the circumstances surrounding their father’s recent death, she decides to investigate with him. None of the siblings were very clear on their father’s life, before or after they came into it. Their investigation into his death turns into an investigation of his entire life, and into their own.
I enjoyed this story and the characters we got to know throughout. I would recommend it more so as a family drama/mystery than a thriller.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy of " The Night We Lost Him" by Laura Dave. I remember reading " The Last Thing He Told Me" and I couldn't put it down! While I enjoyed this book, I didnt feel the need to come back to it as much as I did with her previous work. Liam Noone is a wealthy hotelier who plummets to his death one rainy night. While the authorities felt that nothing was amiss about this, his children have other ideas. Together, Sam and Nora start looking into their fathers last weeks before he died, and if his death really was as black and white as it appeared. This book definitely intrigued me, but it fell a little short for me.
I did enjoy this book although probably not quite as much as The Last Thing He Told Me. I’ve read a few of her books and that one is still my favorite