Thank you to NetGalley for my review copy of this book.

This was my first to read this author and unfortunately, her writing style is just not for me. The story is told from Nora's POV with some flashback chapters told in third person. After her father's death, he brother starts asking questions as to the cause which leads them on a search for answers to their father's hidden past. There was a bit of mystery but not suspenseful in the least.

It was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed the character growth but could have felt a little more connection with the characters to make it even better. In the beginning the flashbacks were more annoying than useful but eventually I did come to enjoy them and how they built connection to the father.

Quite a quick read and an entertaining suspense. The book was more about the characters and their intertwined past than a real “whodunit”. It raises the question “do we really know the people we love?” I liked the ending.

The two estranged children of a hotel magnate contend with a long-kept secret as they dig into the suspicious death of their father. Dave asks a similar central question as she did in The Last Thing He Told Me: how well can you know the people you love? A riveting mystery wrapped in an epic love story.

3.75 stars rounded up!

The Night We Lost Him is Laura Dave’s latest novel, her follow-up to the very successful The Last Thing He Told Me, which was adapted into a limited series, as well. As I was a fan of the book and the adaptation, The Night We Lost Him was a must-read for me. Dave provides the same familial focus, but here it’s between estranged half-siblings whose father has recently passed under suspicious circumstances. I was locked in to this one from the start. Dave successfully creates characters I’m curious about, as well as come to care about. She knows how to tell a good story.

It didn’t hurt that this one was set on the beautiful California coast, where I’d just returned from visiting, as well as Brooklyn, New York, where I’ve been, as well. If I’m familiar with the settings, it usually enhances my reading experience.

We meet Nora, who lives in Brooklyn. The recent death of her father has rattled her more than she wants to admit to herself, especially after it followed the death of her mother so closely. When her half-brother Sam reaches out with his concerns about their father’s death, she really doesn’t want to deal with it, but she can’t resist being pulled into Sam’s suspicious theories, wondering if maybe he’s on to something.

We alternate between Nora in the present and Liam, her father, as we learn about his past, leading up to the moment he died.

I’ve seen a few reviewers say this one shouldn’t be marketed as a thriller, and I have to say I agree. It’s a mystery or family drama with a few moments that give a thriller vibe. But it didn’t change how I felt about this one, I was always happy to dive back into it, invested and intrigued. And the book was a solid four stars for me up until the ending, which was fine, but just a little anti-climatic for my taste.

I was happy to see this one is being adapted, as well. Dave is currently working on a film adaptation. I think with the right changes, it could improve the story as it transitions from page to screen. The cast of characters and their dynamics are interesting and the layered story keeps you invested, and of course, there’s the atmospheric setting. If you haven’t already, add this one to your fall reading list!

The Night We Lost Him explores what people know (and don't know) about one another, even when they are close. Dave weaves personal reflection and relationships with a hint of mystery in this solid story. While I didn't find it quite as riveting as The Last Thing He Told Me, I was still engaged with the plot and the characters. I'm hopeful this will become a limited series as well and we see the store come to life more vividly.

Two estranged siblings come together to search for answers into their father's mysterious death, and the mystery of their father's life becomes the focal point of the novel. This is my third novel by Laura Dave, and she has written another great family drama, with twists.

I love a good thriller. The food descriptions had my mouth watering. I picked this up to read while we were out of power and couldn’t put it down!

I gave four stars to The Last Thing He Told Me by the same author. I thought I would like this book too. I didn't. Actually, I'm surprised I read the whole thing. The characters were all unlikeable and did things that didn't make sense. It read more like chick lit, than a mystery, and it really didn't hold my interest. I couldn't figure out why I was supposed to care about these people. Also, if the author used the expression "leaned into" one more time, I was afraid I was going to throw my tablet against the wall. One star book that gets two stars because I somehow read the whole thing. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave is a new thriller that revolves around a trouble family and the sudden and unexpected loss of their patriarch. Nora and Sam are siblings who have often had a troubled relationship with each other. Sam asks Nora to help him look into their father's death as he believes it's not as cut and dry as the police think. They slowly discover that their father may have been keeping secrets for decades. Read and enjoy!

I received a physical ARC of this one as well as the digital copy. I was very invested in this story until about 60% of the way through, when the plot stopped moving forward for a while. I do appreciate that the author wanted to write a different twist on the classic thriller by injecting a lot of character and emotional investment in the story, but it stopped working for me after a while. I love Laura Dave though, so I will continue to read anything she writes.

🌊𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗪𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗛𝗜𝗠🌊
𝓂𝓎𝓈𝓉ℯ𝓇𝓎 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓈ℴ𝓂ℯ 𝓇ℴ𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒸ℯ
𝙿𝚞𝚋 🗓️: 𝚂𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟷𝟽, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺
𝕄𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 𝟛.𝟝 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 ★★★✫

🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝…Estranged siblings find out their father’s secret(was his death accidental?) and uncover more mysteries inside their family….

🌻𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢...I mean when I got this ARC I was thrilled! I adored Dave’s last novel, but once I started this one by going in blind of course 🫣 I soon realized this wasn’t her usual thriller so I had to readjust my reading to that. I gave it some time to change my mindset, but man, I just couldn’t fully engage in this one. 𝕀 𝕥𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕕. ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕕. The reason it still gets 3.5 stars from me is the writing was lovely & I enjoyed the going from past to present & the backstories were the most interesting part, honestly. I love a good slow burn book as well, but this was just too slow. 🐌I can see this one receiving rave reviews & also some meh ones, but if you are looking to read it just go in knowing this is a slow burn family drama mystery(say that 5 times fast 😆)..not much thrill at all. That is crucial to know. 🤓

The Night We Lost Him was suspenseful and mysterious but also deep with family drama. It was captivating and held my interest, but the back in forth in time was a bit confusing because the chapter did not indicate what year the author was talking about.
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book.

3.5 stars
This is a tough one for me to review. I really enjoyed Nora’s POV, superbly narrated by Julia Whelan. I was getting into the mystery, until it started going back and forth with Liam’s POV (which should have had a male narrator). I found the back and forth jarring. It didn’t really help the story in the end. I also have a personal pet peeve when we get to the end and the twist/reveal involves a character who used to go by a different name. Without those two issues, it could have been closer to a 5 star read for me.

I picked this one up expecting a suspenseful thriller, and it ended up being a family drama with some mystery. And while this story was well written, I just didn’t feel invested. The mystery behind what happened to their father was predictable and didn’t blow my mind by any means.

Brother and sister, Sam and Nora work together to piece together their father's story, after his death.

A poignant family drama and mystery.

Two siblings trying to figure out what happened to their father discover a secret he had kept from them for over 50 years. His death brings Nora and Sam closer to each other but the truth is heartbreaking even as it informs them about choices they each need to make in their own lives.

The narrative shifts in time and point of view but is easy to follow and gives the back story in such a way that makes all of the decisions and actions of Liam Noone more understandable. It’s all quite touching really. I’m not usually one for a sort of sappy and sentimental romance novel, but it was written with a light and deft touch that made it relatable. The revelations came at the right pace and the conclusion fit perfectly with the overall tone and mood.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while also following along with the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator was superb as always and brought just the right voice for all of the characters. Her work definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

THE NIGHT WE LOST HIM
BY: LAURA DAVE

Five Spectacular Stars!

I am so impressed with Author, Laura Dave's, newest release called, "THE NIGHT WE LOST HIM," which is an aptly named title for this novel's mystery. I glanced at a few reviews, and only one of my GOOD READ'S friends loved this as much as I did. I almost didn't choose to read this, and I'm so grateful that I did. I remembered that I really loved Laura Dave's writing style back in 2021, when I read and reviewed her hugely popular novel, called, "THE LAST TIME I SAW HIM," which ended up being voted by the Good Reads Choice Awards, as the winner placing it firmly in earning top billing as the #1 Best Mystery & Thriller category. One thing that I did notice with the lower rated reviewers, on this one was that they didn't get a thriller as this is tagged, and marketed as, and many reviewers who rated it low had in common also, thinking it was slow. While I respect other reviewers opinions, I'm really lucky to have not checked those low ratings prior to choosing whether or not to read this. I would have missed out on an outstanding reading experience, because for me personally, I found it really fast paced that I devoured in one sitting. I read it quickly, since in all honesty I enjoyed it immensely since it was fresh, intriguing, with an abundance of insightful writing that resonated with me. The writing was beautifully executed, with a mystery that hooked me which in the prologue sets the tone of describing how a man who we get to know in alternating chapters presenting him as complex character who It informs the reader in that prologue that a man who we learn has been pushed off a cliff which has him fall to his death eighty feet below. I applaud this author for her ability to have managed to elevate this narrative to achieve with success a challenging task. Most mysteries rely on the plot alone to be the focus. It's very rare that the authors include what Laura Dave did by combining both dynamics of coordinating her suspense driven plot with a fascinating character study.

I do have to agree that this isn't a thriller, but that doesn't keep me from enjoying a novel that offers terrific high quality writing. I did see it advertised as a thriller, but that's not a deal breaker for me. In fact, I don't base my opinion about how much I enjoy a book by what genre it was categorized as in a synopsis. I really don't care for thrillers as much as I did many years ago, unless it is the rare occasion that I've heard about it from others, with a high majority praising it. Plus, I expect it to be scary, but not gruesome, or sadistic, and it must be unique. I do care whether a book is well written, which this definitely was. I remember while I was reading this thinking that I preferred it to the prior one which is a huge achievement. I have a feeling that the lower ratings might be due to perhaps readers being disappointed since they expected the author to write a similar novel as her bestselling previous one. I think it's actually a positive attribute when an author surprises me by creating a completely new style of work which she did accomplish this time. As long as the storytelling captures my interest I think it shows talent, and courage for an author to explore new directions, especially when a prior novel was so successful. It's unfair to the author, to expect the same type of book, and not keep an open mind about the quality of writing. I'm probably going to be bombarded with hate feedback for saying that there are many authors that write the *same* book over and over again, because I find that to reflect a lack of growth which, I tend to avoid authors whose work I enjoy but only if they evolve making each subsequent book original.

While I was reading this coincidentally, I did say to myself how much growth Laura Dave has proven with tackling the subject that transcends the typical thriller. I think she has proven herself to be gifted at capturing the most insightful depths of describing the underlying motivations that keep people stuck who have a negative experience. She shows how to overcome grief, loss, disappointment, etc., through Nora's inner thoughts while examining them which were very moving and realistic. Even though I wouldn't have chosen romantic love as my first priority over my children, I still felt bad for Liam. Nobody is either all good or all bad, and we have all made mistakes. Through Nora's character who had admirable qualities, Laura Dave's character development she established herself as a keen observer of humanity. I found many of Nora's musings to reflect the major characters to be capable of a reflection of neither black or white, but the gray area. It takes skill to write about controversial topics which she did, but also including a message that people are nuanced and we don't have to be defined by being all bad or all good. The truth lies in that most people really are more well intentioned in their actions. I really enjoyed this book for its insightful messages mined through the interpersonal relationships that were shown that flawed characteristics, and choices were balanced out with positive traits. Stunning & Brilliant character development with a rich plot. Excellent mystery with a whopper of a twist. I highly recommend this!

Publication Date:: September 17, 2024

Thank you to Net Galley, Laura Dave and Simon Element--S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheNightWeLostHim #LauraDave #SimonElementS&SMarysueRucciBooks #NetGalley

Honestly, if it weren’t for Julia Whelan narrating idk if I would have finished this one. It was full of emotional cheating & ended in the exact anti-climactic way I expected it to.

I know this sounds like I hated it, but I didn’t. The characters were well-developed, the writing was strong, and the atmosphere was immersive. The suspense surrounding the father’s death and the mystery of his past kept me from DNFing this book. There was even a twist that blew my mind—though it really shouldn’t have, as it was clearly set up to be a red herring, but that’s okay. Truthfully, the plot was pretty flat even if it was interesting at points. Also, there wasn’t a clear explanation as to why the two characters who were in love were kept apart the whole time; it felt like drama for drama’s sake.

Overall, if you are okay with emotional cheating and loved Dave’s first book then I’d say definitely pick this one up. If her last book felt “meh” to you and cheating in any form is a trigger I’d say steer VERY clear of this one.

Thank you to Netgalley & Marysue Rucci books for sending me the ARC!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Simon Audio for the copies to review.

If you reset your expectations that this is not a thriller as marketed, then I think you will have the right mindset for this book. It is about loss of a loved one, grieving that loss, and how it can cause you to reevaluate your life and relationships with other loved ones, especially when the death mightttt not be accidental as originally determined. When you listen to the audiobook and Julia Whelan narrates it, then it will be a next level experience and you might shed a tear or two. I know this black heart did. I loved this book, even more so than The Last Thing He Told Me which was excellent, and I find myself still thinking about this one weeks after I have read it.