The Last Thing He Told Me: a gripping mystery

Mystery. Suspense. Drama. ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ by Laura Dave; a gripping mystery about a newlywed who discovers her husband’s entire identity is a lie.  

Owen Michaels is about to be arrested for securities fraud when he vanishes, leaving his new wife Hannah in charge of his teenage daughter, Bailey. When Hannah tries to track him down, she learns that “Owen Michaels” has never existed. She’s been married him a whole year, and she doesn’t even know his real name. 

Before Owen disappears, he smuggles a note to Hannah:  Protect her. Hannah realises this is about Bailey. As Hannah’s desperate calls to Owen go unanswered, as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss, as a US marshal and federal agents arrive at her home, Hannah quickly realises her husband isn’t who he said he was; and that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity and why he disappeared.  

The relationship between Hannah and Bailey grows immensely over the course of the book and engages the reader to stay hooked on the book. This novel explores tropes such as fake identities and found/chosen family. These are common tropes; however, they are manipulated in a way that makes this book stand out. This book was published in 2021 and has recently been adapted by Olivia Newman on Apple TV+. The plot is fast paced, has twists and turns and packs an emotional punch. If you love mystery, suspense, and drama, this book is for you.

Lucy Anderson, Year 9