the last thing he said to me
the last thing he said to me -or The Last Thing He Told Me, by its original English title—is a mystery and thriller novel written by American independent journalist and author Laura Dave. The work was published for the first time on May 4, 2021, by the publisher Simon & Schuster. Immediately after its release, the book became a best-seller according to the list of the New York Times, where it remained for 65 weeks.
This suspense by Laura Dave has been a bestseller in at least 35 countries, gaining not only the admiration of specialized critics, but also of the most staunch readers. Throughout his time on the shelves he has been praised by publications such as: LibraryJournal, Associated Press, Publishers Weekly, Purewow, kirkus y booklist.
Synopsis of the last thing he said to me
Owen's last words
Owen and Hannah are a married couple with an apparently normal life.. Both live with Bailey, the husband's teenage daughter. The girl is usually a bit difficult with her stepmother, but an unexpected event will bring them closer than ever: Owen mysteriously disappears during the process of investigation of a crime for embezzlement.
Later, Hannah finds a note that says, "Please protect my daughter." Shortly after, they both discover a duffel bag with $600.000 in cash.
Neither of them understands what's going on, but when the FBI begins their investigation into it, they realize that Owen was not the person he claimed to be. Now it's Hannah's duty to get the answers she needs. Since then, the woman begins to remember several tense moments with her husband, such as when she suggested going to Texas on vacation and he overreacted defensively.
The trip to Austin
Hannah and Bailey travel to Austin to continue gathering information about Owen's disappearance and his possible reasons for running away. They soon run into an old teacher from the school where the teenager used to study, and he, recognizing the student from him, allows them to take a look at some old photos of the school group. After a while they discover an old yearbook with a photo of a woman named Kate Smith.
This person looks so much like Bailey, and that fact drives the teenager and her stepmother crazy. So, Hannah goes on a search, and after some time, she manages to locate Kate, who is working at a bar nearby. The woman goes to visit the stranger, and she leaves her stepdaughter hiding from her in a cafe. Right there has a conversation with Charlie, a waiter. He turns out to be Kate's brother, who died years ago..
Bailey's real name
Hannah tries to connect Owen with Charlie and Kate, so she decides to show a photo of her husband to the waiter, who reacts violently, knocking over Hannah's cell phone in his hysterics. At that moment Bailey walks in, ordering the man to back off in an attempt to protect her stepmother from attack. Next, Charlie is undaunted when he sees the young woman, as he recognizes her as Kristin, his niece.
Subsequently, Bailey remembers Charlie, and her first reaction is to run away, but Hannah stops her and warns her that it is not safe to leave that place. A little later, the woman has a moment alone in the bathroom, where she takes the time to find out a little more about the girl's real family. It is there that she discovers that Bailey's grandfather, Nicolas, belongs to an organized crime syndicate.
The real reason behind Kate's death
Nicolas, Kate's father, owed a large sum of money to the union, and this group murdered the woman in retaliation for failing to fulfill its obligations. As if that wasn't enough information, Hannah learns that Owen's real name is Ethan..
The latter presented evidence to arrest Nicolas, and fled with her daughter Kristin with the help of the Witness Protection Program. However, soon after there was a data leak, and Owen decided to go into hiding on his account.
Having discovered what I needed, Hannah leaves the bathroom to look for Bailey, but can't find her anymore.. After her, a United States agent intercepts her to announce that they are also looking for the girl, and that, if she goes with her team, both stepmother and stepdaughter will be able to find Owen and return home. However, Hannah tells the official that she will be the one to decide how she wants to proceed.
A visit to Nicholas
Hannah asks Charlie to take her to see Bailey's grandfather to negotiate. When she is done visiting, the woman tries to convince Nicolas to help her protect her granddaughter so she can take her home again.
The man, on the other hand, accepts, but not before warning that the union is not going to let Ethan's traction pass, thus predicting that they will not see it again. Some years later, there is a scene where Hannah is waiting for Bailey at home. She is she arrives with her boyfriend and addresses her stepmother as "mom."
About the author, Laura Dave
lura dave
Laura Dave was born in 1977, in New York, United States. She was interested in literature from her early years, when she was studying in elementary school. In 1999,, as an adult, He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a BA in English. In addition to this, the author has a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Virginia. Later, she was awarded the Tennessee Williams Scholarship, and she received several awards and nominations for her literary work.
Throughout his career, various film production companies have acquired the rights to some of Laura Dave's best novels. Such are the cases of Universal Studios with London is the best city in the United States, in 2006, or Echo Films with The Divorce Party, in 2008. For his part, the last thing he said to me it will be produced as a series for Apple TV+, starring Jennifer Garner as Hannah.
Other books by Laura Dave
- London Is The Best City In America — London is the best city in the United States (2006);
- The Divorce Party — The Divorce Party (2008);
- The First Husband — The First Husband (2011);
- Eight Hundred Grapes — Eight hundred grapes (2015);
- Hello, Sunshine — Hello, Sunshine (2017)