La Crosse County Library discussion

Our March 2022 Book Club pick is The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave.

Here are some questions to get the ball rolling with this discussion so don't feel obligated to answer them all or any at all even. They are pretty much food for thought.

Did you enjoy the book?

Did you guess the twist involved with Owen’s disappearance?

Who was your favorite character?

How did you like the ending? Would you have changed anything?

Did you enjoy the relationship dynamic between Bailey and Hannah? Did it feel realistic?

How do you think Owen could have done things differently? Would you have left Bailey with Hannah?

Why did Hannah’s note from Owen only have two words in it while Bailey’s had a lot more?

Out of all the actions that Hannah took in the book, what was your favorite and least favorite?

Did you spot the easter egg when Hannah met Owen? She called him Ethan. The author supposedly said she did this to let the audience now that Hannah understood who he was underneath everything. Do you agree?

Supposedly, this is going to have a movie/series adaption, and Julia Roberts was cast as Hannah. What are some of your dream castings?

What was your favorite mystery/suspense book you read in the last year?

I have mixed feelings on this one. On the one hand, I felt the mystery set up by Owen's initial disappearance was interesting. Except in some parts the family drama almost overwhelmed the mystery/thriller aspects of the book. (And then some of the ways the characters took matters into their own hands to find clues about Owen's disappearance seemed unrealistic at times. Like them finding clues that more experienced law enforcement professionals could not.)

Not that I didn't enjoy the way the relationship between Hannah and step-daughter Bailey evolved throughout the novel. I thought the author did a great job of showing a realistic relationship, one with plenty of bumps, but ultimately one evolving into one of mutual respect. Both of them lost Owen and had to lean on each other heavily to get through it all, and showed themselves to be a great team when push comes to shove. I think that's to be expected when the worst happens to you and your whole life is upended suddenly.

Perhaps it's the latter relationship between Hannah and Bailey that rounded up my initial rating to where it sits somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars. (And perhaps I am spoiled by reading the likes of The Silent Patient and The Maidens, where it felt that the reveal was a really big twist that no one saw coming at all, and the suspense was better executed.)

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I am not sure why this book won in the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards. The Last Thing He Told Me wasn't the worst book, but it wasn't the best book. Ultimately, it landed somewhere in the middle.

A link to our review of The Last Thing He Told Me: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Here is a link to our quiz for the book as well! Be wary, some of the questions are tricky.

https://www.goodreads.com/quizzes/res...

Cora wrote: "I have mixed feelings on this one. On the one hand, I felt the mystery set up by Owen's initial disappearance was interesting. Except in some parts the family drama almost overwhelmed the mystery/t..."

Many of our staff felt similarly regarding the book. It might have been over-hyped, with it being a celebrity book club pick as well as the 2021 Goodreads winner in the mystery/thriller category.

This should be an interesting discussion. Can't wait to see what others think about The Last Thing He Told Me!

I read this book and pushed this to be our pick for March as I enjoy mystery books a lot. I just did not end up enjoying this pick as much. I think how this was so hyped up killed my enjoyment even further. The whole story just felt average and full of cliches with the mystery being a letdown. I think these type of mystery books are just not my cup of tea.

Incoming wall of text:

Did you enjoy the book?

Not really. It felt very average and tropey to me. The fact that it won so many accolades and is still on the bestseller’s list made me lower my rating due to the overhype of the book. I’ll probably get flack for this next statement, but... I definitely feel a bit of wish fulfillment in this book. I think that Kristen Bell show on Netflix that satirizes these mystery books hits the nail on the proverbial head


Did you guess the twist involved with Owen’s disappearance?

Within the first 10 pages. It was pretty obvious to get from one train of thought to another. The only surprise was how he was related to the cartel, I guess. Even then it wasn’t that surprising.


Who was your favorite character?

Hannah’s friend who told her like it is.


How did you like the ending? Would you have changed anything?

Yeah, probably the whole thing. If you don’t enter Witness Protection there are still other options. I highly doubt the daughter would have wanted to remain in contact with her mother’s family at the cost of her father. I get he doesn’t want to ruin Bailey’s future, but that ship has sailed the moment he left. Using that large amount of cash, they should have just moved to some rural town far from the reaches of the cartel. They could even leave the country to go somewhere else. Hannah realistically doesn't have family other than Bailey and Owen now, and with how the story was playing out, I don’t think she would leave them.


Did you enjoy the relationship dynamic between Bailey and Hannah? Did it feel realistic?

Hmmm. I didn’t at first since Bailey did not have a great reason to be so cold to Hannah. At the end, I guess it grew on me mostly because of how Bailey developed as a character. The relationship didn't feel realistic at first but got more realistic as the story chugged along.


How do you think Owen could have done things differently? Would you have left Bailey with Hannah?

Yeah, he could have done soooooo much differently. Having an actual conversation with his wife and daughter about these things would have been a great start instead of them endangering themselves trying to find the truth. He should have taken them with him if he is going to run.



Why did Hannah’s note from Owen only have two words in it while Bailey’s had a lot more?

Maybe wanted to put emphasis on the action he wanted her to take. Probably also thought she was mature and quick witted enough not to need a whole letter written to her.


Out of all the actions that Hannah took in the book, what was your favorite and least favorite?

My favorite would have to be looking after her stepdaughter when she easily could have run away with the situation being that it was.

There are so many least favorite actions of hers that it hurts me internally. The way she was so flippant with law enforcement kind of shocked me at how unrealistic it was (not to mention if she had a different skin color things could have been different too). In fact, I don’t know how the chief engineer at a tech company is not a primary suspect.

One of the more stand out actions that irked me was the fact she just saw the wife of the CEO get punished for trying to leave the country, and she has the brilliant idea of absconding to a different state on a whim.

The last thing she did that irked me was marching into Owen’s father in law’s estate and confronting him. She is of no relation to him, yet she didn’t think he might have some animosity towards her. She might have replaced his daughter in the hearts of his granddaughter (Bailey can’t even remember her mom) and his nemesis, Owen.


Did you spot the easter egg when Hannah met Owen? She called him Ethan. The author supposedly said she did this to let the audience now that Hannah understood who he was underneath everything. Do you agree?

I mean she probably meant it for that way. Let’s be honest though. She had no idea what type of person Owen was. I think it is just better as an easter egg. She acts on these underlying feelings of knowing who Owen is when the whole point of the book is that she really doesn’t.


Supposedly, this is going to have a movie/series adaption, and Julia Roberts was cast as Hannah. What are some of your dream castings?

Apparently, Julia Roberts couldn’t do the drama so Jennifer Garner is set to replace her.

Brian Cox as the father-in-law would be great, but I could see Ed Harris or numerous others. Maybe a Matthew McConaughey for Owen. He looks like a surfer dude, but has shown his range as a tech guy in other movies. Kristen Bell or Drew Barrymore could also be a Hannah. Even Reese Witherspoon since she loved the book so much. Bailey is tricky since I don’t know too many younger actresses that could play a teen. Katherine Langford, Florence Pugh, or Danielle Rose Russell are some I guess who could play her. Or a Disney/Nickelodeon/Freeform star could do it too I guess.



What was your favorite mystery/suspense book you read in the last year?

I actually read both horror and mystery so there are plenty of crossover novels that would fill in for this. Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger, The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward, Maidens by Alex Michaelides, The Burning Girls by CJ Tudor, and The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager are my favorite mystery reads that I finished last year. My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones is a horror book, but the mystery and the twists in that book were so good too.

Since I am only a quarter of the way through this book, I am hesitant to read other's comments right now because I don't want to ruin it for myself! I am totally enjoying this so far!

Teresa wrote: "Since I am only a quarter of the way through this book, I am hesitant to read other's comments right now because I don't want to ruin it for myself! I am totally enjoying this so far!"

We hope you enjoy it!

Finished, and now I'm disappointed. I am always up for a happy ending, and I assumed some how months, years down the road that Owen and Hannah would somehow find a safe way to be together. His making an appearance years down the road at an expo Hannah has a booth in seems cruel to me. I couldn't put this book down as I was drawn in to the quest to find the truth and ultimately Owen. Hannah is my favorite character--she's intelligent, intuitive, and relentless. I do not "get" Hannah's early reference to Owen as "Ethan". This apparent slip by Hannah gave away Owen's real name as she sought to find the truth.

Teresa wrote: "Finished, and now I'm disappointed. I am always up for a happy ending, and I assumed some how months, years down the road that Owen and Hannah would somehow find a safe way to be together. His maki..."

Yes, the ending was a bit disappointing. I too was hoping that Owen would be able to reunite with Hannah in some way, once everything had died down. The expo scene was difficult for me in that way, but I suppose not every story has a happy ending.

As for that early reference to Owen as "Ethan," I was confused by it too. There were blips like that throughout the novel, probably because of some minor plot holes. Looking back on it, that "Ethan" moment almost gave away the whole thing.

No kidding! Once we read to later in the book, I could totally see the giving away the whole thing. I still do not get the why she called him that, other than an author foreshadowing. Great read--hard to believe, but regardless, great read.

Teresa wrote: "No kidding! Once we read to later in the book, I could totally see the giving away the whole thing. I still do not get the why she called him that, other than an author foreshadowing. Great read--h..."

Definitely some very strong foreshadowing!

Yes, there was a bit of suspension of disbelief needed to enjoy the story for what it was. Glad you enjoyed it!

Brandon wrote: "I read this book and pushed this to be our pick for March as I enjoy mystery books a lot. I just did not end up enjoying this pick as much. I think how this was so hyped up killed my enjoyment even..."

Understandable! Everyone has different reading tastes and some stories resonate more for some people than others.

We have chosen this book for a book club at work, so I am only half way through it. I am traveling a bit for work right now, so I'm listening to the audiobook.
The reader is dry. She's ok, but it's hard not to want to fast forward. I'm not sure I love the book, but I'm hooked and want to know how it ends. I just wish audiobooks from the library could be speeded up like Audible. THAT would make this a much better "read."

Julie wrote: "We have chosen this book for a book club at work, so I am only half way through it. I am traveling a bit for work right now, so I'm listening to the audiobook.
The reader is dry. She's ok, but it's..."

Narrator's can really make or break Audibles. I know I enjoyed some books where the story average only because of the narration. Books like Devolution by Max Brooks where I enjoyed the story felt even better with how the narration unfolded.

Other times, a decent story can feel like a chore to get through if I am not into the narration of the audio book. My mind can wander easily so if it is bland and boring I find myself having to go back and listen to it all over again sadly.

I hope the story kept you engaged throughout. Hopefully you enjoyed the ending of this book too as I know it can be divisive to some. It still was a fun journey on the way to discovering the ending.