I love Laura Dave's books and all the hallmarks of her writing are here: very detailed research, a strong sense of place, relationships in flux, and a protagonist with a niche job (it was fun to learn about neuroarchitecture).

I missed the propulsion of the plot in The Last Thing He Told Me, though. The mystery in need of solving in this book is a less pressing, more uncertain thing. It came together beautifully in the end, so I'm not mad about it, but I could have used more urgency.

This one is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better than the previous book I read by Laura Cave "The last thing he told me". Granted I hated the first book because the tone of the book changed halfway through and I felt like it was reaching.

This one keeps on theme throughout the whole book and is easy to follow without too many unnamed characters and ulterior motives. This has redeemed my faith in Laura Dave.

Wow, just wow! The Night We Lost Him is a perfect mystery. Laura Dave’s words flow off the page while you eagerly turn the pages. You’ll want to visit every place that Sam and Nora go while figuring out what happened to their dad. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Laura Dave’s THE NIGHT WE LOST HIM has a little bit of everything: romance, secrets, mystery, but first things first and that’s family. The somewhat uneven story unfolds along two timelines. The first one concerns Liam, the three-time married, boutique hotel chain owner and his forever paramour, with their story told from the past up until right before his problematic death. The second part, and the bulk of the story, is told in present time, as half-siblings Sam and Nora join forces to find out how their father died, be it accident, suicide or murder. In the process, they get to know each other better and come to greater self-understanding. The book is easy to read and had interesting bits on “neuroarchitecture,” an emphasis on designing spaces with the primary goal of finding the perfect vantage point from which to facilitate joy and wellbeing. This talent, along with the ability to keep secrets, seems a shared family trait.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Simon Element for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I very much enjoyed this mystery/family drama. The character and relationship development was excellent and the mystery kept me guessing. I anticipate this will appeal to a wide range of readers including book clubs that the like mysteries with depth. Thank you NetGalley and Simon Element for the egalley.

i ended up really liking this book, though the first half I wasn't sure about it. It felt overly descriptive in a way that didn't add to the story for me. and made it feel too detached to me. It ended up being a moving story about a pair of half siblings trying to understand their father and how/why he died. It was a story of both his life, his great love and the two siblings coming to terms with themselves and what was important to them. There was a bit of a mystery but that wasn't the main focus

This novel surprised me! I don’t know what exactly
I was expecting but it wasn’t the way this one went.

This story has 2 POV’s. Liam and his daughter Nora. Liam’s storyline starts 50 years back while you work your way to present time. You also follow Nora’s current search to find out more about her father with the help of her brother, Sam. There is something very poignant and touching about Liam’s story, especially as the full story begins to unravel.

This was a quick, easy read that will keep you guessing. It will also pull you in and have you feeling alllllll of the emotions.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Simon Element for the opportunity to read this ARC before its publication date of September 17, 2024.

Family secrets! Drama! An accident. Estranged siblings Sam and Nora will have to put differences aside and overcome their past as they unwind their father's final days and what lead to his accidental death at his favorite home. Pieces don't add up and there are plenty of secrets to discover in this novel more family drama than thriller or mystery.

When Liam Noone, founder of a hotel empire dies, his daughter Nora and son Sam don’t think it was accidental even though authorities rule it was. So they set out to uncover the truth.

I found this more to be a family drama than twisty thriller … more of a mystery about how Liam died and the aftermath of his death. The pacing of this book was good, but I will admit there were times I was confused whether the POV was Cory or CeCe. Overall, a solid read.

Thank you Simon Element and NetGalley for my ARC copy.

I expected this to be a great thriller but turned out to be more of a great romantic story with a little mystery added in and of course, there's some family drama too. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. I do think it was good. Just be prepared for what it is and not what you're expecting. There's a lot of little stories rolled into one big story. There's the relationship between Liam and his children, his brother and his rival. The relationship between siblings especially Nora and Sam, there's the relationship between Nora, Jack and Elliott but they do all come together and it gives you an understanding of who all of them are and makes for a fairly good read.

captivating and emotionally resonant novel that showcases Laura Dave's talent for weaving intricate and heartfelt stories. With its well-developed characters, suspenseful plot, and thought-provoking themes, the book offers a powerful exploration of love, loss, and the secrets that can shape our lives.

When I first started the book I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel because I prefer romance and thriller to be separate. But I took a risk and was rewarded. It was very well woven and I will recommend this to others. Thank you for the ARC copy and I hope to get more in the future

Laura Dave is back with another mystery, this one following the death of the family patriarch. The story is told in both the present and the past, giving readers insight into the family's long history. When the death is ruled an accident, not everyone is buying it. Estranged children team up to get to the bottom of exactly what happened, leading them to find out they may have never really even known their father.

I'm a huge fan of both styles of Laura's writing. I had high hopes after loving The Last Thing He Told Me, but feel this sophomore mystery fell a little short. The characters needed to be built out a little more, and the ending left me questioning choices the characters made. Still an enjoyable read, and can't wait for the next from this author.

"The Night We Lost Him" by Laura Dave is a captivating blend of mystery and family drama that grips the reader from the very start. The novel centers around Liam Noone, a successful hotel magnate with a complex past and three ex-wives, each from whom he kept his life carefully compartmentalized. The narrative alternates between Nora’s present-day perspective and flashbacks to Liam’s life, providing a rich, multifaceted view of the characters and their histories.

The Night We Lost Him" is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged novel that fans of Laura Dave and domestic thrillers will appreciate. It’s a compelling summer read that combines mystery with the exploration of family dynamics, leaving readers with much to ponder long after the final page.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this book for an honest review.

I discovered Laura Dave with her book "The Last Thing He Told Me". So when I noticed she had another book I asked for it. I loved this one as well. I love her didn't see it coming endings.

The characters did confuse me a bit keeping everyone straight. But don't let that detour you from reading it just pay close attention.

There father's death is ruled a suicide but the children just can't believe that. Upon looking into things they find out there father they thought they were so close to indeed had some secrets. This story brings siblings together that grew apart. Your classic mansion on a steep cliff is in this book.

I struggled just to keep all the names in order besides that after I got that straight I was good. This story kept me wanting to know how it ended. I recommend this book and I can't wait to read some of Laura's other books.

In 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘞𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘏𝘪𝘮, New York architect Nora Noone is grieving. She lost her mother a year ago to a road accident. And she lost her father a month ago, also suddenly and unexpectedly, when he slipped and fell off the cliff on his Carpinteria, California vacation property one rainy night. His death is ruled an accident as well, but her half-brother Sam has suspicions. According to him, their dad—Liam Samuel Noone, successful hotelier and self-made tycoon, thrice married and thrice divorced father of three—hadn’t been acting like himself. Together, Nora and Sam interview family members and business associates and try to determine if there is more to the story. The narrative cuts back and forth between their amateur investigation and flashback scenes with Liam and a mysterious woman.

The book is decently written, but it is slow moving and lacks the punch and thrill of Dave’s last effort 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘦 𝘛𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘔𝘦. The mystery is low-stakes and doesn’t have urgency—nobody’s life, livelihood, or reputation appears to be in danger, everyone but Nora and Sam seem fine with leaving Liam’s secrets buried, and all of the characters are wealthy professionals who don’t seem to have a lot to lose or gain if they uncover foul play. Further, it’s difficult to become invested in the story when its characters lack personality and depth. For example, after 300-plus pages, I couldn’t tell you more about Nora other than she loves her career, is struggling with mourning both of her parents, and feels disconnected from her fiancé. The supporting characters are even less complex.

While not particularly exciting or moving, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘞𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘏𝘪𝘮 is readable and would make a good book for a rainy day. 3.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to Marysue Rucci Books and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

When Nora’s father is found dead at the bottom of a cliff outside his coastal home, the details surrounding his death are murky at best. The uncertainty brings Nora and one of her estranged brothers together as they try to figure out not only what happened to their father, but who their father really was.

This story was an intimate look into how grief, love, and loyalty influences one’s life. This is not a whodunit thriller, but a family-centered twist on a murder mystery.
This is the second novel by Laura Dave that I have read, which I think helped funnel my expectations for what this novel’s approach and parameters were going to be. I adored this book and can’t wait until Dave’s next novel.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, S&S/Marysue Rucci Books, and Laura Dave for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, S&S/Marysue Rucci Books, and Laura Dave for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! This one follows the history of a family and you slowly start to unravel their secrets as it goes on. It starts after the death of the father and shows how his children react, especially with the mysterious circumstances surrounding it. I liked this one, but I didn’t love it. Something made it hard for me to connect to the story, which may have been the writing style. It’s also not what I expected - I was expected a mystery but it’s more of a romance/mystery hybrid with a large focus on family drama. If this sounds like something you’d like, be sure to check it out!

This book had me guessing whodunnit all the way through. The break up of the brothers was particularly fascinating as the history of the family is slowly revealed. The Night We Lost Him was well written and I was never quite sure with some of the characters. I recommend it!

This is another great page-turner from Laura Dave! I found the family drama and the relationships between Nora, her father Liam, her brother Sam, and her fiancé Jack very compelling.