love it!! Such a good thriller and honestly just as good as the last thing he told me. Such a good author 10/10 recommend!!

Laura Dave is a literary genius. I am obsessed with this book. Highly recommend! 5/5 I refuse to say anything because I don't want to spoil a single moment or feeling. Go in blind if you can. This was so, so good.

Full review and link will be updated soon.

Another great story by Laura Dave. Like many others, I was first introduced to her books by, The Last Thing He Told Me. I have thoroughly enjoyed each book I have read by Dave, and The Night we Lost Him is no exception.

The Night We Lost Him was a great book that keeps you engaged the whole time, but it felt a little more like a family drama to find out who the mystery person was in the fathers life, instead of a mystery to find out if the father was killed, or if was an accident like the police said.

I love Laura Dave books as they grab you in the first few pages and don’t let go, and this did not disappoint in that regard.

Thanks to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster, and Marysue Rucci Books for providing me with an ARC to review.

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Simon Element, S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for providing me an advance copy of Laura Dave’s latest #mysterythriller, The Night We Lost Him, in exchange for an honest review.

#TheNightWeLostHim is a grief-shrouded mystery about estranged half-siblings who attempt to uncover what really happened to their father, a famous hotelier, on the night of his death. Set between the past and present, with a bi-coastal backdrop of New York and California, the murky details emerge as the protagonists, Nora and Sam, meet with numerous family and friends from their father’s past.

TW: This short and entertaining read, while perfect for the beach due to its length, is anything, but breezy. For anyone unprepared to unpack feelings of grief or the death of a relationship, the novel is heavy on both subjects.

The Pros:

The prologue immediately establishes the hotelier was indeed murdered, banishing the notion that this is a grief-induced hallucination or desire, as is so often alluded to when Sam, and eventually Nora, propose the premise. The prologue also jumpstarts the action.

Although many reviewers appeared to have disliked this component, I appreciated the thoroughness of Nora’s inner monologue when rationalizing Liam’s actions or piecing together the evidence.

The writing style, tone, use of imagery, and pacing (at least until Part III). I particularly liked the elements of mystery woven throughout the plot, the concept of creating Windbreaker as a main character, and the background characters that helped bolster Liam’s past and overall character. For instance, the nighttime front desk manager at The Ranch. Those little snippets throughout made the reader feel as if they were uncovering these intricate details about Liam simultaneously with Nora.

Notwithstanding Part III being the weakest of the novel’s three parts, the final chapter neatly concluded the story, bringing the reader full circle to where it began.

The Cons:

Most of the characters were insufferable individuals and/or possessed insufferable motivations. For instance, Nora’s constant chiding of Sam despite being a mess herself. There were a few characters who were difficult to envision as well due to their actions and fickle personalities. For example, Sam’s emotions ranged from aloof to volatile. Sam was raised in #NYC and is an heir to a luxury hotel empire, making his public outbursts feel disingenuous.

A handful of characters seemed needless to the plot, such as Taylor, Ben, Tommy’s wife, Grace’s daughter, Jonathan, Jack, and Morgan, whereas others should have been fleshed out more, such as Tommy, Joe, CeCe, Eliot, and the Windbreak’s caretaker, Clark.

Detective O’Brien could have fallen into either category. On the one hand, a detective is an essential character to the #mystery genre, on the other, he did not serve much of a purpose. Any purpose he did serve was clarified by the second forensic pathologist’s phone call, which was also redundant.

As other reviewers mentioned, there were some confusing details surrounding CeCe and Cory that made it easy for readers to conflate the two with one another. This may have been intentional, but CeCe and Cory’s storylines are nearly parallel; plus, there is a passage where Cory mentions she no longer goes by that nickname, prompting that conclusion.

Final Thoughts

Having read and enjoyed two of Laura Dave’s previous novels, #EightHundredGrapes and #TheLastThingHeToldMe, I can definitively state that I am a fan of her writing her style. Although this novel was not quite as enticing as the other two for me personally, I am rounding 3.5 stars up to a 4-star rating given the heavy subject matter and the fact that it was a solid story, mystery or not.

"The Night We Lost Him" is a good read, but not as compelling as Laura Dave's other books. Thought the writing was good as always, the pace felt a bit slow and the characters and story were not as compelling for me as they could have been. I would recommend this for fans of Laura Dave, and readers who enjoy romance and/or books about family drama. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I couldn’t put this one down! I’ve been waiting for another book by this author and she truly delivered. I was very impressed with her writing style and found the plot to be super engaging.

The story was well written and I liked the characters. However, the plot was a bit boring a predictable. I anticipated a thriller but this should be described more as a story about the complexity of love. From complicated family relationships to long time lovers separated (by reasons unknown), this book weaves the tale of the many faces of love..

I just reviewed The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave. #NetGalley

This book was just ok. I feel like this story had the potential to be a 5-star read, but it fell flat for me in a few different ways. This was more of a love story/drama focusing on loss and grief and not a thriller like the author's last novel. I liked the storyline and how it played out; however, I did not experience the depth of emotion that one probably should have felt while reading this novel. The writing was overly complicated at times and there was too much internal monologue. It easily distracted me from the weight of any feelings I might have had. Having lost my own dad, I usually get choked up when I read stories that involve the loss of someone's father. I didn't experience that at all. Liam's POV chapters confused me because his inner monologue seemed to switch between his thoughts and Cory's, yet they were all his. I had to stop several times and wonder who was actually saying these things. I also kept confusing Cory with CeCe. I feel like the author may have been going for more of a literary work with this one. In my opinion, I think simple would have been the better way to go. Overall, it was a decent read, but could have been better.

Thank you to the author, Simon Element, and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Oof. This was a DNF for me. I had to put it down about halfway through. Too much internal monologue, not enough plot. Incredibly slow paced and I wasn’t invested in any of the characters.

I adore Laura Dave's books and although this was a little harder to get into, I ended up enjoying it just as much as her others! Patriarch Liam falls from a cliff on his property, Windbreak one night and dies leaving his family to figure out what happened even though it is ruled an accident. Daughter Nora is determined to get to the bottom of it, suspecting foul play. So she sets off, leaving fiancee Jack home to fend for himself while she finds the truth. But the truth involves many family members, friends, lovers, money, and revenge! It's a wild ride that had me gasping in places as I was sure I'd figured it out...but of course I hadn't!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave is a novel about the complexities of family, secrets, and the quest for truth. When Liam dies in a suspicious fall from a cliffside cottage, his daughter Nora and estranged son Sam are thrust into a web of mysteries surrounding their father's life and death. Through Nora and Sam's investigation, they not only uncover the truth about their father but also embark on a journey of reconciliation. The writing is poignant and will draw readers into the emotional turmoil of the characters, keeping them hooked until the final revelation.

Absolutely loved every minute of this one. It's suspenseful, without being too dark. Romantic, without being cheesy. There are sections that are written so beautifully, you want to slow down and soak them in, let them wash over you, remember them forever, but you can't do that - because you have to know what happens. The pieces come together just as you as the reader figure them out and the ending both makes perfect sense and also side swipes you completely. There's so much heart and complexity here. The characters are imperfect and complex, which makes them interesting, a little unpredictable, and deeply human.

This book is phenomenal. It's going to be a mega-smash-hit. I hope they make this one into a movie or TV show, too, because I'll binge watch it the same way that I did "The Last Thing He Told Me.

This book was just ok. Perhaps this is due to unrealistic expectations on my part, as I was expecting more of a page turner. I felt the beginning of the book captured me but found myself losing interest as the plot went on.

I was so excited to get an advanced copy of Laura Dave's new book, so I hate to say that I'm disappointed by it — but I am. Admittedly, I read the description and, having previously read The Last Thing He Told Me, I assumed it would be more of a mystery. That's totally my fault. But even as a non-mystery, the plot really didn't deliver.

I 1000% could have done with the time jumps to Liam's past. They felt under-baked and repetitive. The same conversations without any clarity as to the reasoning *why* people were acting the way they were. That unfinished feeling also came through with the main plot line. Nora kept alluding to struggles in her relationship, but there was no clear reason why (or why that situation resolved the way it did). Additionally, there was a lot of suspense and drama and characters acting shady that didn't amount to anything tangible.

I loved Eight Hundred Grapes, so I don't need a mystery to love Laura Dave's writing. But this felt like a really strong second draft that could have used more detail and development.

This was more of a romance/ family drama than a mystery/thriller. I so desperately loved "The Last Thing He Told Me" and thought this would be a similar vibe. This was MY FAULT as I did not read that this is categorized as general fiction/ women's fiction. There was a mystery aspect, but it definitely wasn't the same thrill that "The Last Thing He Told Me" had. So my expectations were high and ultimately I was let down. The pacing for most of it was off, and I was genuinely only super interested and entertained in the last 50ish pages. What worked for me was the portrayal of grief. It felt honest and well written.

I can't wait to read Laura Dave's next mystery/thriller.

Thank you to the author, netgalley and publisher for the arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This will be very popular, because of her last book. I found it dull and disappointing. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

More of a story about family and romantic relationships than a thriller/mystery. Quick read because short. Looking forward to other future books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author.

Was it an accident or murder? A sister and brother ask questions about their father’s death…secrets and red herrings…family and friends and loved ones…the past meets the present…I don’t usually like different time lines but somehow, they works. This talented author has again written a novel that is a page turner. Even the title is intriguing…a family with questions. Law enforcement that wants to accept the status quo. What will happen? Questions…few answers…thanks Netgalley.

Honestly, this book was not for me. I found myself interested in what happened to the father, but at the same time I did not care if I never found out. The last 30 or so pages kept me entertained but other than that I was slightly bored. I don’t know if it was just me but I was slightly confused who some characters were and there role in everything. I personally didn’t love the flash backs, I really didn’t feel like they were super necessary to the story - especially for how often they happened. Not a bad book by any means just personally not for me.