Laura Dave just gets better and better! I loved this juicy mystery about the death of an aging hotel magnate who fell off the cliffs by his elusive private cottage. The story alternates between his own love story with a mysterious woman throughout most of his life, and the present day investigation into his death. The kicker is that he was married twice with three children between them, and they never knew of this woman. One thing I enjoy about Laura Dave's novels is how she combines a mystery with romance and blends it together into one great action/adventure. I always know I can trust her to entertain!

Bookish thoughts: This is my second book by author Laura Dave. I enjoyed her novel full of family secrets and a murder mystery. The chapter titles were something I rarely see and very helpful as I read the story. If you enjoy family drama and a good murder mystery, you might enjoy this one.

I received an advanced electronic copy from publisher Simon and Schuster and Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview this book.

I liked the complicated sibling relationship in this, and the fractured family themes.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for a copy of this book in exchange for a review. I (like everyone else I know) loved Laura Dave's last novel "The Last Thing He Told Me" so I was so excited to get my hands on her next novel. I thoroughly enjoyed "The Night We Lost Him". The set-up of a hotel magnate who seemingly falls from his property and his children are left reeling and trying to determine what actually happened that night is intriguing. The book does a good job of exploring the idea of loyalty and who our ultimate allegiance lies with as well as how we never really know every aspect of our parents and how a portion of them remains a mystery to us. To be honest, I was falling off with the story a bit in the late second act/ early third act, but (no spoilers) the twist at the end and the resolution was so satisfying that it brought me right back. Dave excels in concluding her mysteries/thrillers in a way that most other genre authors struggle with. Overall, this was a very short and satisfying mystery that I will be thinking about for some time.

This story is a popular two-timeline tale with lots of mystery involved. In the current timeline, Nora and her half brother, Sam don’t believe that their father accidentally fell over a cliff at his beach retreat in California. The historical timeline addresses their father, Liam’s long term affair with a woman known as Cory. As the siblings jet set from coast to coast in their quest to discover the truth, many suspects are introduced as they unravel Liam’s well kept secrets.
I enjoyed reading this book and really got caught up in trying to figure out the mystery of Cory and how she may have been involved in Liam’s death. The intricacies of the mystery were pulled back layer after layer and I felt like my attention was being shifted all over the place in a good way. The guessing became fun as the characters became more complicated. I did find the story to bog down a bit at times and all the flying back and forth by Nora and Sam to chase leads seemed like a bit too much but I did enjoy the twist at the end and absolutely did not predict it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave Is a dual-timeline story with themes of mystery, and suspense that follows two half-siblings on a quest to figure out if the death of their beloved father was truly an accident or was their father actually murdered, and if so why? I found myself a little lost at certain parts but found my way back into the story and enjoyed it, especially the reconnection of siblings and the solving of what happened to their father.

Family secrets come to light as siblings try to find out additional information and details about their father’s unexpected death. This was a good read that went between the past (Liam’s perspective) and the present (Nora) to try and uncover what happened.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Element for allowing me to read the ARC and giving my honest review!

The Night We Lost Him is a beautifully written blend of suspense and emotion, with Laura Dave delivering another compelling story about family secrets and the search for truth. The characters are richly developed, and the twists kept me fully engaged. I highly recommend it to fans of literary suspense.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC—I enjoyed every moment of it!”

After having read “The Last Thing He Told Me”, I was excited to read the author’s latest book. I really enjoyed this family drama with a mystery. Someone described it as melancholy and poignant, and I think this is a perfect description!
3.5 stars, rounded up
Note: this book is labeled as a thriller, which it isn’t … so you need to be ready for that

I sold thriller after Laura Dave's previous thriller. I enjoyed the audiobook and how it was performed. This is a classic fast-paced thriller. It will also appeal to those who aren't huge fans of the genre.

The Night We Lost Him is a compelling story about a woman who connects with her brother after the loss of their father, and together they try to discover secrets surrounding their father’s death.

This story is a dual timeline that is intriguing and will keep you turning pages to discover the answers to the mystery.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing is well done and the story is intricate and interesting.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon Element for this advanced readers copy.

I wasn’t as much of a fan of this book by this author. It is advertised as a thriller and I don’t feel like it meets the mark. It is more of a drama. This didn’t keep me guessing or what I normally like in a thriller.

Estranged siblings, Nora and Sam, discover their father, Liam, has been keeping a secret for over fifty years that may have led to his fatal fall off a cliff. Together, they uncover hidden family secrets and unravel the mystery surrounding their father's past in a riveting page-turner with a surprising and heartbreaking twist.

Although this book started off a bit slow, it read more like a captivating blend of mystery and family drama. Despite the initial pace, I found myself staying engaged in order to uncover the culprit. The character development, while gradual, was well-executed. As the story unfolds, you can't help but feel a sense of empathy for the characters, hoping for a positive resolution to their life situations. The timeline shifts back and forth, providing a deeper understanding of the plot. It's almost as if someone is personally narrating the story, occasionally meandering along.

If you appreciate poignant, melancholic tales, this book may be a perfect fit for you. While reviews may vary, it's important for each individual to form their own opinion and give this book a chance.

Thank you, Simon Element | S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books for digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was really looking forward to this book as Laura's 2021 novel, The Last Thing He Told Me, was a giant literary hit. I was fortunate enough to get an ALC of the audiobook thanks to Libro.fm and was thrilled when I saw that Julia Whelan narrates it.

This book is being touted as a thriller/suspense and it is absolutely not. If you go in with that expectation I think you will be really disappointed. Is it a family drama with a slightly mysterious element? Yes. The story does move rather quickly so it's easy reading. It was a good novel but I was hoping for more.

The Night We Lost Him is a family drama/mystery about siblings, Nora and Sam. The estranged siblings that set out to find answers to what really happened to their father on the night he died. The brother and sister are not close and have entirely different ideas on how to solve or even if to solve the mysterious death of their father.
I felt the book moved a little slow at times but the plot twists kept me reading.
This is the second book I have read by Laura Dave. I enjoyed the first one more, but will continue to give this author a read on further works.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon Element for my ARC in exchange for my opinion.

Another edge of your seat mystery thriller by Laura Dave!

Okay. This guy! All the families? Loves? Children? and just hopping between them? Weird to me. It couldn't be me. And the fact that all the families just kind of went with it?

But of all the characters Sam was my favorite. I don’t know he just hooked me in. I wanted to give him a hug or something constantly.

Cory was not for me. Like at all.

Did I think I figured everything out a million times? Yes. Was I ever right? No. Wouldn’t have guessed the end. At all.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave had potential with an intriguing premise, but ultimately fell short in execution. While the storyline started strong, it became predictable and lacked the emotional depth that would have made the characters more compelling. The pacing felt uneven, with some parts dragging while others were rushed. The ending, though meant to be suspenseful, left too many loose ends, making it feel unsatisfying. Overall, it wasn’t as gripping or memorable as expected, and it didn’t quite live up to its initial promise.

Estranged siblings Nora and Sam are reunited by tragedy when their father Liam is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. Originally thought to be an accidental fall, their questions around his death lead them to a realization that their dad had a lot of secrets…and as they continue to unravel, one of those secrets was likely enough to kill over.
A mix of family dynamics and suspense, this novel is a quick read that’s hard to put down. I appreciated Laura Dave’s slow burn mystery style with a few extra surprises (and resolutions) before the end.
Thank you to Simon Element for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Laura Dave is turning into an instant read author for me. "The Night We Lost Him" is a domestic drama told through converging timelines as two of the characters investigate the suspicious death of their father. The mystery did not keep me on the edge of my seat, but it was beautifully written, and I recommend everyone give this book a try.

Thank you to Simon Element and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I was excited to get an eARC of this one after loving her last book! However, this one fell flat for me. I found it slow and slightly boring. There was way too much architecture and decoration talk and very little action or even talk of mystery. I just needed more plot.

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.