*If you are new here, WELCOME! For The Last Thing He Told Me, I provide your book club with a brief summary, food ideas and a recipe, and discussion questions in that order!
The Last Thing He Told Me is Laura Dave’s latest thriller that begins when Hannah receives the last thing her husband will ever tell her–Protect her.
While Hannah vows to protect Owen’s daughter (the her referenced in the note), she also resolves to understand where and why he disappeared.
A twisty thriller that takes Hannah through Owen’s unexpected past, the novel is also unexpectedly about who we chose to call family and the lengths we go to protect the ones we love.
Already a hit among readers, Apple TV has now released a limited series based on the novel and starring Jennifer Gardner. It would be fun to watch and discuss the show, along with the book, in your book club. Check it out HERE.
I’ve provided book club questions and delicious food ideas for The Last Thing He Told Me and I have a special recipe for you! So if you are looking for book club ideas and more, keep reading!
Check out these fun bookish gadgets…
Here’s a brief summary of The Last Thing He Told Me:
From the publisher:
Before Owen Michaels disappears, he smuggles a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers—Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.
As Hannah’s increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered, as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss, as a US marshal and federal agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity—and why he really disappeared.
Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen’s past, they soon realize they’re also building a new future—one neither of them could have anticipated.
For The Last Thing He Told Me Food Ideas:
Here are some food ideas from the pages of The Last Thing He Told Me.
- Chapter 2 – Hannah burns the pasta – whole wheat linguine in a brown butter sauce and garlic bread
- Chapter 5 – Hannah and Owen’s dinner before the disappearance- Papaya salad and spicy lime curry with beer
- Chapter 11 – Bailey’s day back at school – extra cheese pizza with mushrooms and onions
- Chapter 17 – room service at the hotel – grilled cheese and sweet potato fries
- Chapter 19 – Magnolia Cafe at midnight – coffee and gingerbread pancakes with bananas
- Chapter 27 – Hannah meets Charlie Smith at the bar – bourbon old fashioned
- Chapter 35 – Dinner with Hannah, Owen and Bailey – bourbon good luck charm (bourbon, lemon, spearmint) and cacio e pepe
While it’s never said if Hannah is vegetarian (or not that I could recall), all the dishes mentioned are vegetarian, so yay for all the options for your vegetarian members!
This novel had a really dark, moody feel to me and it just seemed like the perfect novel to pair with a dark drink. I did however lighten it up a little by choosing to make the bourbon good luck charm mentioned near the end.
If you are looking for the perfect drink to serve your book club while discussing this novel, look no further.
Whether you choose something from this list or try your own option, I hope these ideas will get your creative juices flowing to host your book club for The Last Thing He Told Me.
A few tips on making the best Bourbon Good Luck Charm:
Here are a few tips to help make your experience the best it can be!
The recipe below is for ONE cocktail. You will need to multiply the serving by the number of people in your book club or the number of servings you think you will need (say everyone wants two drinks instead of one).
I found some great resources to help you convert this for a group.
First, some general things to consider, including pitcher size, etc. when increasing a drink recipe. Check out the info.
Second, a calculator for converting the measurements below to the amount you need. Check it out HERE.
Whether you choose something from this list or try your own option, I hope these ideas will get your creative juices flowing to host your book club for The Last Thing He Told Me.
The Last Thing He Told Me Book Club Recipe:
Bourbon Good Luck Charm
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey
- 3/4 ounce limoncello
- 2 ounces fresh lemon sour
- 5 to 6 spearmint leaves torn
- Lemon for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker filled, then pour the bourbon, limoncello, lemon sour, and torn spearmint leaves. Shake well.
- Strain into a prepared cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a lemon. Enjoy.
Notes
The Last Thing He Told Me Book Club Questions:
*WARNING: May contain spoilers!
- When Hannah receives Owen’s note to protect Bailey, she hardly wavers, even though Bailey is her step daughter and their relationship is tenuous. How would you have reacted?
- What do you think causes Bailey and Hannah to join forces despite their initial differences? Is it pure survival or something more?
- Knowing how the book plays out, do you think Owen made the right choice to conceal his past from Hannah, and even Bailey? Why or why not?
- How might things have been different if he told them?
- Despite warnings, Hannah decides to track Owen’s past and even meet with potentially dangerous contacts to understand what happened to Owen. Why do you think she does this? For Owen, Bailey, or herself?
- Why do you think that Hannah agrees to take Nicholas’ deal instead of going into witness protection?
- Were you disappointed in the ending? Why or why not? While Bailey and Hannah receive their “normal” lives back, Owen doesn’t. How did you feel about this?
- If you are watching The Last Thing He Told Me show, how does it compare? What differences do you like/dislike?
Have you read The Last Thing He Told Me? What did you think? Did it satisfy you or were you left wishing for more? What are some similar books you’ve read?
The Last Thing He Told Me
Until next time, Happy Reading!
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