The Last Thing He Told Me (July 2025) Group Read Discussion

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

This is the group thread for The Last Thing He Told Me!

This thread is open for discussion beginning July 1st! Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed (mark as a spoiler) in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days of the month can be used to catch up if needed! Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads.

Week of 07/01
July 01: Chapters 1-3
July 02: Chapters 4-6
July 03: Chapters 7-9
July 04: Chapters 10-12
July 05: Chapters 13-15
July 06: Chapters 16-18

Week of 07/07
July 07: Chapters 19-21
July 08: Chapters 22-24
July 09: Chapters 25-27
July 10: Chapters 28-30
July 11: Chapters 31-33
July 12: Chapters 34-36
July 13: Chapters 37-39

Week of 07/14
July 14: Chapters 40-end


You can read the group book at any time during the month and at your own pace. This is the pace the group will be using, but if you read ahead or will be giving spoilers, please mark them (click the "some html is ok button"). If you have any questions a mod or another member can help you.

[Sophie , Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Planning on reading this a little later on in the month, it's been on my tbr for a while! :)

[Sarah-Vanessa]

@Sophie Definitely planning on reading this as well. Don’t know yet when, too many reads 😂.

[Juliane]

Having reached the end of chapter 7 and the book is certainly taking its time introducing the main characters, its nice to get the flash-backs about how Hannah and Owens relationship began/developed.

The main mystery certainly offers a lot of possibilities towards the question of Owens culpabilities and there is not yet all that much to go on guessing what might be the truth.

[Sophie , Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Because the chapters aren’t numbered and I’m not following the schedule anyway, I’m just going to go off the chapter titles

3 months ago

I’m really enjoying this one so far, it doesn’t read like a typical mystery thriller, it has a slight literary fiction feel to it. The letters that Owen left for Hannah and Bailey were very ominous. My only working theory at the moment is that Bailey is responsible……for something, I don’t know what.

[Sarah-Vanessa]

Chapter 1 - 15
Catching up ladies 😜.

@Sophie @Juliane Definitely enjoying this as well. It’s a welcomed distraction from the fantasy and romance I‘ve been reading lately.
I also liked how the characters got introduced nicely and we‘re getting some glimpses into the past.
So far I‘m literally clueless about the development of the plot. Meaning it’s not really foreseeable for me. Just that Owen must have been hiding something if his past and it has to root in Austin. Maybe he was a whistleblower? Being the informant spilling all the shady doings of his boss. Absolutely looking forward to find out more about this.
I haven’t read that many Thrillers in my life, so I can’t really picture what „the typical thriller“ is supposed to be.

[Sarah-Vanessa]

Chapter 15 - The End
Ok, this just kind of happened. I started reading it and couldn’t put it away. So I finished this in one sitting. It was also a really easy read.

I give this 4 stars.
It started out as a 5 star. I connected instantly with the story and wanted to know what happened to Owen. The writing style also helped a lot. It was easy to get through. Thus I read it in one sitting. For me what made me remove one star, was the ending. It was sort of stretched out and long-winded. Definitely a plus that I didn’t forsee most of the storyline.

[Katie]

I have been slowly going through the first 20% or so. This feels like a slower moving mystery than I typically go for, I like a little more action/suspense. But I want to keep an open mind! I'm not sure how I feel about the family drama stuff between Bailey and Hannah. I'm hoping they start to bond a little.

[Sarah-Vanessa]

@Katie Yes, I can understand it’s not that action packed. Also can relate about the family drama… It sometimes becomes a little bit too much if a topic and takes up too much space.

[Sophie , Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Up to ‘Fourteen months ago’

Part of me is wondering whether the first wife is the reason that they were running. Bailey would’ve been too young to remember anything so it’s a real possibility. There’s no real overt clues at the moment, I feel like we’re just getting a lot of red herrings. I’m enjoying it nonetheless.

[Sarah-Vanessa]

@Sophie You summarized that very nicely. We indeed get a lot of herrings, but not any straight answers.

[Juliane]

Up to "Two can play at that game"

Being 16 is already hard enough but finding out that part of your life might be a lie would certainly upend anybody no matter how old.
I think its well developed so far how Hannahs and Baileys relationship develops through all this mess.
I am questioning every single law enforcement office and their motives, their reactions seem very strangely paced, like I would have expected them to come knocking at Hannahs door much earlier including having search warrants.
There is probably some connection to the first wife although with every new clue it still leaves me guessing if Owen is running from having committed a crime or being the victim of one.

[Juliane]

Till "Down the lake"

On the one hand I didn't see the connection and the reason for Owens actions coming on the other hand at some points it felt a bit too easily construed the way Hannah put everything together and got to the point of meeting Owens in-laws.

I think Baileys first reaction of running away seems really natural, I sincerely doubt she is in any kind of state to properly understand the possible dangers and consequences of that.

There are too many gaps in Gradys story something doesn't add up there

[Juliane]

Till the End
In between I was a bit worried that things were getting too messy and the story-lines were starting to get further away from each other but I have to say I found the conclusion worked well for me.
Also the ending seems fairly quiet in regards to how violent it could have gotten considering the possible clashes of Nicholas, Owen and Grady if it had gone more into a thriller direction.

[Sophie , Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Final thoughts

4 stars ✨

This didn’t read like your standard mystery/thriller, it had a slight literary fiction feel to it. I think this would do great as a tv show.

I was very engaged in the story from start to end and I was rooting for the characters. I was captivated watching Bailey and Hannah’s relationship develop; some of my favourite books focus on family dynamics, and when it’s done well, it can really bump up my opinion of the story. However, I did find Hannah to be pretty one dimensional, I think making her not so ‘perfect’ would’ve also increased my enjoyment of the story.

I’ve also realised that I actually do like mysteries as long as they’re not from a law enforcement perspective.