January 2026

When I pick up a Laura Dave book, I always know I am in for a treat. That certainly happened with THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME when it came out in 2021. Laura never meant to write a sequel; she thought the story was done with the epilogue.

However, after the success of the series adaptation on Apple TV+ --- which Laura and her husband, Josh Singer, had written and produced --- it was clear that more could be told, and fans wanted it. Even before she wrote the second book, Laura was doing script notes for Josh and the program’s writers to let them know where she saw the story heading for season two. Readers may recall that in the epilogue, Hannah sees Owen at a show where her work is being presented. Immediately there was a “what’s next?” feeling there.

That epilogue becomes the prologue of THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM. When Owen shows up after five years on the run, Hannah and her stepdaughter, Bailey, “find themselves in a race to figure out how to reunite their family before the past catches up to them.”

Nicholas, who is Bailey’s grandfather, is no longer the lawyer for a notorious crime syndicate. But he has stayed in touch with the head of the syndicate, Frank Pointe. Nicholas’ goal is to keep Hannah and Bailey safe. Hannah has not let her guard down; she is still very protective of Bailey. When Nicholas dies of a sudden heart attack, the protection that he offered is gone.

The book also goes back in time to what happened when Owen turned on Frank and what the repercussions of that were on Frank’s children, Quinn and Teddy, who harbor feelings of betrayal. And the desire for retribution has not faded. I am not going to share more lest I spoil the story for you. I will say that Laura always delivers!