Editorial note: I received a copy of The Night We Lost Him in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave is a compelling family saga about the truths people hide. This is literary suspense at its finest.
I’ve been a fan of Laura Dave’s work for quite some time. The Last Thing He Told Me was a huge success and it was fantastic. I still need to watch the Apple+ TV version of it! I also enjoyed her older titles, Eight Hundred Grapes and Hello, Sunshine.
She’s a very talented writer and skilled at focusing on in-depth character studies while also moving the plot forward at a great pace. When I read her stories, I feel that every word has a purpose to help us get to know the characters as well as tell the story. Sometimes writers can get bogged down with too much description or backstory, but that is never the case with Laura Dave. She finds the right balance every time.
So, of course, I was thrilled she released a new book in 2024: The Night We Lost Him. Right away, I can tell you this is one of my favorite books of the year. It’s the ideal book to read for the fall— it’s moody and atmospheric. It’s quite introspective and compelling.
What’s the Story About
Liam Noon, a mega rich hotel developer, falls to this death at his home in Central Coast, California. While the police determine it was simply an accidental fall, his daughter, Nora, and her brother, Sam, believe there is something more nefarious at play.
They vow to find out what really happened to their dad that night and who was responsible. But in doing so, they find hidden secrets that leave them shaken. And they start to question everything they know about their father.
Nora’s Journey
We follow the book from the perspective of Liam in the past, and Nora in the present. I liked this storytelling style, it helped us get to know Liam more in an effort to understand his motivations. You might not agree with his actions, but it help gave clarity.
I quite liked Nora as a protagonist. She’s already been in immense grief from losing her mother, and now her father is gone. While she was so close with her mother, her father wasn’t as present, although he tried to be. But he was married three times, and instead of trying to have the families blend, he kept them separate. So Nora was not around her brothers that often.
She did gain a love of architecture and design from seeing her father at work in developing new hotels. So they did have a fairly decent relationship, but her father never really let her in, even though he did love her very much.
And it was the same dynamic with Sam. He and his brother are left the company after their father passed, and while his brother is all in—Sam is a little less sure if this is the right fit for him.
Both Sam and Nora feel empty and lost. So when they suspect there is foul play involved with his dad, they immediately go into amateur investigation mode to find out what happened, but more so, figure out who their dad actually was.
Literary Suspense
I once saw the term literary suspense to describe novels that do include a mystery, but are more focused on interpersonal character dynamics and growth. So in essence you have the best elements of literary fiction combined with a suspenseful element that moves the plot forward. I’m such a big fan of this style.
The mystery of Liam’s death moves the story forward, and is what brings Nora and Sam together. But the heartbeat of the novel is about love—both romantic and family. But sometimes love is blind, and even without the intentions of doing so, actions taken in the name of love, can hurt others. That is something this novel explores in a well-crafted and delicate way.
I didn’t find myself trying to solve the mystery but more, went along with this emotional ride of a complicated family. There aren’t villains, but people who are human and make mistakes. But in the end, are loyal to each other.
Verdict
I found The Night We Lost Him to be an engrossing and interesting story about a complicated family. Surprising choices are made, and there is a final twist that is quite unexpected. But I found it all worked quite well.
Book clubs will have plenty to discuss and even debate—especially about some of the decisions key characters make. I highly recommend you all add this one to your list.
For book clubs, check out my discussion questions here.
