The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave
🌊 The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave — Full Review + Spoilers
“Family secrets, cliffside drama, and soulmates who refuse to marry each other — yep, this one’s messy.”
⚠️ Trigger Warnings
This book touches on several sensitive topics, including:
-
Infidelity and complicated love triangles
-
Death ("accidental" fall, chronic illness)
-
Parental neglect / emotionally distant parent
-
Grief and family dysfunction
-
Domestic arguments and jealousy
📚 Quick Facts
-
Title: The Night We Lost Him
-
Author: Laura Dave
-
Genre: Contemporary Mystery / Family Drama
-
Published: 2024
-
Vibe: Emotional family saga meets slow-burn mystery
-
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
🚨 Spoiler Warning
Major spoilers ahead, including who caused Liam’s death and the big relationship reveals. Proceed if you want the full tea.
🏖️ Plot Summary (FULL SPOILERS)
“A cliffside death kicks off a family reckoning”
Liam Noone — self‑made real estate mogul, notorious workaholic, and father of three — is found dead near his small California cliffside cottage. The police rule it an accident, but Liam’s children (twin sons Sam and Tommy, plus daughter Nora) aren’t buying it.
“Meet the Noone family: money, resentment, and baggage”
-
Liam = thrice‑divorced, emotionally distant, obsessed with building Noone Properties.
-
Sam & Tommy = worked for dad, always chasing his approval.
-
Nora = black sheep, became an architect instead of joining the family empire.
Liam’s will shocks everyone: Nora gets the cottage; Sam and Tommy inherit the company. The changes were last‑minute — conveniently right before his death — fueling suspicions.
“Enter Cory (aka Grace): the soulmate who never married him”
Through flashbacks, we learn Liam’s lifelong love was Cory, a woman he dated in high school but never married. Their reasoning? They claimed their love was too big for marriage (read: selfish and frustrating). Both marry other people, but their bond persists.
Plot twist: Cory reinvented herself later in life as Grace, Liam’s secret business partner at Noone Properties. She died of a chronic heart condition a year before Liam’s death. Almost no one — including Liam’s kids — knew about their decades‑long romance.
“The real culprit: grief, jealousy, and a slippery cliff”
Nora and Sam’s investigation leads them to Grace’s widower, Paul. Turns out:
-
Paul always knew about Grace’s love for Liam (ouch).
-
On the night of Liam’s death, Paul was scattering Grace’s ashes at the cottage.
-
He unexpectedly ran into Liam, they argued, Paul shoved him… and Liam fell.
-
Paul didn’t mean to kill him — it was raining, and Liam slipped.
“Forgiveness instead of vengeance”
Instead of turning Paul in, Nora and Sam choose forgiveness. They realize everyone in their father’s orbit — including him — carried heavy regrets. Solving the mystery allows them to finally let go of their father’s shadow and focus on healthier futures for themselves.
🎯 My Review
The Good
-
The mystery pacing kept me hooked; peeling back Liam’s complicated history was fascinating.
-
Laura Dave writes family dysfunction so well (if you loved The Last Thing He Told Me, you’ll vibe with this).
-
The reveal about Grace/Cory added a satisfying emotional gut‑punch.
The Meh
-
The whole “soulmates who refuse to marry” trope? 😒 Frustrating and selfish.
-
Liam as a character feels romanticized at times despite being deeply flawed.
-
Some side characters (Tommy, ex‑wives) could’ve used more depth.
Overall
3/5 stars — Enjoyable mystery, but the romance subplot made me roll my eyes. Worth reading if you like slow‑burn family dramas with layered secrets.
🌟 If You Liked This, Try…
-
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (another twisty family mystery)
-
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (siblings + famous parent + drama)
-
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (family secrets + grief)
🛒 Where to Buy
Grab The Night We Lost Him on Amazon here (affiliate link)
Final Thoughts
The Night We Lost Him blends family drama, hidden romance, and a slow-burn mystery into a story that’s equal parts frustrating and intriguing. While I didn’t love every relationship choice (looking at you, Cory + Liam), I did enjoy piecing together the truth — and questioning how well we really know the people we love.
Comments
Post a Comment