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Laura Dave
Laura Dave is the author of the #1 bestseller The Last Thing He Told Me, a popular mystery. Her other novels, like Eight Hundred Grapes and Hello Sunshine, explore family secrets and relationships
The First Time I Saw Him
Synopsis
Five years after her husband Owen disappeared, Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter Bailey have settled into a new life in Southern California. Together they have forged a relationship with Bailey's grandfather, Nicholas, and they are putting the past behind them.
Then Owen shows up at Hannah's new exhibition, and Hannah knows that she and Bailey are in danger again. The two are forced to go on the run, in a relentless race to keep the past from catching up with them. Hannah risks everything to get Bailey to safety — and finds there might just be a way back to Owen, and to the second chance they have waited years for.
The First Time I Saw Him is Laura Dave's sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me, published in January 2026. It is the source for the second season of the Apple TV+ adaptation.
Genres
Characters
Hannah HallProtagonist
Five years on from her husband's disappearance, she has built a new life in Southern California with her stepdaughter.
BaileySupporting
Hannah's stepdaughter, settled in California with her; the two go on the run together.
OwenSupporting
Hannah's husband, who disappeared five years earlier and reappears at her exhibition.
Dr. NicholasSupporting
Bailey's grandfather, with whom Hannah and Bailey have built a relationship.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to read The Last Thing He Told Me before this book?
Reading the previous novel or watching its television adaptation is highly recommended because this story functions as a direct continuation that resumes immediately following the events of the first book.
Is there a screen adaptation for this story?
This novel serves as the source material for the second season of the television series based on the Hannah Hall story, which features Jennifer Garner.