The Last Thing He Told Me

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• How did the flashbacks and the first-person narration build tension in the novel? Did you feel they gave you clues to the novel’s overarching mystery, or obscured the ending?
• The novel explores good intentions gone wrong and the effects of tragedy. Does the text suggest that intentions don’t matter? Does the effect of a choice outweigh its rationale?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Do you think Hannah’s faith in Owen’s good intentions as a father are warranted? Were there any points in the novel where you felt she should have doubted him more?
• The Last Thing He Told Me was adapted into a TV series starring Jennifer Garner as Hannah. How does this casting—or the show overall, if you’ve seen it—affect how you picture the characters and events in the novel?
• Do you agree with Bradford that “you always have a choice” (50)? Why or why not? 
• Did you entirely trust Hannah as a narrator? Why or why not?
• Hannah finds her neighbors’ prying eyes stifling. Do you know your neighbors? Do you wish you knew them more—or less—than you do? Why?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• What does the novel suggest about our social expectations about motherhood (including stepmotherhood) versus fatherhood?
• Hannah was previously engaged to a lawyer from New York City, and during her investigation, she and Bailey go to Austin, Texas. Meanwhile, Hannah feels stifled in the smaller town where she lives. How does the novel characterize big cities and small towns, and how does this characterization fit in with other representations (whether real-world or in media) you’ve encountered of these locales?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• How does the novel play with the archetype of stepmothers as bad to help characterize Bailey and Hannah’s relationship?
• The novel examines how each person can be capable of both good and bad. Is Bailey included in this characterization? Why or why not?
• What is the significance of Hannah always losing things to the overall arc of the novel? 
• How were red herrings used to create tension in the novel?
• How is family characterized in the novel? What makes a family? What is most important in keeping that family together?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• What would be different if Hannah had gone into witness protection at the end of the novel?
• How would this novel be different if told from Bailey’s perspective?

Need more inspiration for your next meeting? Browse all of our Book Club Resources.