⭐⭐⭐
I went into The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave hoping for a smart, twisty family mystery. Instead, I got a story that looks polished on the surface but never quite pulls you in—and one that’s easy to forget once it’s over.
The premise has bite. Nora Noone’s father—hotel magnate, serial husband, and all-around mystery—dies after a fall from his cliffside home. The authorities call it an accident, but Nora and her estranged brother Sam aren’t convinced. They team up to dig into his past and figure out what really happened.
The problem is that the stakes feel low. There’s no real danger or urgency—just a steady search for answers about a man who’s already gone. The story keeps moving, but the payoff doesn’t match the buildup.
Nora gets the most attention, but still feels distant. We’re told a lot about her life, yet it’s hard to really connect. The other characters feel even thinner.
In the end, this one just doesn’t stick. I finished it, set it down… and that was kind of it.