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.