
The First Time I Saw Him
Laura Dave(Author)
Century (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 15. January 2026
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-5299-1206-7 (ISBN)
Description
The long-awaited follow-up to the global bestselling The Last Thing He Told Me, soon to be a major series on Apple TV+ (coming 2026).
'A master storyteller' HARLAN COBEN
'Action-packed and deeply felt, this sequel is every bit as incredible as The Last Thing He Told Me' MARY KUBICA
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Five years after her husband, Owen, disappeared, Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey, have settled into a new life in Southern California. Together, they've forged a relationship with Bailey's grandfather Nicholas and are putting the past behind them.
But when Owen shows up at Hannah's new exhibition, she knows that she and Bailey are in danger again.
Hannah and Bailey are forced to go on the run in a relentless race to keep their past from catching up with them. As a thrilling drama unfolds, Hannah risks everything to get Bailey to safety - and finds there just might be a way back to Owen and their long-awaited second chance.
Acclaimed author Laura Dave is back with an adrenalin-fuelled thriller you will never want to end. The gripping follow-up to the global bestseller, The Last Thing He Told Me.
------
Readers are loving The First Time I Saw Him:
'Amazing! Thrilling! I was HOOKED' 5-star reader review
'It's gripping, twisty, exhilarating, and utterly unputdownable. Five blazing stars from me!' 5-star reader review
'Absolutely incredible' 5-star reader review
'Wow, I couldn't put this book down!' 5-star reader review
'Oh my word. This much-anticipated book is everything I had hoped for and more' 5-star reader review
'This book has fantastic pacing and will keep you up all night' 5-star reader review
'Pure adrenaline' 5-star reader review
'A truly gripping psychological thriller!' 5-star reader review
'One of the best books I have read this year' 5-star reader review
'A master storyteller' HARLAN COBEN
'Action-packed and deeply felt, this sequel is every bit as incredible as The Last Thing He Told Me' MARY KUBICA
------
Five years after her husband, Owen, disappeared, Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey, have settled into a new life in Southern California. Together, they've forged a relationship with Bailey's grandfather Nicholas and are putting the past behind them.
But when Owen shows up at Hannah's new exhibition, she knows that she and Bailey are in danger again.
Hannah and Bailey are forced to go on the run in a relentless race to keep their past from catching up with them. As a thrilling drama unfolds, Hannah risks everything to get Bailey to safety - and finds there just might be a way back to Owen and their long-awaited second chance.
Acclaimed author Laura Dave is back with an adrenalin-fuelled thriller you will never want to end. The gripping follow-up to the global bestseller, The Last Thing He Told Me.
------
Readers are loving The First Time I Saw Him:
'Amazing! Thrilling! I was HOOKED' 5-star reader review
'It's gripping, twisty, exhilarating, and utterly unputdownable. Five blazing stars from me!' 5-star reader review
'Absolutely incredible' 5-star reader review
'Wow, I couldn't put this book down!' 5-star reader review
'Oh my word. This much-anticipated book is everything I had hoped for and more' 5-star reader review
'This book has fantastic pacing and will keep you up all night' 5-star reader review
'Pure adrenaline' 5-star reader review
'A truly gripping psychological thriller!' 5-star reader review
'One of the best books I have read this year' 5-star reader review
Reviews / Votes
A master storyteller * Harlan Coben * Action-packed and deeply felt, this sequel is every bit as incredible as The Last Thing He Told Me. Clear your schedule because once you pick this book up, you won't be able to put it down. I loved everything about it * Mary Kubica * An essential sequel that ties up loose threads while providing a thrilling ride across continents * Kirkus Reviews * Dave's writing is clear and sharp as a diamond * Time Magazine *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Cornerstone
Dimensions
Height: 239 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
485 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5299-1206-7 (9781529912067)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Laura Dave
The First Time I Saw Him
The unputdownable thriller from the bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me - now a blockbuster Apple TV show
E-Book
01/2026
Penguin (Cornerstone)
€12.99
Available for download

Person
Laura Dave is the global number one bestselling author of several novels, including The Last Thing He Told Me and Eight Hundred Grapes. Her novels have been translated into thirty-eight languages, and six of them, including The Night We Lost Him, have been optioned for film and television. She resides in Santa Monica, California.