The First Time I Saw Him

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.

As a thrilling drama unfolds, Hannah and Bailey are forced to go on the run in a relentless race to keep their past from catching up with them. Hannah risks everything to get Bailey to safety—and finds there just might be one way back to Owen.

A gripping, rich, and deeply evocative novel about the power of forgiveness, The First Time I Saw Him picks up right where the epilogue for the “genuinely moving” (The New York Times) The Last Thing He Told Me left off, giving readers the eagerly awaited and absolutely exhilarating sequel to Dave’s global blockbuster.

• “Gripping”

  People

• “[Dave] provides plenty of twists and emphasizes the love that binds her characters together, even the bad ones. How far will they go to keep their families safe?”

  New York Times Book Review

• “Dave’s ability to chart her characters’ emotional geography—mapping love and loss—and the way she explores their intimate connections help explain her popularity; propulsive pacing doesn’t hurt, either.”

  Vogue

• “Dave’s embrace of tension instead of action turns the novel into an effective study of suspense. Her taut prose matches the story, with moments of emotional poignancy… The First Time I Saw Him offers a sense of completion to the characters of its predecessor and provides answers... a tense story, but a surprisingly tender one.”

  Washington Post

• “A heart-pounding sequel... as [Hannah and Bailey] go on the run, expect old enemies, new threats, and a race to decode cryptic clues that may or may not lead them to safety... and Owen himself.”

  TheSkimm

• “I don’t want to give too much away about this sequel, but I can say this: it’s pure adrenaline. The kind of book you inhale like your favorite snack—you keep reaching for just one more handful until suddenly, the box is empty. I couldn’t stop. My heart was in my throat!”

  Woman's World

• “I was captivated by the development and growth of the relationship between Hannah and Bailey... their love and concern for each other are evident no matter what.”

  Times Ledger

• “It’s not often we find a story with this much emotional depth, as well as deeply fleshed out characters whom we come to care for. Throw in a heart-stopping mystery, and put a fork in it: it’s done.”

  Florida Weekly

• “An essential sequel that ties up loose threads while providing a thrilling ride across continents.”

  Kirkus

• “Twists and turns will keep readers guessing throughout the novel at how it will all end. The characters’ love and concern for each other show through their thoughts and actions… This sequel is sure to be a hit.”

  Library Journal

• “[A] heart-pounding sequel… The pacing is brisk from the very first page, with Dave nimbly juggling multiple perspectives and timelines en route to a finale that provides readers with satisfying answers to their questions.”

  Publishers Weekly

• “Equally 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, New York Times bestselling author of She’s Not Sorry

• “Oh boy, this one will be big”

  AARP