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§Author· 2 books
Laura Dave
Suspenseful domestic drama and intricate mystery plotlines characterize a body of contemporary fiction centered on marriage, betrayal, and family secrets. Author Laura Dave achieved widespread recognition with her breakout thriller The Last Thing He Told Me, which became a #1 New York Times bestseller, sold millions of copies worldwide, and was selected as the Goodreads Mystery & Thriller of the Year for 2021.
Career & Background
Born in New York City and raised in Scarsdale, Laura Dave earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Pennsylvania before completing her Master of Fine Arts at the University of Virginia's creative writing program, where she was a Henry Hoyns Fellow and recipient of the Tennessee Williams Scholarship. She debuted in print with London is the Best City in America in 2006, subsequently expanding her bibliography with novels including The Divorce Party, The First Husband, Eight Hundred Grapes, and Hello, Sunshine. Her non-fiction essays and short stories have appeared in outlets such as The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, Glamour, Redbook, ESPN, and The Huffington Post.
Dave's books have been translated into up to forty languages and selected by major literary channels, including Reese Witherspoon's Book Club, Indie Next, Book of the Month Club, and The Richard and Judy Book Club, along with recognition on Best of Amazon and Best of Apple Books. She has also adapted her literary work for television, serving as co-creator alongside her husband, screenwriter Josh Singer, for the Apple TV+ limited series adaptation of The Last Thing He Told Me. Her published works also include The First Time I Saw Him. Dave resides in Southern California with her family.
Writing Style & Themes
Dave's storytelling emphasizes high-stakes domestic tension, character-driven suspense, and resilient protagonists forced to handle sudden disruptions or long-buried betrayals. Written with a focus on female agency, her novels examine the fragile balance of trust within marriages, stepfamilies, and close-knit communities. Rather than framing characters purely as victims of circumstance, Dave portrays women taking active control of their fates while solving mysteries that threaten their loved ones.
Major Works
- The Last Thing He Told Me — A #1 New York Times bestseller and Goodreads Mystery & Thriller of the Year for 2021, this novel follows a woman who forms an unlikely bond with her teenage stepdaughter while investigating the mysterious disappearance of her husband. It was adapted into an Apple TV+ television series co-created by Dave.
- The First Time I Saw Him — A companion story expanding on themes of family secrets, unexpected discoveries, and female resilience following sudden personal turmoil.
- Eight Hundred Grapes — Set in California wine country, this domestic drama unravels a series of family secrets uncovered right before a vineyard wedding.
- Hello, Sunshine — A novel exploring authenticity, public identity, and personal reinvention in the wake of a prominent lifestyle guru's public downfall.
- The Divorce Party — A dual-narrative story contrasting a long-standing marriage coming to an end with an impending union, set against the backdrop of Scarsdale, New York.
§All Books
The Last Thing He Told Me
Laura Dave, 2021
467 ratings
The First Time I Saw Him
Laura Dave, 2026
5 ratings