Though The Last Thing He Told Me was originally intended to function as a standalone novel, Dave’s decision to expand it into a duology with the writing of The First Time I Saw Him brings resolution to the overarching conflict of Owen’s mysterious past and the emotional arcs of the novel’s major recurring characters. The first novel begins with Hannah receiving a note from Owen telling her to protect Bailey, Owen’s teenage daughter. Hannah finds it difficult to get along with her stepdaughter, but Owen’s sudden disappearance forces them to band together to learn the truth about his elusive past.

Following clues that connect Owen to Texas, Hannah and Bailey travel together to Austin and learn that Owen previously earned the ire of a criminal syndicate engaged in drug trafficking. The organization had supposedly ordered the death of Owen’s first wife, Kate Smith, as punishment for the failure of her father, Nicholas Bell, to win a big legal battle for the syndicate in court. To retaliate against Nicholas and his employers, Owen turned state’s witness, which led to the incarceration of Nicholas and several members of the syndicate. Following his release from prison, Nicholas becomes driven to seek revenge against Owen, which puts Hannah and Bailey at risk because he may use them to draw Owen out. Over the course of the novel, Hannah realizes that finding Owen may do her and Bailey more harm than good. The novel ends with her forming an agreement with Nicholas that allows her and Bailey to live under his and the syndicate’s protection instead of entering witness protection. Through these events, Bailey comes to appreciate Hannah’s attempts to protect and make sacrifices for her. This culminates in the novel’s final moments, which show Bailey calling Hannah “mom” for the first time as Hannah is recovering from an overwhelming surprise encounter with Owen.

In the second novel, Dave overturns Nicholas’s earlier characterization as an antagonist and converts him into a major supporting character and ally in Hannah’s quest to keep Bailey safe. Moreover, he proves an important emotional figure in Bailey’s life, which raises the stakes around his survival. Dave also digs into the backstory surrounding Kate’s death, using the introduction of key figures within the criminal syndicate, the Organization, to explain how Kate’s death could have been a consequence of Nicholas’s decision to involve himself with the Organization. Finally, the novel drives the emotional arc of Hannah and Owen’s relationship by pushing her to make choices that lead them closer to their reunion. Although Hannah has yet to confront Owen over his past actions, the second novel finds Hannah revisiting the touchstones of their relationship, including their friends and their memories of love in Paris. Dave uses this arc to reinforce the importance of effort in repairing or maintaining relationships, especially as Hannah comes to realize everything Owen has done to keep their family safe.