In 1927, under mysterious circumstances, a young mother flees her home, leaving behind a manuscript, a husband, and a now motherless little girl. The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry weaves together the tale of Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham (the mom, who was a world-famous author), Clara Harrington (the now grown daughter with a young daughter of her own), and Charlie Jameson (a man dealing with the recent loss of his father). When Charlie places an overseas call to Clara in South Carolina, letting her know his father has left behind some papers with her name on them — apparently from her missing mother — Clara has new hope for understanding what happened to her mother. She travels to London with her young asthmatic daughter to retrieve the papers. Events conspire to keep the pair in England longer than anticipated, leading to more unexplained coincidences and Clara seeking answers to the unsolved mystery she refuses to leave behind.
If you enjoy historical mystery with a strong female lead and a bit of romance, this book is for you. It’s also a wonderful family-centered, women’s fiction drama. This lyrical novel takes place in the first half of the 20th Century. I loved that it was not war-centered, as so many seem to be these days. Patti Callahan Henry, a fabulous storyteller and one of my favorite authors, has created another lovely tale, following on the heels of 2023’s The Secret Book of Flora Lea.
The audiobook is a narrative duet between Theo Solomon and my favorite female narrator, Julia Whalen, so that is worth checking out if you prefer audiobooks.
Thank you to NetGalleyand Atria Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Check out my bookshelf of recommended reads here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for your support of my writing.
