Wanda M. Morris has a great feel for the complicated relationships and emotions that tie families and communities together. She weaves a compelling story of communal loss in the mystery/thriller "What You Leave Behind" through the main character, Deena Wood, who is grieving over her own immediate personal and professional life calamities. Readers will empathize with Deena's realistic hodgepodge of contradictory emotions that emerge as a result of the loss of her mother and regret over poor life decisions. While I thought the plot development in the first half of the book could have been quicker, by the second half the progress of significant events and character evolution were paced nicely. There were plenty of sneaky plot twists and surprises that kept me wanting to find out what happened. This was a quick and satisfying read. Thanks to Cindy Burnett from Thoughts from a Page and NetGalley for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC!

I really enjoyed the new novel by Wanda Morris. It was a mystery with strong characters and twists that kept me guessing through out the book. I was also interested to learn more about the challenges facing some in the South who have lost their family homes due to lack of proper documentation. This is the third novel I’ve read by Morris and I look forward to reading her work in the future!

This author can write! From the character building, to the suspense, her books are really great!

This is about Deena Wood's and her life after a failed marriage, a job loss and losing her mother. She has a returned to her childhood home to heal. Her father has remarried so now she tries to coexist with her stepmom, Ruth.

She has an encounter with Holcomb Gardner, now he is missing. Deena is curious and becomes involved in his mysterious disappearance. So much begins to happen, it keeps the reader engaged!

This was not my favorite written by the same author, the other two books are 5 stars.

Family Drama, Complex Characters, and Hope! 3.5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy! This book will be released 6/18/24.

Deena Wood’s life has fallen apart in the aftermath of losing her beloved mother, her marriage, and her prestigious job at an Atlanta law firm. She needs what the Geechee people of coastal Georgia call a “dayclean,” a fresh start.

She returns to her childhood home in Brunswick, Georgia to try to put the pieces back together. But living at home with her Dad and new Stepmom proves to be quite a challenge. One day Deena stumbles across an old man on the island who is fighting to keep his family land and he thinks she's there to try to take it from him. Things quickly spiral out of control from there and she finds herself involved in the middle of some shady business going down in her hometown. There are so many secrets , lies and danger ahead for her and several others. I loved watching her get her mojo back and help the people in her hometown. A really good story of suspense and smalltown drama with a little bit of a love story thrown in.

Thank you so much to @netgalley, @wandamowrites, Cindy from @thoughtsfromapage podcast for her early reads program and @williammorrrow for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. I cannot wait for the author chat for this one to learn more about the inspiration for this book!

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

What will your legacy be?

Many in the deep south of Georgia count on theirs being the biggest asset they have: their homes. But Deena Wood soon discovers that due to technicalities in inheritance law, properties are not transferring to immediate relatives & being passed down as intended: instead they’re being snapped up by property development corporations. Deena is still reeling from the loss of her mother, her marriage, & her job when she comes back to her hometown & a chance encounter prompts her to dig into the pervasive presence of one company that is continually buying up local real estate. She finds more than she bargained for when her amateur investigation garners some unwelcome attention…

This book has so much to offer: rich cultural history, political cover-ups, a bit of romance, some paranormal aspects, lots of personal growth on the part of the main character, & it also shines a light on some very important issues within communities being taken advantage of. Several of the elements reminded me of Veronica G. Henry’s Mambo Reina series & I loved those books! This is my first time reading work from Wanda M. Morris but I own both of her other books & need to dive into them ASAP.

Thank you very much to NetGalley & William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was interesting considering it was based on a place I spent a lot us time in as a teenager. Brunswick,Ga a coastal pocket of southern Georgia. This story definitely had the mystery aspect down but it’s also a story of true life issues that I don’t think are talked about enough. What happens to the properly and homes of our elders when they pass away? Especially when those properties are highly sought after for their views and location. Gentrification! People are being forced to sell their land and property to companies , for said consumes to turn around and price black as brown people out of their own communities. This a the story of What You Leave behind. Deena has moved back home to Brunswick, Ga to hourly start over after her life has been derailed. A strange encounter leads to Deena trying to find out while members of her community are disappearing and why property is being bought up quickly by a mysterious buyer. If we sell everything we have for monetary value we will have nothing to leave for our legacy. Very good and REAL read. The issues within this story effect us today .

“Gullah-Geechee. We were strong and resilient. Still are.”

As soon as I saw Geechee, I knew I had to read it. Growing up in the South Carolina Low Country, Gullah-Geechee is in my blood. It’s who I am. It’s in my DNA.

This book was messier than a hog pen after a hard rain and a king tide. And I loved every minute of it. There’s nothing like a little family drama mixed with mystery. This was my first book by Wanda Morris and I ate it up. I am adding more of her books to my reading list and letting everyone know that they need to read this book.

4.25⭐️
When Deena loses her job, marriage, and her mother all in the same year, she returns to her hometown in Georgia for a refresh. She unwittingly finds herself investigating a missing person and uncovering a larger scheme of corruption. The summary describes this as a thriller, but I would call it a slow burn mystery/suspense. It starts off slow but by 20-30% I was invested. The action continues to build and is faster paced towards the end.

This is more than just a run of the mill thriller. I loved learning more about the Geechee- Gullah culture and the real problem happening across the country involving corporations buying up heirs properties and pushing people out of their homes.

Morris does an excellent job developing her characters and I loved the strong female protagonist and endearing side characters, including Ruth, her dad, and Uncle Duke.

Overall I highly recommend this book if you like a mystery with more substance and are OK with a slower pace at the beginning.

Thank you to Cindy Burnett from Thoughts from a Page podcast and William Morris for an advanced reader copy.

Mystery, history and the little guy(woman) toppling big corporations, what more could you want?
Deena Woods returns to her hometown in coastal Georgia to reset after several life changing events. Little does she know she’s about to stumble upon a murder, or two. The cast of characters surrounding her are protective, endearing and dangerous. Who can she trust?

Wanda Morris has crafted a suspenseful novel, delving into corruption and injustice. She deftly writes about the Gullah Geechee culture weaving in spirits, haints or angels, you decide.

Wanda Morris book is intriguing as well as educational. This is my first book by her, but it won’t be my last .

Thanks for the early read,

@thoughtsfromapage @williammorrowbooks
Thoughts from a Page and William Morrow

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions..

"What You Leave Behind" is a fast paced and tense legal thriller with a lens towards social justice. Morris has crafted a story that not only entertains but also educates readers about the billion dollar legal issue surrounding Heir Property Law which specifically targets landowners, particularly Black families, Hispanic populations in Southwest America, Indigenous communities in the West, and communities living throughout the Appalachia, who are land-rich and cash poor. The plot is balanced with a tight-knit mystery and Deena's journey of grieving the loss of her mother and starting her life over after a nasty divorce. I also enjoyed learning about the culture of the Geeche people and the incorporation of spirituality in alternating chapters that were used effectively in creating a supportive ambience. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy legal thrillers, but also want to learn something new.

What You Leave Behind by Wanda M. Morris was another mystery I did not know I needed. It had a blend of themes such as grief and loss; family ties and family history; and racial injustice/racism to name a few.

Deena returns to her hometown after hitting rock bottom. She is a lawyer in a big fancy firm but unfortunately, she has a bit of a fall from grace, and has to start anew, whilst grappling with huge loss of her mother and a divorce. I could really empathize with her feelings of loss of her childhood home after a parent dies and moves on.

The crux of the story is heirs property laws. It is truly appalling that billions of dollars of land is being stolen from folks who do not have wills. Big corporations go in and swoop in on people who are land rich and cash poor, using legal loopholes to take heirs land from generations of families.

In the last month, this is the second novel I have read that exposes the heirs property laws, and I hope there will be more of these novels to come to shed light on this tragic issue. The innocent people having no knowledge of what the corporations/investors are doing behind their backs, is such a huge problem that needs to be rectified. Their lives have been built in the homes that have such meaning to them, and to just be taken away is so sad.

I loved the other elements in the storyline, such as the Geechee-Gullah culture, along with some spiritual elements as well.

Another great mystery to add to your beach bag! Although I am not a huge mystery reader, I will definitely be seeking Wanda M. Morris’ backlist after reading What You Leave Behind.

Thank you to Cindy Burnett with the Thoughts From a Page podcast / Page Turners Patreon Early Reads group for arranging ARC copies. Thank you to the publisher William Morrow; Wanda M. Morris, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

4.5 stars rounded up. This is my first book by Wanda Morris, but it won’t be my last. I really enjoy her writing style. She has an amazing way of creating realistic characters and completely believable plots. Deena Wood is having a tough time – she has recently lost her job, her marriage and her Mom, and finds herself back in her hometown trying to pick up the pieces. She makes an unexpected discovery after driving to a remote part of town, and this sets her on a journey that uncovers some things that other people in the town do not want revealed. What follows is a race to find answers before danger finds her. If you enjoy fast-paced crime fiction with a healthy dose of character-building, then this books is for you.

This is a very powerful story that intrigues you in beginning as you can’t wait to see happens next.

Deena Wood is heart broken after the passing of her mother, then her husband asks for divorce and kicks her out, then she looses her job in prestigious law firm. She must return to her childhood home in Brunswick, Georgia and live with her father.

She has an encounter with Holcomb Gardner where he threatens her to get off his land and not return. He tells her he will not sell his land. She goes back later only he is gone. Now she thinks something strange is going on and starts to dig into the history of the family and property. She is like a dog with a bone tenacious to discover the truth. The way the police treated her was heart breaking and you could feel her frustration radiate off the page as no one would listen or take her seriously.

Deena finds herself caught between wanting to help others and worried she has put her whole family in danger. Should she stop or keep going and help the community?

What I enjoyed most is how Morris shared about the Gullah-Geechee people and their history and beliefs. It gets a little spooky with the ancestors but just so interesting. She brings in information that will shock and anger you, add in some scandals, corruption, racism and you get so invested the book flies by.

I learned so much reading this book I can’t recommend enough..

What You Leave Behind is one of those books that leaves you thinking. It is filled with mystery, drama political intrigue and a bit of the hint of the supernatural. Well done and interesting from start to finish.

What You Leave Behind
by Wanda M. Morris
Pub Date: June 18, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Award-winning author Wanda Morris returns with a powerful, haunting thriller following a lawyer who after the mysterious disappearance of a local landowner and the death of his sister just months before, uncovers a conspiracy that dates back to Reconstruction and persists in half the United States today.
I have always been interested in reading about the Geechee-Gullah and grabbed this book immediately. Like many stories hitting the news now, there is a focus on the rights of the people and the land that they live on currently and in the past. Morris creates a clear view of the community while including a bit of the gothic taste in spirits and hauntings.

"What You Leave Behind" is an exciting book that makes you think. It has parts of mystery, opinions about society, and how people can improve themselves. Wanda Morris tells a great story that keeps people reading and caring about what will happen next. It's hard to stop reading her book. This book has solid ideas and great characters. It will make a deep impression on people after reading it!

This book was so good; it’s the type of thriller that perfectly blends history, suspense, drama, and complex characters and stories! I loved Deena’s story and how the town’s past unravelled around her. This is the type of book I’ll think about for a long time, chilling and powerful. 5 stars and very much recommend!

Wanda Morris has become a go to read for me. I enjoy the contemporary issues and settings she writes about in addition to the mystery element. Keep writing!

What You Leave Behind by Wanda M Morris

384 Pages
Publisher: William Morrow, William Morrow Paperbacks
Release Date: June 18, 2024

Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Multicultural Interest, Mystery, Thrillers

Deena Woods is an attorney. She had a series of unfortunate events. Her mother died, she lost her job, and her husband asked for a divorce. Afterwards, she moved back to Brunswick, Georgia, to her childhood home where her father and stepmother live. While out walking, she meets an older man, Holcomb Gardner, who believes she is trying to steal his land. Now he is missing and presumed dead. His sister, Delilah, was involved in a hit and run incident, but the police were not interested in looking into it. Deena finds their next of kin, Rae, a young woman with no real knowledge of what is happening. She was unaware her grandmother had a brother and does not fully trust Deena. There is a real estate scam with a company buying interest in houses and then forcing people out of their homes. Deena has a plucky attitude and does not want to stop investigating before she gets to the bottom. This puts not only herself in harm’s way but loved ones as well.

The book has a fast pace, the characters are well developed, and it is written in the first-person point of view. I learned about heirs property. This refers to a property that has been in a family for generations without having a legally designated owner. Ownership can be fractured or divided between relations.

I just finished reading the novel 'What You Leave Behind' and I must say, it left me completely blown away. If you're a fan of mystery and thriller genres, then this book is an absolute must-read. The author's storytelling skills are nothing short of captivating, and I found myself unable to put the book down.

The plot of the book is rich and multilayered, with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Every chapter was packed with surprises that left me wanting more. What I found particularly impressive about this novel was the depth of the characters and how their stories were woven so seamlessly into the central mystery.

Wanda M. Morris has done an excellent job of bringing each character to life and making them feel real, with their own unique quirks and personality traits. I found myself becoming emotionally invested in their stories and rooting for them throughout the book.

Overall, I cannot recommend this novel enough to anyone looking for a thrilling and thought-provoking read. Trust me, you won't be disappointed!