Clara leaves Bluffton SC to go to London for her mother’s literary works that were found by a wealthy family. Clara’s mother disappeared 20 years before so Clara is eager to discover what may have happened. The 1952 Great Smog in London sends Clara and her daughter Wynnie to the country. There is romance and a good ending but the story moved slowly and the book was too long.

In 1927, Claras mother disappears. Her mother had written a very famous novel at the age of just 14, and created her own language in the process. She left behind a second novel, but no way for Clara or her father to decipher it. In 1952, Clara is living with her daughter when she gets a surprising call from London. He claims he has the lost dictionary of her mother’s language. Clara and her daughter embark on a journey to find what Clara has been missing for so many years.

I did this one on audio and it was just so well done! I enjoyed every second of this story and found myself shocked with some of the things that happened! I felt like I was traveling London with Clara and her daughter, and I was so engaged in the story and finding out what had happened to Clara’s mom. This was such a beautifully written book, I highly recommend picking it up!

"The Story She Left Behind" reminded me why I love reading historical fiction. In this book, we have our FMC Clara, whose mother Bronwyn --- a famous writer --- leaves when Clara is just a young girl. Fast forward 20+ years to the 1950s, and some of Bronwyn's papers and writings are discovered by a strange man in London, sending Clara and her young daughter on a whirlwind, international trip to discover what happened to Bronwyn and how this man and his family are connected to Clara's. Set during the great smog of 1952, Clara and her daughter are forced to shelter with the man's family at their country estate, and while they are there, puzzle pieces regarding Bronwyn's disappearance start falling into place.

You've got a mystery to unravel, characters to root for, plus Callahan Henry's lyrical writing style. Nothing more I need. And while I love a historical fiction book set during WWII, I enjoyed reading about a slightly different time in history.

I have "The Secret Book of Flora Lee" on my shelf, and I think this just inspired me to finally pick it up.

Thanks, NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with this advanced copy of "The Story She Left Behind" by Patti Callahan Henry.

When Clara was 8 her mother Bronwyn, a famous author, disappeared from her life and changed her world forever. In her first novel, Bronwyn had created an imaginary land and language that spoke to many. Fast forward to Clara as a mother, an illustrator about to win a Caldecott and newly divorced when she gets a call from a man named Charlie who she's never met before and who lives in England. Charlie has found her mother's lost dictionary - what Clara needs to translate the sequel that her mother left behind. Clara and her daughter sail to England to acquire the papers and end up getting stuck in the Great Smog. Charlie removes them from London to his family home in the country and Clara feels a sense of peace and an odd familiarity there. Clara and Charlie work together to uncover the mystery of her mother's disappearance.

Callahan is quickly becoming a go-to author for me, I loved this book - the characters, the dash of magical realism as well as the story. It was a pleasure going on the journey with Clara and Charlie as they discovered secrets of their respective pasts while they tried to solve the mystery of Bronwyn’s disappearance. The audio to this one was wonderful and I probably read half and listened to half; the audio had two narrators, one for Clara and one for Charlie and I think it added such a nice element to the listen. This novel was the perfect escape I was looking for when nothing was really resonating with me.

4.25 stars

Thank you to Atria books and NetGalley for the ARC to review

I love Patti Henry's vividly rich and detailed descriptions! They transported me straight to the UK as I was reading this. My interest was so piqued that I had to google The Great Smog of London- I love it when a book does that.
My only complaint is that some events that were part of the big reveal towards the end didn't quite add up to me. I didn't think Bronwyn's reason for leaving was sufficient. Otherwise, this would have been a five star read for me.

I finished this book a few days ago and I had to think hard about what to rate it (I settled on 2 stars) and what to say. While I enjoyed the plot, the characters were really dull for me. I really disliked Clara - I feel like she was supposed to be ahead of her time, but she came off boring and "woe is me". I wish Bronwyn stayed missing - her reason for leaving was so disappointing. Not everyone needs to have a happy ending. Charlie - ugh - enough said.

The book was overly wordy - and even though the chapters were short, they felt long for me. I pushed myself through this one. And I always am hoping for her next "Surviving Savannah" - that has been my favorite book by her so far but her last two, while not horrible, just did not do it for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. I am not a reviewer who will retell the plot, just my feelings towards the book as the reader can look up the plot themselves.

I enjoyed this book, but honestly felt like very little happened! It flowed beautifully, the characters were well developed. I liked the history and the descriptions were incredible. However, I think that the story itself could have been half the length and we would have not missed anything. Although beautifully written, much of the book is descriptions and not some much drama, action, something new. The dual timeline was seamless and incredibly well done. A charming story about the magic of words, love and family. I just walked away feeling as if very little happened, leaving me very uninvested in the book. If you are looking for beautiful and descriptive writing, try this one.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Since Becoming Mrs. Lewis and The Secret Book of Flora Lea became favorites I will not pass up the chance to read a Patti Callahan Henry novel! This will join the list of those I highly recommend. I knew when I saw that cover I would love the settings of London, The Lake District and South Carolina, which all have my heart. This tale of love and sorrow and past secrets and discoveries wrapped up in a literary mystery kept my attention throughout. The characters were well-developed...and just Henry's turn of phrase and way with words wrapped me up and had me invested to the end.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC. All opinions are mine.

From the author of The Secret of Flora Lee, this gorgeous story hooked me right from the start and is a perfect combination of historical fiction, mystery, and romance. Set in the 1950s, you get a peek at life in South Carolina, London, and the Lakes District, England, while weaving together mother/daughter relationships, post-war England, motherhood, mental health, Gaelic music, illustrating, and writing (including Beatrix Potter chatter). If you are a fan of historical fiction, put this on your TBR list, you won't regret it!

What an awesome genre-bending story! I was pulled in quickly and couldn’t put it down. Fantastic read that I definitely recommend!

In 1927, eight-year-old Clara Harrington’s mother, renowned author, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham, disappears in the night. Clara is now an adult with her own daughter, Wynnie. Clara works as an art teacher and an illustrator of children’s books. She gets a call from London that some of her mother’s papers were found in a wealthy man’s library. Clara is desperate for information about her mother and takes Wynnie to London. When they get there, they pick up the papers, but are trapped in their rented apartment, as the smog is so thick. Wynnie suffers from asthma, so she can’t go far in this weather. Charlie Jameson, who found the papers, offers to take them to the Lake District to get out of the smog of London. While there, more questions are answered about Bronwyn. Also, Charlie’s family is very welcoming. While I liked all the characters, except Bronwyn, they seemed a bit flat. Also, the pacing of this book is very slow. In my opinion, this book had an interesting premise, but poor execution.

Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC.

This is such a magical and emotional story. Beautifully written by the author with the most likable characters. Inspired by true events, Clara is doing her best to balance motherhood and draw for a children’s book. She gets a phone call that changes her life. Something of her mother’s, a child prodigy author, who disappeared from Clara’s life 25 years ago was found. Clara thinks it’s a joke. How could a random man in Europe have a dictionary of her mother’s created language. Who is this person? With the encouragement of her endearing, young daughter Wynnie, the two set off for a life changing journey that will give them more then just the answers of what happened to her mother, but a true testament to what a life falling fate is all about

⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️💫

Clara is a single mother raising her precocious 8 year old daughter Wynnie in a small idyllic seaside town in South Carolina. She is also a teacher and an award winning children’s book illustrator. Clara has grown accustomed to wagging tongues as a divorced single mother. But withstanding judgment isn’t new, after all, she is the daughter of the infamous Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham, best remembered as a child author, and for her mysterious disappearance when Clara was a child. When Clara receives an overseas call, informing her that a dictionary of her mother’s “lost words” has been discovered with a note instructing her to come and retrieve the item, her life takes a turn she never expected. Clara’s hopes of ever reading the sequel to her mother’s famous children’s book died when her mother vanished. Could this be the key to translating the book her mother left in her safekeeping? More importantly, will she finally discover the reason for her mother’s disappearance, or find clues explaining where she’s been?

Callahan weaves her storied magic once again in The Story She Left Behind, a historical fiction which crosses the Atlantic to London during the tragic Great Fog of 1952. It’s a story about motherhood, longing, grief, the legacies which mark us for life, redemption, and the power of story and imagination. This would be a perfect book for readers looking for lyrical prose with a sprinkle of magical realism, or a family drama steeped in mystery.


Many thanks to the author @PattiCHenry, @SimonAndSchuster, and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry-- This novel releases on 3/18. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance digital copy. This is a heartwarming family story with a mystery at the center. Twenty-five years ago Clara's mother Bronwyn disappeared and what happened to her was unknown. She left behind her husband & daughter as well as a beloved children's book written when she was just 8 years old. Clara is contacted by a Brit named Charlie saying he found a letter from her mother and a dictionary of Bronwyn's invented language that Clara could use to translate her mother's book sequel written in the language. In London and the Lakes District Clara, her daughter Wynnie, and Charlie look for answers about their families and find out more than both expect. This fictional story is loosely based on a real author with a story like Bronwyn's. This would be great for someone who likes emotional family stories with richly described setting.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I really loved Patti Callahan Henry’s prior book, The Secret Book of Flora Lea, however, I’ve had mixed experiences with her literary-inspired historical fiction in general, so while I had high hopes for The Story She Left Behind, I wasn’t shocked that this book failed to wow me.
That’s not to say that the premise is without merit. I was particularly drawn into the picturesque depictions of the South Carolina coast and Lake District settings, which were depicted beautifully and drew me in. I also loved the nuggets of literary history related to children’s literature, a clear passion of Callahan Henry’s, as the story is inspired by the life and mysterious disappearance of child-prodigy author Barbara Newhall Follett, a figure I’d love to read more about. I also loved the references to the early history of the Caldecott Award for children’s picture books, as while I knew about its prominence in the book world, I didn’t know about its origins until now.
But when it comes to the issues I had, I can’t help but wonder how much comes down to objective flaws and how much is my misplaced expectations. I anticipated the book would attempt to provide an answer to the literary mystery, albeit fictionalized. And while it’s not a mystery novel in and of itself, I definitely thought there’d be some suspense, or at least the payoff would be at least somewhat compelling. But when what happened to Bronwyn was revealed, I just shrugged. It didn’t feel worth it to me, especially given that the lead-up felt repetitive and plodding.
Plus, the characters were all uninspiring and flat. Bronwyn is the only saving grace (kind of, until the reveal as to why she vanished came out, and it was dumb), and she’s barely in it. I found Clara dull, and Charlie even worse, and the “romance” annoying.
In retrospect, this was one of those books that I stuck out with hoping the ending would prove it was worth suffering with, and it just wasn’t.
That’s not to say it won’t work for others; I feel like it just did certain things in a way I do not care for. However, there are many who enjoyed this, and would recommend checking out their reviews as well, especially if you typically like books inspired by children’s literature and with a focus on family connections.

Loved the sweet story of a woman who wondered about her mom and her disappearance and then one day she gets a phone call from London and everything changes. Chasing the dictionary her mom left, the love story that develops, and then meeting the people that change her life. Loved it

I was hooked into The Story She Left Behind from the beginning and thinking it would be another 5-star read for me from this author. (Side note: I LOVED Surviving Savannah, Once Upon a Wardrobe, and Becoming Mrs. Lewis). But at about the 75% mark I felt like the story just dragged and I was reading fast just to get to the end and be done. I loved the child Wynnie and love how the story is built on a historical literary mystery as well as a real event in London. Though I wasn’t very engaged in the last quarter and didn’t feel like a lot happened I did think the Epilogue chapter was excellent and a great finish.

Thank you to the publisher Atria and NetGalley for an early copy to read and review. This book will come out on March 18, 2025 so will be available soon.

First and foremost, the cover and title of this book chef's kiss, whoever did this one need recognition, and they need a raise. This cover would be an amazing jigsaw puzzle im just saying. This is a first for me by this author, however it did not disappoint, I encourage you to read this book and enjoy the intricately woven story.

This book is told in dual POV's/ timelines we get the view of Miss Clara Harrington and Mr. Charlie Jameson, based in 1927 we begin in Clara's childhood, where tragedy strikes when your mother famous author Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham, comes up missing off the coast of South Carolina. Her mother gained her fame after writing a book in an invented language she created. Then we flip to 1952 when Clara is now and adult and raising a daughter names Wynnie of her own. When Clara receives a mysterious letter from a man name Charlie Jameson, stating he found a handwritten dictionary of Clara's mother, she is skeptical to say the least, after all it's been 27 years.

I was so engrossed in this novel and absolutely could not put it down, I found myself flipping the pages, and along for the journey and mystery that Clara and Wynnie are on to find out answers. This is the first book I have read by this author and after reading this one I immediately added her backlog to my TBR. If you're looking for a captivating, mysterious, mother/ daughter sleuth duo look no futher than The Story She Left Behind.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I wanted to love this book, but around 20% of the way through I was struggling to connect with the characters and plot. I chose to move forward to a different title instead of force the novel on myself.

People who could find success reading this novel would be those who enjoy descriptive writing and alternating points of view. I am not writing this book off entirely and may try it again in the future. I was pretty surprised that I wasn't enjoying it, the premise sounded like something perfect for me.

I would also like to comment that the front cover is just gorgeous and immediately drew me into the book.

This is such a beautiful, heartfelt story. The story is about a daughter searching for answers on how and why her mother disappeared when she was only 8 and searching for a secret language her mother, who was an author, created so that she can continue her mother's story. This was a story of abandonment, love, loss family and forgiveness. Such a wonderful enjoyable story you just want to keep reading until you find out all the answers. Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for this ARC.