The Story She Left Behind
by Patti Callahan Henry
Pub Date: March 18, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Inspired by a true literary mystery, New York Times bestselling author of the mesmerizing The Secret Book of Flora Lea returns with the sweeping story of a legendary book, a lost mother, and a daughter’s search for them both.
Told in Patti Callahan Henry’s lyrical, enchanting prose, The Story She Left Behind is a captivating novel of mystery and family legacy that captures the profound longing for a mother and the evergreen allure of secrets.
I love the writing of Patti Callahan Henry and urge you to read this one as soon as it comes out!
This was such a captivating and enjoyable read. The writing is exquisite, the characters well developed, and Ms. Henry's research into the horrific London fog of the winter of 1952, was spot on and fantastically delivered. The characters' emotions were so well delivered that one could not withhold empathy throughout the read. Quotes of T.S. Eliot's poetry were enriching and brought back warm memories of its recitation to this reader's ears. The inclusion of stories of Beatrix Potter enriched the story that much more. All in all this was a beautiful, heartfelt and affirming story - one which will linger in this reader's soul for many days to come.

I read Flora Lea for my bookclub and had mixed reviews. I decided to give Patti Callahan Henry another chance, but had similar mixed feelings about this story. I liked the different timelines, but I just couldn’t get into the main story.

"The Story She Left Behind" is a fast-paced historical fiction novel, which I devoured during the course of a weekend. There are several things that were notable in this book including the large amount of research done by the author. Patti Callahan Henry clearly worked hard to center this story around historical events that aren't well-known including the mystery of Barbara Newhall Follet and the Great Smog. I also appreciated the way that she integrated the works and lives of other famous authors such as TS Eliot and Beatrix Potter into the story.

When reading, I was immediately pulled in by Clara's desire to understand her mom's writing once she was missing. I also liked Wynnie; her childish beliefs and innocent wonder made her likable while her astute observations offered comedic relief. Charlie was also a well-developed character, and I liked his perspectives on languages. However, I found the romance a bit distracting and thought it detracted from other parts of the writing that were more meaningful-- I wished less time would have been spent on this particular plot line. That said, I found this to be a unique book & I believe it will appeal to a wide-range of readers!

_The Story She Left Behind_ by Patti Callahan Henry is an atmospheric and moving historical fiction read with sympathetic characters. It follows Clara Harrington, an illustrator and mother to her daughter Wynnie, as she searches to find information about her own mother who went missing from their South Carolina home in 1927 when Clara was eight years old. In 1952, Clara receives a call from a man named Charlie Jameson in London who claims to have a handwritten dictionary of her mother’s lost language. Clara and Wynnie set off for London to meet Charlie, resulting in an adventure that will reveal secrets and forge lasting relationships. A wonderful read for fans of historical fiction.

After absolutely LOVING The Secret Book of Flora Lee, I was so thrilled to receive an advanced copy of this newest novel by Patty Callahan Henry. Just like Flora Lee, I found this story to be beautifully written. The author has a way with words that make you feel like you are righy there in the story. At the same time, it felt like there was a bit too much going on for me to love it.

It took me awhile to get into this story. I was immediately intrigued by the mystery that was introduced early in the story, but from there I was pretty impatient for the rest of the story to begin. The main character and her daughter journey from South Carolina, to London, and eventually to the English countryside. I felt like this journey was stretched out a bit too much. I know that there was quite a bit of exposition established during this journey, however some of it just felt unnecessary.

When the main characters finally reached the English countryside, this is when I felt like the magic of this story finally took off. I loved how the pieces of the mystery slowly began to fall into place. By the end, I can say that I truly enjoyed this enchanting and heartfelt story.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Inspired by a true literary mystery, The Story she Left Behind follows an adult daughter, Clara, as she searches for the mother, Bronwyn, who disappeared 25 years ago. Her mothers fame derives from a beloved fantasy novel Bronwyn wrote as a child and it's never published sequel. When some of her mother's pages are discovered in a private London home library, Clara makes her way there to uncover how they made their way they, and how they connect to a family and a country home in Cumbria. I found it to be slow moving and could have given up on it but soldiered on. There were some storylines that could have been left out entirely (Clara's divorce, for instance) to speed it along.

Beautiful writing and a great “found family” type story. Henry’s writing is so atmospheric and the English countryside setting was very cozy. I enjoyed the adventurous parts as Clara and Wynnie traveled to London and then the countryside estate. I did feel like the middle dragged a bit, and the ending wrapped up just a little too neatly (especially the part with Wynnie’s father), but overall a great story and engaging characters. Henry’s books always feel like a warm hug. 4.5 stars

This is a truly enchanting novel. The story is a mixture of numerous genres - historical fiction, mystery, fantasy, romance and women’s fiction. I found the prose beautifully expressive, almost poetic. It allowed the reader to be immersed in the story’s locations as related by the main characters, and almost able to hear the sounds described by the author. The writer cleverly made use of personification in the language of her novel, one example being “…The cotton whorl of clouds let loose what it held in its cold fists…” I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to receive an ARC of this author’s newest work, possibly her best so far.

4 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Historical Fiction

This book was beautiful - it was inspired by a true story and takes on a story of its own. ✨

The Story She Left Behind is about a Mother, Clara, and her daughter Wynnie searching for hints and clues surrounding Clara’s Mother who was a literary genius and famous author that suddenly vanished. 📝

Patti Callahan Henry takes us on this beautiful coming-of-age story and all three characters were such strong female leads. 💪🏼

You are going to love the way this book is written and the way you can use your imagination for a hint of magical realism. 🪄

Without spoiling it - I didn’t love the big reveal and wanted more from Charlie! But nonetheless, I loved it and thought the ending was perfect🥰

Shout out to @Netgalley for my ARC! This book comes out 📆 March 18th, 2025

📚2025 Book 2

title: The Story She Left Behind

author: Patti Callahan Henry

publisher: Atria Books

publication date: March 18, 2025

pages: 384

peppers: 2 (on this scale)

warnings: death of a father (off-page), missing mother, talk of death by smog, asthma attack, talk of bullying, theft

summary: When Clara was eight years old, twenty-five years ago, her famous mother disappeared. Now, a British man has contacted Clara to say that he found the mother's papers among his father's possessions. He is supposed to give the papers to Clara, but only in person, so she and her daughter Winnie have to travel to England to get them. Unfortunately, they arrive during the Great Smog of 1952. Since the daughter has asthma, they end up going with the man to his family's country house in Cumbria, where the mystery of how the father came to possess the papers seems to open up new questions as to how these people's lives are related. The story is loosely based on a real author's disappearance.

tropes:

missing and dead parents
mysterious findings
working together

he saves her

what I liked: multiple points of view and figuring out the mystery, the male protagonist is sweet

what I didn’t like: none of it

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)

The Story She Left Behind is a historical fiction novel with strong themes of family abandonment, forgiveness, and love. I would also classify this under women’s fiction since the primary relationship is mother/daughter, with subplots of mystery and romance.

This was the second book of Patti Callahan Henry’s that I have read. I read a physical copy, not the audiobook. The story is primary told from the first person POV of the main character, Clara, but there are also other character POV chapters intermixed.

Main character Clara is a divorced mom of an 8 year old daughter, living in 1950s South Carolina. Abandoned by her own mother when she was 8, Clara has been on a near constant hunt to find out why and to where her mother left 25 years ago. Through a chain of events, Clara and her daughter end up in England and meet Charlie, who holds some of the information about Clara’s mom. But, more questions are raised and they begin hunting the answers together. Clara wonders if she will ever find her mom, and if she does, could she forgive her? Also, Clara wonders if she can truly trust Charlie after having her trust broken before?

My favorite parts in the book were the historically based parts about the London smog, the lost author, the majestic Lake District of England, the language and word study, and the side information about Beatrix Potter.

I had a harder time connecting the characters in this story because I haven’t personally dealt with abandonment of a family member. However, I appreciate that the author wrote this book. It was a somber ackowledgment of the importance of mental health understanding and resources.

Overall, the book was well-written and plotted, and the characters were well-developed. It got a little slow for me in the middle and felt repetitive toward the end. I think it would have been less meandering if 50-100 pages were edited out.

Content: Scant light language. Parental abandonment. Kisses only, with implied but not described intimacy.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the complementary copy of this book. My review is my personal opinion and is not influenced in any way by the publisher or author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for this advance reader copy. All opinions stated here are my own.
If you like Patti Callahan Henry's works and if you particularly enjoyed The Secret Book of Flora Lea, here you are. Set in London and the countryside during the Great Smog of London (for those who need a historical fiction anchored with an actual event), this book is a storytellers book. Full of whimiscal writing, a touch of magic, but also holding mystery and suspense, Henry writes stories that people will enjoy reading. This book was inspired by the true story of Barbara Newhall Follet, a writer who published her first book at age 12. I checked out her book just to look at it.
Its a lovely read. I'm not screaming through the streets that you must read this book, but it was really a nice, lovely read and I would recommend it to patrons as a clean read, enjoyable characters, and a well contructed story.
4*

I adore Patti Callahan Henry. She is an auto-buy author for my mom and I! The Story She Left Behind didn't disappoint in my already high expections. Her characters were lovable and the balance between whimsical magic and heartfelt tension was perfect. Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for an ARC!
Pub Date: March 8, 2025

Patti Callahan Henry has a rare gift for weaving stories that feel both magical and moving. From Once Upon a Wardrobe to The Secret Book of Flora Lea and Becoming Mrs. Lewis, her books always leave me enchanted—and this one, releasing on 3/4, is no exception. Now, I’m eager to explore the rest of her backlist!

At its heart, this is a poignant tale of mothers and daughters—the bonds that hold them together, even across time and tragedy. Not just Clara’s broken relationship with her own long lost mother but also the tender connection with her 8 year old daughter.

I loved the setting of this book, transporting me to 1950s London and the breathtaking Lake District, which felt so vivid, I felt as though I’d really been there and seen everything with my own eyes. Beatrix Potter’s home makes a charming cameo too, adding a touch of whimsy!

If I were a star-rating kind of girl, I’d dock half a star because the resolution wrapped up a little too neatly for my liking—it took me some time to process the “big moment” at the end and it didn’t seem very realistic. But in the grand scheme of things, it’s a small critique in an otherwise gorgeous story.

💜 Don’t miss the authors note!

Read this if you enjoy:

✨ Stories inspired by true mysteries
✨ Whimsical, atmospheric writing
✨ Dual POV
✨ Literary worlds and secret languages
✨ English countryside settings
✨ Historical fiction with themes of reconciliation, forgiveness, and healing

Content: Parent abandonment, less than 10 curse words including h*ll, (no F word or God’s name in vain), one quick bedroom scene before marriage: vague/not descriptive.

Thanks for @netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I tend to stay away from historical fiction because they seem pretty heavy. I do have some faves (The Book Thief, Salt to the Sea, All the Light We Cannot See) so finding this whimsical one was amazing. I love that it reminded me of Kate Morton's novels, which are easier to read, especially if one is new to the genre. So this is LOVE!

Title: The Story She Left Behind
Author: Patti Callahan Henry
Publisher: Atria Books
Genres: Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Pub Date: March 18, 2025
My Rating: 3.4
Pages 352

The main parts of the story are told from the POV of Clara Harrington and Charlie Jameson.
In 1927, eight-year-old Clara Harrington’s childhood shatters when her mother, an author, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham, disappears off the coast of South Carolina. Her mother is famous for writing a book in an invented language.

By 1952, twenty-seven years later Clara is an illustrator raising her daughter, Wynnie.
Clara receives a message from Charlie Jameson a stranger from London claiming he found a handwritten dictionary of her mother’s lost language. However-Clara is skeptical.

In the note from the author Patti Callahan Henry – she tells us the motivation for this fictional story. It is actually based on a 1914 child-prodigy author Barbara who started writing when she was five years old. Barbara’s story got Ms. Henry’s creative imagination going and she came up with this story. Just like the note from her, her acknowledgements are also very interesting
TO top all of this information off she includes several pages of resources for additional reading


Want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 18, 2025.

I loved this book from a new-to-me author. Beautiful, reflective prose paired with compelling characters and evocative settings. I loved the unusual aspects of this historical fiction--the England/America pairing, the post-war setting, and the inclusion of mythical elements. A surprising and delightful read.

Patti Callahan Henry has a winner with this book, The Story She Left Behind! An absolutely wonderful read. Characters and settings are rich and full of depth. Emotions all over the place. Life is tough when we deal with hard emotions, the characters faced that situation over & over. This is a 5 star read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry
This book was so good! I took my time reading and just devouring the pages. The lyrical prose was so beautifully crafted! I was drawn in and mesmerized by the story with secret languages, missing pages, and a magical realm of the mind to perch a beautiful escape, just beauty in words!
The setting descriptions were timeless and mystical. I felt like I was there with Clara and Winnie. I could feel the heartbreak and wonder! I absolutely loved diving into this one, based on a real-life literary mystery!
In 1927, a renowned author disappears leaving a heartbroken Clara whose magical childhood shatters. Later in 1952, Clara has made a name for herself as an illustrator and has a beautiful, yet fragile daughter Wynnie. One day, Clara gets a call when a stranger in London claims to have her mother’s lost words. Charlie Jameson compels Clara to cross the ocean, and she arrives during a deadly natural disaster, The Great Smog. Asthmatic Wynnie becomes overtaken by the acidic smog and the two leave the city with Charlie to take refuge at his family’s country home in the Lake District. While there, Clara is intrigued with peculiar connections and begins to unravel the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.
This was a captivating mystery and so imaginative! 5+/5⭐️
I would love to thank NetGalley for the awesome opportunity to review an ARC of this beautiful story!
This will be released later in 2025.

Historical fiction fans who want to avoid a WWII story, THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND by Patti Callahan Henry will likely scratch that itch with an added bit of fantastical whimsy. I would say that this novel has a lot of parallels to a Kate Morton novel, which I really liked.

Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham is a child prodigy fantasy writer, writing her first story at age 8 and getting it published at age 12 (Bronwyn is based on a real child prodigy writer!). After a tragic event when she’s in her 30s, Bronwyn disappears, leaving a husband and 8 year old daughter Clara. Now, in 1952, Clara is summoned to England by Charlie Jameson, who was clearing out papers after his father’s death and found papers believed to be from her missing mother. Clara takes her 8 year old daughter Wynnie to London, and there they get caught in the Great Smog of 1952, which is especially problematic because Wynnie has asthma. They retreat to the countryside with the Jameson family, and Clara attempts to get to the bottom of the mystery and at the same time is intrigued by Charlie.

The settings, both South Carolina and England, were well-drawn and very atmospheric. And, of course, the thick, sooty smog that affected so many people’s lungs made me empathize with Londoners at this time.

I thought the themes of history repeating itself and running away vs. running to something were well-constructed. At times, the novel had moments of being a bit more drawn out and repetitive than I needed and sometimes a smidge too sentimental for my taste. On the whole, I found it enjoyable and learned a lot about this time period.

Love the cover. Not as fond of the title.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND publishes March 18, 2025.