Charlotte has reluctantly taken on the task of supervising house renovations for her parents. But she has no idea what this decision will set in motion.

While carrying out her assignment, Charlotte discovers a diary belonging to the troubled teenager who allegedly killed herself on this summer home property over a decade and a half ago. And she soon finds herself caught up in Lark's story - in more ways than one.

As long buried secrets threaten to surface, can Charlotte handle the fallout? And does she even want to know the truth?

This is a terrific, atmospheric, small town thriller that as entertaining as it is thought provoking.

Is there a way to get an updated copy. There are so many misspelled words I can’t even read the copy. I loved her last one. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you Netgallary and Rising Action for the ARC!

This was a wonderful thriller which kept me guessing throughout. Some elements felt a little cheesy, but i loved Charlotte and was constantly second guessing who I did and didn’t trust! I loved the range of characters and the switch between present day and diary entries!

I received a copy for review. All opinions are my own. This was an easy read that kept me suspicious of everyone and guessing the outcome with every chapter. I grew very fond of the main character and it was interesting to see how she coped with everything given her past. This book had a great flow to it which made me not want to put it down until I finished it.

What She Left Behind completely caught me off guard—in the best way. I picked it up thinking I’d get a twisty little mystery, but it ended up being something deeper and more emotional than I expected.

After losing my job and feeling like I was hitting rock bottom, I saw a lot of myself in Charlotte Boyd. Her return to her family’s small-town summer home felt like a reset, but also like stepping straight into someone else’s unfinished story. The discovery of Lark Peters’ diary was eerie and intimate, and I found myself just as obsessed with the entries as Charlotte was.

The atmosphere in this book is thick—quietly haunting, not in a ghostly way, but in how the past seems to bleed into the present. Lark’s tragic end, and the town’s unwillingness to talk about it, created this mounting tension that kept me flipping pages late into the night. I especially appreciated how Charlotte, being an outsider, saw things others overlooked—including Darryl, Lark’s brother. While everyone warned her off, I admired her empathy and willingness to see the person behind the rumors.

There are definitely some heavy themes—grief, trauma, and mental health—that the book handles with care. The mystery unfolds slowly, with a few red herrings and a reveal that, while not completely shocking, still felt earned.

If I had one critique, it’s that a couple of side characters felt underdeveloped, and the pacing in the middle dragged slightly. But the emotional payoff and Charlotte’s personal journey made it well worth it.

Overall, What She Left Behind is a beautifully written, quietly suspenseful novel that balances mystery and emotional depth. I’m still thinking about Lark—and Charlotte—days later.

This was SUCH a great read! The first chapter sucked me in immediately and I couldn’t stop until the ending. I loved the red herrings that kept me on my toes and I didn’t see the twist coming until it was right in front of me! I truly enjoyed the dual timeline that tied all the present characters together. This was my first book by the author and I’m looking forward to reading her debut novel and to see what she comes up with next!

This is a well written Canadian thriller with queer and chronic illness representation! I flew through it in a day because I had to get to the bottom of the story. I loved the queer representation and the subtle “if you know you know” hints that Charlotte, the main character, struggles with POTS and a hypermobility condition (likely Ehlers Danlos). I wish that aspect was more emphasized and clarified but the fact that she hasn’t gotten any answers from her doctors is unfortunately all too real.

I absolutely enjoyes reading this. Will definitely be recommending. Kept me really hooked I'll love to reread again

In her signature enticing voice, Sommerville weaves a haunting, heart-pounding mystery where past and present blur, and nothing is as it seems. In an eerie, secret-filled small town, a murderer lurks in plain sight. Spooky, gripping, and unpredictable, this story will keep you questioning the past as the present sneaks up on you.

Goodness me, this was such a good book. Highly entertaining. Would definitely recommend to others, that's for sure!

Brianne Somerville’s sophomore novel follows Charlotte as she struggles to find her purpose after being fired. Charlotte agrees to fix up her parents new home while they go on vacation but when Charlotte gets to the home it is still filled with things the previous owners left. Charlotte is a bit of a fraidycat and the house and mysterious person outside does not help.

Charlotte is the friend next door you always wanted. She is loyal and is determined to finish something when she starts it she does not have the best judgment and trusts people to quickly which gets her in trouble. She is a flawed character but a sincerely enjoyable one. I enjoyed the mystery in this book and finding out about Lark. The journal was my favorite piece of the book.

this book is a gripping and suspenseful tale that weaves together mystery, grief, and the lingering effects of tragedy. As Charlotte Boyd unravels the secrets surrounding a teenage girl's death, she discovers unsettling truths about both the past and the people in her life, leading to a thrilling and emotional conclusion. This novel expertly blends psychological tension with deep character exploration, making it a must-read for fans of suspenseful, character-driven mysteries.

I really loved the dual timeline structure of What She Left Behind where we get to know Lark through her diary entries! A fast-paced read and a mystery that kept me guessing!

What She Left Behind is a compelling thriller that kept me guessing from beginning to end. I really enjoyed the dual timelines—shifting between the past with Lark and the present with Charlotte—which added depth and intrigue to the story. I felt deep sympathy for both women and everything they had endured. I found myself rooting for Charlotte, hoping she would find the peace and resolution she deserved.

This was my first book by this author, and I’m excited to read more of their work in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishers for the ARC.
#WhatSheLeftBehind

Charlotte Boyd, a woman in her early thirties and struggling to find her stride in life both personally and professionally, is tasked with leaving her urban home on Toronto to temporarily move to the small town of Anville to help her parents renovate their retirement home while they winter in Florida. Charlotte, just being let go from another job, embraces this opportunity for recharge and reevaluate her life while overseeing the renovations. The only catch is the previous home owners 16 year old daughter committed suicide there 16 years earlier.

Charlotte arrives at the home and is immediately spooked after discovering someone is living in the garage. She flees to a small local pub and inn and is befriended by Merle and Cindy, the owners and is introduced to two police officers; Landry and Armstrong who discover he squatter is the son of the previous homeowners, Darryl. Law enforcement assures Charlotte that they will remove Darryl from the home and she will be able to return to renovate soon. A few days later, Charlotte returns home and connects with Darryl, who seems innocent enough and the two exchange numbers and begin to converse via text, soon leading to a romantic relationship. As Charlotte is cleaning, she discovers the diary of the Lark: the daughter who committed suicide at the home years earlier.

The story switches between Charlotte's present day point of view and the past diary entries of Lark. As Charlotte reads the diary, she discovers that Lark had been going through struggles leading up to her death: an absent mother who preferred men over bonding with her children, a broken friendship with her closest ally Dani, and a troubled romantic relationship with the now police officer Armstrong. It seems as though the diary is not only Charlotte's interest, as Darryl soon begins asking for the diary and the home is also broken into as someone tries to locate the diary as well. Could Lark's suicide actually have been a homicide? Charlotte is determined to uncover the truth,

With lots of twists and turns, the reader is kept on their toes as Charlotte uncovers the secrets truth about the secrets that are hidden in the diary.

This seemed like an interesting book but I had to merely skim it and couldn’t actually read it because for some reason my ARC was on a dark gray, nearly black background. It was impossible to read long term but the bits I was able to catch seemed intriguing.

In "What She Left Behind," the narrative revolves around Charlotte Boyd, who, following the loss of her employment, returns to her parents' summer residence to manage renovations. During her efforts to organize the house, she stumbles upon a diary belonging to Lark Peters, a troubled adolescent who tragically succumbed to suicide in that very location sixteen years earlier. The storytelling oscillates between Charlotte's contemporary experiences and Lark's poignant diary entries, which unveil the profound challenges Lark encountered. This connection to Lark's historical context compels Charlotte to investigate the circumstances surrounding her demise while also confronting her own unresolved emotional issues.

This book has a captivating plot and was very emotional to read. At times however, I didn’t empathize with Charlotte’s character as I felt that she was too needy and dependent and didn’t stand on her own “two feet”. I would have liked further clarification into her medical condition as it was mentioned a number of times, but further diagnostic information wasn’t provided. I did like the fast pace of the novel and the dual perspectives of Charlotte and Lark, which sustain the intrigue.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advance review copy in exchange for my review.

I liked this one so much I DM’d the author when I finished and told her how much I loved Darryl!

This one was such a quick, interesting, page turning read that I couldn’t put down. I would find myself looking for my e-reader at any given moment of the day and the time I spend reading wasn’t wasted on this book. Oh man, this needs to be a Hulu series!

This is an exciting thriller that will draw you in and tug at your heart strings!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Dark, twisty, and totally absorbing

What She Left Behind pulled me in from the start and didn’t let go. I love a good thriller, and this one had me flipping pages late into the night. It’s one of those books that leaves you feeling a little wrecked in the best way possible.

The story follows Charlotte, who heads to her parents’ old summer home after a rough patch (recently fired, life in limbo—you know the drill). While going through the house, she stumbles upon a hidden diary that belonged to Lark, a teen who died by suicide there sixteen years ago. From that point on, it’s a back-and-forth ride between the present and Lark’s chilling diary entries, and wow—Lark’s inner world was intense and seriously haunting.

Charlotte starts digging into what really happened to Lark, and as things unravel, she ends up confronting some dark truths—not just about the house and the people in it, but about her own past too. There’s mystery, a bit of suspense, and plenty of emotional weight. I also really liked the dynamic with Darryl, Lark’s brother. He’s painted as this creepy, reclusive figure, but Charlotte sees something different—and that added an interesting layer.

The writing was super readable, the plot kept me guessing, and the way everything came together at the end was satisfying without feeling too neat. My only slight knock is that a few parts felt a bit rushed or could’ve gone deeper—but overall, it was a solid, gripping read.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Brianne Sommerville, and Rising Action Publishing Co. for the advanced copy! Definitely mark your calendars for August 12, 2025—this one’s worth picking up if you like your thrillers emotional, eerie, and layered.