What a gripping read that had me going through the pages as quickly as I could! Filled with so many secrets, very dark and absolutely thrilling!! Enjoyed the dual timelines and totally connected with the characters! This definitely belongs on your TBR!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!!!

This was such an enjoyable thriller. Charlotte just lost her job and was offered to oversee a renovation project by her parents. She agrees and moves to the house however, when she gets there, all the belongings of the previous owners are still there. Within the first couple days, unsettling events take place. As she's getting the house ready for repairs, she stumbles across a diary belonging to Lark, who died 16 years ago. Larks diary reveals some heart breaking truths. It was believed that Lark committed suicide, but Charlotte believes that was not the case. And after befriending Lark's brother Daryl who also believes the same, Charlotte starts digging for answers. I loved how this story played out, though, I did feel like the characters were a bit under developed. I didn't find any of them relatable and couldn't connect with them, but the story itself was captivating. This was a great thriller and was fast paced, keeping you flipping those pages. I'd recommend giving this a read.

At The Pulse, everyone is buzzing about this one, and for good reason.
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Some houses hold memories. Others hold secrets.
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Charlotte Boyd didn’t expect much when she agreed to oversee renovations at her family’s old summer home. She’s hoping for a quiet escape after a rough few months. But when she uncovers a forgotten diary tucked away among the clutter, she stumbles into the life of a girl whose story never really ended.
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As the past creeps closer to the present, Charlotte finds herself drawn into the mystery of a teenager whose death shook the town and whose truth may still be hidden in plain sight.
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With vivid characters, haunting atmosphere, and a slow-burning suspense that kept me turning pages late into the night, What She Left Behind is a powerful blend of emotional depth and chilling intrigue. Brianne Sommerville delivers a gripping exploration of grief, memory, and the things we bury to survive.
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Perfect for fans of layered psychological thrillers with small-town secrets and a touch of ghostly unease.

Brianne has done it again! I love this book. Atmospheric, twisty, and gripping, this book has it all. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely stunning and deliciously chilling. Brianne weaves an incredible story of emotions and resilience and a character Charlotte that I really resonated with because of what she had to go through. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will recommend to anyone looking for a great psychological suspenseful thriller.

The book is poignant and gripping. A small town summer home owned by Charlotte’s parents holds secrets and had a tragic past. Lark Peterson died sixteen years ago and Charlotte finds a diary that was hidden somewhere. The cause of her death was said to be a suicide but Charlotte has some doubts regarding it. If it was a murder, the killer is still out there so she tries to get to the bottom of the mystery of Lark’s death. She uncover some secrets and truth. While the police has already warned her about Lark’s brother Darryl. And the book has been narrated in present and Lark’s past pov. The book will keep you guessing till the end. Author’s writing is compelling and this was an intriguing thriller.

Thanks to the Publisher

🤍𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗦𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗙𝗧 𝗕𝗘𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗗
𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯
🗓️𝙿𝚞𝚋 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙰𝚞𝚐𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝟷𝟸, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟻
🤩𝕄𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 𝟜 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤! ★★★★

🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝...”a gripping domestic thriller where one woman uncovers dark secrets hidden in a tragic past..”

🌸𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢...I mean you can tell this one is gonna be atmospheric just by the cover & I loved that! 🙌You get plenty of twists🌀 that as a thriller reader we need🙃, but as a bonus this story weaves in big themes of grief & tragedy …even mental health. I love when books cover these big topics with such care! 💕My fav part was the representation of chronic illness. I felt seen & that doesn’t happen much in thrillers. 👏

This story is a quiet, emotional mystery that slowly pulls you in. It follows Charlotte Boyd, who returns to her family’s old summer home to help with renovations after losing her job. The house carries a tragic past, and things change when Charlotte finds a hidden diary written by a teen girl named Lark Peters, who died by suicide in the home sixteen years ago.

As Charlotte reads the diary, she feels drawn to Lark and becomes determined to uncover the truth. The more she learns, the more she questions what really happened and if Lark’s death was more than what it seemed.

The pacing is slow but steady, and the atmosphere is full of tension. I liked how the book explored grief, guilt, and healing. Charlotte’s struggles felt real, and Lark’s voice through the diary was heartbreaking and honest.

Great pick for readers who enjoy small-town mysteries, buried secrets, and emotionally layered stories.

Although I had a connection to the characters, I really struggled with this one. It was far too predictable for me. It was alright but I couldn't say I loved it.

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.