Patti Callahan Henry has loosely based this historical novel on a true story about American child-author Barbara Follet, as she explains in her afterword. Follett’s story remains a mystery, but Henry thankfully resolved that of her fictional counterpart, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham. Henry is a richly talented writer. She manages to paint the book’s early 1950s settings both realistically and yet tinged with a certain magical realism that evokes the children’s book that is at the story’s centre.

That book was written by Bronwyn as a precocious 12 year old. After reaching celebrity status, with her parents and the public pressuring her for a follow-up, the teenager’s life went off the rails. The pieces were picked up by a kindly older man, a physician she fell in love with and married, giving birth to their only child, Clara. Clara Harrington lives a happy childhood in a small bayside town in South Carolina. Then an accident happens, her mother is blamed, and Clara finds herself orphaned at the age of 8. As the story begins, she is divorced, raising her own daughter Wynnie—named for her lost mother—in her childhood home, surrounded by her father’s benevolence. Clara illustrates children’s books, and is about to receive the coveted Caldecott Medal for a book that reminds her of her mother’s writing.

The first part is taken up with this American context and a few details about this mother-daughter-granddaughter triad. Though well-told, it seemed a bit dragged out to me, frequently hinting at what happened that dark night when Bronwyn disappeared, and reiterating how the loss affected the child left behind, in fact, ‘all that was left behind’. That Clara and her father long for Bronwyn is not unusual. But did Bronwyn die? No body was ever found. If, as Clara increasingly wonders, she chose to disappear rather than confront a difficult moment, how could that possibly be justified?

The remainder unfolds at a more intense pace. Clara is summoned to London by an unknown man, Charlie Jameson, whose father’s sudden passing has left him charged with the duty to pass on a satchel containing writings by Bronwyn. It must be picked up in London by Clara in person, though this is never really explained. With misgivings due to Wynnie ´s fragile health, they cross the Atlantic on a ship and arrive in the city just as the Great Smog of December 1952 is making it barely tolerable. Winnie soon suffers a health crisis and they are saved by Charlie, whose recently widowed mother is staying at their country home in Cumbria.

Despite the dangers of the drive, thanks to the fog and roadside marauders, they arrive to warm greetings from Pippa Jameson. The Lake District is enchanting, and Beatrix Potter, of Peter Rabbit fame, lived and wrote practically next door. This section allows the wiser-than-her-years Wynnie to shine, as she quickly becomes attached to everyone and every animal. Her memories—or at least the stories she has woven into them—also become woven with Clara’s, and the rest of the Jameson household, in seemingly magical ways. Bronwyn’s presence is strongly felt everywhere.

How this is resolved involves not so much magic as authorial sleight of hand. I loved this book and its three female characters, even though Bronwyn resides mostly in the memories of her daughter and granddaughter. The longing brought by loss, not only in their case but in that of the Jamesons whose father’s demise was the catalyst for so many discoveries, is sensitively rendered. The impetuous romance calls for some stretching (soul mates in 10 days after heartbreak on both sides?). Everyone is polite and empathic and just so nice, and they are wonderfully wealthy too, even though Clara is always worrying about money since her gambler ex husband blew all theirs away. Some of the coincidences and mysterious ties are also magical, as is the ending. Big unknowns are uncovered while big secrets are concocted. But that is the charm of novels in which storybook characters jump out into real life, ordinary people accept extraordinary duties for love, and secret languages can be made up and understood by children.

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the free ARC and the opportunity to express my views openly.

This was very well written, and well paced! I’ve been leaning toward the “genre-bending” books recently, and this didn’t disappoint. The historical, family drama, mystery & romance are perfectly blended together to create an immersive story. I really enjoyed going along on Clara and Wynnie’s journey. This truly felt like a warm hug! This was my first from this author, but definitely won’t be my last.

Many thanks to NetGalley & the publisher

What a beautiful and poignant new release by Patti Callahan Henry. "The Story She Left Behind" is a magical historical fiction book about the imagination that we create for ourselves and the mystery of family, and discovery of uncovering a hidden mystery of the unknowns of lost family. To be alive during a historical time where fantasy, imagination, and the journey of being an author were not as popular or accepted. Clara recently receives the Caldecott award is thrust into unpacking her late mother's whereabouts, but not all her own. Clara's mom (a world renowned child, child prodigy who created a beautiful book herself at a young age and it is truly known all over the world). Clara finds herself connected to mysterious man on the other side of the world, he reaches out with a briefcase containing newly discovered literature and translations of her mother's last work, which she thought was lost. Bringing up to the surface feelings of loss, intrigue, and doubt, Clara journey's over the seas from America to Europe and the historical challenges of smog, political, economic and cultural reality Clara starts to be connected with Charlie. Uncovering the past, dealing with setbacks Clara discovers new found family and a deeper purpose in her life.

The setting in this story was sublime, the description of the forest, the intertwined nature of Beatrix Potter and the magic of the English countryside were all enjoyable.

I highly recommend this to those who are looking for a warm historical fiction, one that intertwines the new and the old and makes you feel immersed and invested into the intrigue of the characters and the unfolding of Clara and her life.

Thank you to Netgalley, Patti Callahan Henry, and Atria Books for the ARC. It was a perfect springtime read for me and I anticipate sharing this with my colleagues, book friends, and family.

As a true Henry novel- the writing was so beautiful.

There is a line that describes forgiveness near the end chapters that I need to write down because it was so stunning.

This is a story based on a true story about a child prodigy in the early 1900s who wrote a book when she was 8 (published at age 12) and then later disappeared. Henry tweaks this true account to where the long lost author has a daughter (Clara) who grows up not knowing what happened to her mom. Years later (now in the 1950s) she gets a phone call from a man named Charlie, who finds documents with Clara's name presumably from her missing mother. Clara and her daughter Wynnie take a boat to England where they examine the documents but get caught up in The Great Smog of London. Overall it is a beautiful story about forgiveness and found family.

The story overall was good, but it didn't captivate me nearly as much as her other works (Which is okay! We don't always love every track on an album and I consider books by authors to be the same- I won't love everyone and that is okay!) I found the story and "magicalness" a bit far fetched and I had issues with some of the character development. But, this story is a very fun "what if?" to the true story it was based on.

I think readers who are wanting a snapshot of life in England during the Great Smog, interested in the treatment of women's mental health at the turn of the century, have a love of Beatrice Potter (I promise it relates), etc.

Content: fade to black, abandonment

This story is about Clara Harrington and her mother, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham- who was a renowned child prodigy that wrote a book about a secret language. She and her mom are very close and one day her mom just disappears into the night with her satchel containing the sequel to her book and is presumed dead. After 25 years, she receives a call from Charlie Jameson, a man living in London, who tells her that he has her mother's satchel and inside are the lost pages to her mother's book that he found in his father's library. Along with the lost pages, there is a note in her satchel with Clara's name on it. He tells her that his father's dying wish was for her to come to London to retrieve the lost pages in person; he can not send them to her. Having not lost hope to solve the mystery of her mother's disappearance, she and her daughter Wynnie- named for her mother, make the long journey to London.

In 1952, London suffered the Great Smog and the journey proves difficult for young Wynnie, who suffers from severe asthma. With the lost pages in hand and the letter that was in fact from Clara's mother, they all escape the peril in London and head to Charlie's country house to find clean air and ultimately unearth his family's secrets. Throughout their time together, they piece together the puzzle of how they are coincidentally connected to one another in ways that didn't seem possible. Charlie's family's estate feels new, yet familiar to both Clara and Wynnie and they need to figure out why.

This was a beautiful story about loss and the journey to find all the facets of love that exist, told in Patti Callahan's lyrical prose.

Special thanks to NetGallery for an advanced copy of this book and to Atria Books for allowing me the opportunity to review it.

In 1927, When Clara Harrington was 8 years old, her mother disappeared off the coast of South Carolina. Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham was an author renowned for the book she wrote when she was 12 years old. The follow-up to the book, written in her mother's made-up language, sat untranslated because the dictionary disappeared along with Bronwyn.

Now in 1952, Clara is a mother and illustrator. She is contacted by Charlie Johnson in London, who claims to have a handwritten dictionary in her mother's lost language. Clara must travel to London to retrieve the dictionary and finally get some answers.

She travels with her asthmatic daughter by boat only to arrive at the start of The Great Smog.

Why Jackie loves it

This book was more than I could have hoped for. It was absolutely captivating from the first word to the last. I listened and read this book at the same time because I could not get enough. I loved the story, but loved it even more when I found out that Bronwyn was based on the life and disappearance of Barbara Newhall Follett. There are also references to Beatrix Potter. This book is a must for any book lover. It reads like a love letter to language.

Hands down one of the best books I have read in years. I wanted to take my time with this book, but also devour it. An absolute gem of a book that I want to buy for all of my friends and family. A huge thank you to NetGalley for the advanced read!

I loved this book. The mystery, the history, the characters!!! It was a great book about how a single action has repercussions for years! Sometimes when you think you are doing the right thing, it hurts the person you are trying to protect the most. There is s great twist and the end of this book that I did not see coming.

Thank you so much to Simon and Shister and Net Galley for this advanced readers copy!

I really enjoyed this book so much! The mystery in this story and book truly kept me on my toes and guessing!! The characters were really well written and I could have kept reading this book even as it came to an end. The location this book is set in, the Lake District in England was beautiful and so picturesque. I love the bits of magic that Patti weaves into the story!

I thought it was really neat too how this book was inspired by a real person, Barbara Newhall Follet.

I think readers that enjoy historical mysteries will really enjoy this book a lot and the authors storytelling! This is my second book by this author and I look forward to reading more of her novels as well!

Clara is an illustrator with an 8 year old daughter Wynnie. (Wynnie is a great character.) Clara's mother wrote a story, she disappeared shortly after a house fire when Clara was about Wynnie's age. But Clara's mother left behind the sequel ... in the language she created. Fast forward several decades and the key to the secret language (and a letter to Clara) is found in the UK and she needs to retrieve it in person. 

Really enjoyable. Also set in 1952 when London had a crazy natural disaster. 4.5 stars, rounding up to 5.

Partial review from about 25% ... The Story She Left Behind, but sometimes I like to post partial reviews as I'm reading (and its my post so I'm doing this one this way). The Story She Left Behind definitely has vibes similar to The Secret Book of Flora Lea (also by Patti Callahan Henry). I know that a LOT of readers loved The Secret Book of Flora Lea, so I'm predicting that they will love The Story She Left Behind as well. But I wasn't completely taken with Flora Lea and gave it 4 stars. I'm liking The Story She Left Behind much more than I liked Flora Lea.

(The Story She Left Behind did take some twists and turns that left me scratching my head, but all in all, very enjoyable.)

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for approving my request to read the advance read copy of The Story She Left Behind in exchange for an honest review. 352 pages, publication date of March 18, 2025.

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!