Another Patti Callahan Henry book to love and adore. This was such a cozy novel with mystery, family and friendship. I absolutely loved the author's note at the end and was so interested in the history of this book and these characters.

Title: The Story She Left Behind
By: Patti Callahan Henry
Pub. Date: March 18, 2025

Genre:
Fiction, Womens, Historical, Mystery, Romance

Trigger warnings:
Abandonment, Deceitfulness, Mental Health

Favorite Quotes:
“The internal landscape of the soul needs to belong to oneself before it can be shared with others. Some creations were for the creator and no one else.”

“I have sewed myself into my secrets and there is nothing to do but live stitched into this world of exile.”

“Something being gone doesn’t remove the want of it.”

Summary/Review:
The most original and unique piece of magical fiction I've ever read!

It’s been years since Clara’s mom disappeared off the South Carolina coast, the vanishing had long lasting effects on Clara’s life. Her mother was a woman with a creative mind who wrote a best selling novel at the age of 12 followed by her own language. Patti Callahan Henry has quickly become a must read author for me! Her distinctive writing is original with deeply layered characters, a whimsical plotline woven with history. This type of writing is unique to Henry, a writer with magic infused historical fiction. With themes of loss, love, family, forgiveness and most importantly, hope, The Story She Left Behind is Simply Brilliant!

Thank you to Patti Callahan Henry, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#TheStorySheLeftBehind
#PattiCallahanHenry
#AtriaBooks
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

Henry is one of those authors who consistently writes very unique books. You can’t put a label on the books she writes. This is true of this imaginative story of a mother who leaves behind linguistic clues to a story she wrote many years ago. Thanks to #NetGalley and #TheStorySheLeftBehind for advanced digital.

Pattie Callahan Henry has once again written a beautiful book with a unique storyline. She takes her readers between South Carolina and London as Clara Fordam searches for her mother that simply disappeared one day. A child should never have to deal with a missing parent, but Clara had to since age eight. Clara never lost her love for her mother whose disappearance was known worldwide as she was a child author prodigy who had left readers in a cliff hanger with her only book. When a man in England calls to say he found a satchel with Browyn's name on it, Clara and her daughter go abroad to see if they can solve the mystery of her disappearance.
I loved the family ties of love in this book. Clara's dad never quit loving his wife and Clara deeply loved her own child even more because of missing her mom. The book is a little slow paced, but worth the read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book thanks to NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

This is a decent historical fiction novel based on a real person and events, mostly in 1952. While I appreciate learning about something I had never heard of before, the great London fog of 1952, this book didn’t “wow” me. The pacing was really slow and I didn’t feel like the characters were ever fully developed.. For instance, I couldn’t get a sense of how Bronwyn was able to publish a novel at age 12 and it seemed like pieces of her childhood story were missing. I did appreciate that the author gave us a fairly detailed account of how she eventually abandoned Clara and disappeared for decades. And it was clear that she wasn’t malicious and that her mental illness played a major role in her decisions. All of this information is pretty well covered in the book’s description and really, not much else happens. The answers to the mystery are slowly revealed and the story is pretty predictable but unfortunately, unrealistic. . Overall, the writing is good and the story is worth reading so I think it deserves a good rating - but nothing stands out either positively or negatively and I think my blah review reflects this.

2.5 Stars

This book mixes historical fiction with a family mystery and has a dual timeline that dragged a bit for me. I love Patti Callahan Henry's style of writing and while her 2023 release The Secret Book of Flora Lea was a book I enjoyed, this one fell a little flat.

I am going to start with what I did like. The author does a great job with the atmospheric descriptions, especially in the earlier timeline. I love how we get to explore the mother-daughter relationships, the secrets families keep and how they can hurt us in the future. I liked that it was inspired by a real-life mystery which added to the intrigue.

What didn't work for me was the slow pace, while the historical sections were interesting the modern take was so slow that it made the pacing uneven. Some of the characters were well-developed and fully fleshed out but others felt two dimensional and were much less compelling. For my tastes, the magical elements were not done very well. I wanted more I think. For the most part, the experience was enjoyable, especially the historical sections. And overall this was an okay read if a bit predictable.

This book weaves a love story with a tale of searching for answers about her mother's disappearance. It follows Clara as she takes a trip to London in search of answers about her mother. While this book does have a romantic relationship, it is so much more than that. You get to see Clara embark on an adventure that she otherwise wouldn't have found herself on. The mystery behind her mother's disappearance definitely keeps you immersed in the story. The storytelling is easy to follow and digestible. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted ARC and finished copy. All opinions are my own.

At this point, I'm not sure I even read the synopsis when Patti Callahan Henry has a new book. I'm gonna read regardless of the what it is about. I loved this one, though! Here is another phenomenal historical fiction set post World War Two that involves a historical event I knew nothing about, the Great London Smog of 1952. Learning about that event led me down quite a rabbit hole. In this case, it serves as more of a jumping off point to get our main characters to the Lake District where much of the drama of the novel takes place. But, the story actually starts in South Carolina (a setting PCH knows very well!) Our main character, Clara, receives a strange phone call from Charlie (the male lead) referencing her long lost mother's famous book. She ends up going London with her daughter, Wynnie to try to unravel the mystery of her mother's disappearance when she was a girl. They arrive just in time for the deadly fog and Charlie gets them safely out of London to his family home in the country. There both Wynnie and Clara come to life, but are also pulled deeper into the mystery behind Clara's mother. It continues to unfold in surprising and poignant ways. All in all, we are treated to a beautiful historical mystery with a dash of romance and a sprinkle of magic. I nearly rated this 5 stars (4.75 is my rating), but there was one minor aspect I struggled with, however, I think that it still really points to the realities of mental illness and its treatment at the time, so I'm not going to let it be too much of a sticking point for me! Of particular joy to me were the references to Beatrix Potter and her works. In this book, she resided in the same village as many of the secondary characters and they knew her well. I grew up with a love for her work, but I especially always dreamed of living in a cottage like the one in the beginning of "The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends." Now my heart is longing to visit Cumbria and see her actual home too!

I was drawn to this based on a real life historical mystery of a famed author genius who disappeared without a trace and the family she left behind.

I can’t tell if I am just not a historical fiction person or the the pacing of the book wasn’t for me. It started strong and then felt really slow for much of the middle.

I am sure many will love this but it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you for the advanced reader copy netgalley and Atria Books.

This book was a slow read for me until you got to the part of the story when they flew to England. I really enjoyed the twists & turns that revealed how the families were connected.

THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND by Patti Callahan Henry contained many of the elements in her earlier The Secret Book of Flora Lea, including dual time periods, setting in England, and a sense of a fairy world/fantasy. In this new novel, Henry introduces Clara Harrington, a young, divorced award-winning illustrator, and her mother, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham, who was famous for publishing a book as a young child, but who disappeared twenty-five years ago when Clara was eight. Clara has a daughter Wynnie, now also eight, and those two travel to London in 1952, searching for news of Clara's mother because Charlie Jameson has found some of her papers after his father's death. Through another quirk of fate, they end up at Charlie's family home in the Lake District, a beautiful setting that reinforces the other-worldliness of this story even though it is based in part on a real person. There are quite a few coincidences and some repetition, but THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND was a Library Reads selection for March and will appeal to readers looking for a bit of mystery and romance combined with introspection about mother-daughter relationships.

4.5

A fantastic must read! "The Story She Left Behind" was set between coastal region of South Carolina and the lake district in England. Young Clara is the daughter of author, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham who wrote a famous book at age 12. Clara's mother disappears off the coast of South Carolina when she is a child with her much anticipated next manuscript. Clara never gives up wanting to know what happened to her mother and her manuscript.
Fast forward, Clara is an adult who is newly divorced with an 8 year old daughter. She has become a famous children's book illustrator. Out of the blue a man from England contacts her that he has some of her moms documents in his recently deceased father's safe. Clara must find out the answers she has been wishing for since her mothers disappearance.

Loved- I loved so many things about this book! I learned about the Great Smog of London and about Beatrix Potter's background. I loved all the Irish history, music and language that was woven throughout the story. I loved how the author delves into strong mother/daughter bonds. The love story was beautifully done.

Dislikes- None!

Overall: Recommend! Buy this gorgeous book for yourself and gift it to a dear friend.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria books for providing me with an ARC.

I enjoyed The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry. This novel is a blend of mystery, family dynamics, and personal discovery. The story follows Clara Harrington, who embarks on a journey to uncover secrets about her mother, a famous author who disappeared years ago. As Clara delves into her mother’s past, the narrative unfolds with intriguing twists and heartfelt moments.

The book is a light read, making it perfect for readers looking for something captivating but not overly heavy. The characters are well-crafted, and the writing is engaging, pulling you into the mystery without overwhelming you with complexity. It’s a story that’s easy to get lost in, with just the right amount of suspense and emotional depth.

If you’re looking for a book that is both enjoyable and thought-provoking, I would definitely recommend The Story She Left Behind. It’s perfect for a relaxing read with a touch of mystery!

* I received an Evan de readers copy from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for my honest review

My rating: 4.5 stars

First book by Patti Callahan Henry and will not be my last! This is my favorite read from March because I don't think anything else will top it. This story weaves family, legacy, heartache, history, and romance together into a beautiful picture and a story I will not soon forget. Patti Callahan Henry's prose is so immersive, I felt like in each of the locations she described: relaxed South Carolina, busy London, and the calming Lake District of England.

The story starts off on the night Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham disappears. She is the main protagonist's mother and former child prodigy writer. The story quickly splits off with two POVs, one set in America the other in England in the 1950s. After discovering a satchel with a secret note and stack of papers, Charles Jameson calls Clara and asks her to make a journey to England to retrieve these papers from her lost mother. This story follows Clara, her daughter Wynnie, and Charles as they battle to leave London during The Great Smog and make their way to the Lake District for safety.

I found this story compelling because not only does it pull from a lot of historical pieces from the 1950s, it focuses on important literary components from the time too, including Beatrix Potter, T.S. Eliot, and the Caldecott Medal. The Story She Left Behind is also loosely based on the real life mystery of the disappearance of the author Barbara Kenob.

My favorite piece I took away from the story was Clara's journey to forgiveness of her mother and understanding herself. She heals a part of her childhood during this story and learns to love herself. Although there is the romantic relationship between Clara and Charles, it is not the main focus. There is also the mysterious disappearance of Bronwyn, but again, this story is so much more than these pieces. I reflected on how I deal with loss and heartache in my past and how I can become a better person in the future for myself and my children.

"Forgiveness is a whisper of possibility, of openness. It is an act of restoration, an active healing, and active empathy."

I'd highly recommend this book if you are looking for a historical fiction with a bit of romance, familial ties, and a mystery element!

Thank you to Atria Books and the author for an ARC and physical copy of the published book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is another beautiful story by Patti Callahan Henry. Her masterful use of language transports the reader right into the story. In this book, we go from South Carolina to London during the Great Smog of 1952 to the Lake District. This is about the relationships between mothers and daughters, finding the right place and people to live your best life and the importance of family. Loved it! Beautiful cover too.

Bronwyn Newcastle is a child prodigy, whose book The Middle Earth is published in 1909, when she is only 12 years old. Bronwyn feels things deeply in her soul, so much so that she makes up her own language to describe things and feelings when the English language can’t describe it well enough. She writes a second book in her special language, but stores it away. As she matures, she eventually falls in love and marries, and has a daughter named Clara, In 1927 when Clara is 8, there is a house fire, and her mother disappears in the middle of the night, taking with her the dictionary of her made-up language. Clara doesn’t understand why her mother left and blames herself, feeling she isn’t enough to hold her mother there.

Years later in 1952, when Clara is living at her the home of her father with her 8 year-old daughter Wynnie, she receives a phone call from a man in London, who says he has her mother’s satchel. He came across it while cleaning out his father’s things, and has never seen it before. Clara feels she must travel to London to find answers to why her mother left. As Clara searches for the truth, she comes to realize what lengths someone will go to to protect those you love. Told in Patti’s beautiful lyrical prose, you don’t want to miss this book! Out now, and I think this is my favorite of hers yet!

Patti Callahan Henry writes another beautifully penned story- poignant, reflective, emotional. The mystery weaves together with historical events (the London smog attack) to create such a satisfying read. In the author's notes, she shares that she takes the real life event of this author who disappeared and created her own version of what happened. So creatively imagined, this book would be given the stamp of approval by the characters she created. Wonderfully done!
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Atria books for the ARC.

This author has never disappointed me. Her books always take me away from the crazy things going on. To an adventure that I keep close to my heart. This book was exceptional. The prose was beautiful and the fact that it is about a girl searching for her mother who was an author... Well that just makes it that much better.

When Clara Harrington receives a strange phone call from a man in London, England she begins to think about the what ifs in her life. The what if her mother had not left. What if her mother is alive somewhere. Or what if she finds out things that she may not want to know. What if she finds out it was her fault her mother left twenty-five years ago. What will she do if she goes to England and finds this man only to have her heart broken....again. Clara has her own daughter now to think about. Her daughter Wynnie is her whole world. And she is the same age Clara was when her mother left.

If there is a chance that her mother is alive somewhere though she wants to know. She wants to find her and find out why she left. Why she abandoned her and her father. So she decides to go to England. Meet Charlie and get what he has to give her. What she doesn't know is this trip will change her life in a huge way. Her's and her daughters. She is divorced from Wynnie's dad and given up on love. But could she find love again? Could it be in a whole other country? And will she find answers to her many questions?

Clara's daughter Wynnie is a very inquisitive child. She's very smart for an eight year old. She has tons of questions about everything. Including her grandmother who she's never met. She has an invisible friend who she swears came to her way before her mother read her the book that her grandmother wrote. She knows things about England. About them finding people there. Finding a life there. Things that to her are meant to be. She is a very bright little girl.

Charlie is only doing what he thinks is right when he calls Clara. He has no idea what lays in store after her and her daughter arrive. How his life and his mother's life will be changed. They are still grieving the loss of his dad. But they have answers that even they didn't know about.

This book is just beautiful. It grabbed me right from the first page. The way this author writes keeps your imagination peaked all the way through. She always writes books that are just filled with magical prose and uplifting endings. This is her best book yet.

Thank you #NetGalley, #AtriaBooks, for this ARC.

This book is beautifully written with quite evocative locations described. The idea of a separate language is magical.
However , I just couldn’t get into the storyline as I felt too many “coincidences” were tying things together.

This book may become my favorite of Patti's books. I didn't want to stop reading. When Bronwyn disappears in 1927, her daughter, Clara will spend the next 25 years wondering what happened. Across the ocean in England, Charlie will find some papers in his late father's study that might lead to the truth about her mother and a possible new life.