25 years ago Clara's mother disappeared. She was eight. Her mother was an artist and an enigma. She was a famous author but her eccentricities were not appreciated in 1927.

Now it's 1952 Clara has her own 8 year old daughter, Winnie. She's an illustrator and teaches art at a local school. They are happy, living with her father. She's divorced because her husband is addicted to gambling.

One day she gets a phone call from a man named Charlie in England. He's found her mom's papers and for unknown reasons, they were in his deceased father's library. Clara and her daughter go to England to retrieve them and solve the mystery.

A mother travels with her daughter from South Carolina to London in the search of her own mother who vanished when she was eight years old. They end up in the Lake District where curious clues shed some light on the mystery. A charming story for young and old - Callahan Henry’s novels are just really enjoyable to read.

WOW! WOW! WOW! This book was so beautifully written. I truly felt like I was in the book. I could see and feel exactly what Patti Callahan Henry described and wrote. The journey that Clara took and the path it led her to was truly magical. I want to live in this story. All the characters felt like home ... like family. Clara and Wynnie. Papa and Bronwyn. Charlie and Pippa. Callum. This is beautiful story of what it means to love and be loved.

This book is one of my top 5 favorite books of all time. This story will stay with me for a very, very long time.

This ARC was provided by the Atria Books eGalley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Once again Patti Callahan Henry has done it. Clara’s mother Bronwyn, a writer, left mysteriously when she was a child and now in 1952 she is raising her daughter Wynnie alone. She has a deep well of feelings about her mother and is contacted by a man in England who has a missing dictionary of fantastical words her mother created. Once there, they experience The Great Smog of London, which was interesting to read about. The story goes on with more discoveries about Clara’s mother and changes in Clara and her way of seeing life. It’s a beautiful story. Well done.

Patti Callahan Henry has done it again. Beautiful characters, and a beautiful setting that is a character in itself. Patti's writing illustrate how literature is an artform. This may be the book that leads me to dedicate an entire section to Patti's books. Brava, Ms. Callahan, brava.

A heartbreaking and spellbinding tale about abandonment and finding yourself. The imagery in this book is worthy of a Caldecott award itself (IYKYK). Set in the English countryside (near Beatrix Potter’s house!!) this story has something for everyone. It’s absolutely beautiful.

You can always count on Patti Callahan Henry to deliver compelling novels with beautiful prose. The Story She Left Behind is no exception. It is a literary mystery based on the true story of a famous child author who goes missing at the age of twenty-five, and includes a historical fiction element. In this case, The Great Smog of London in 1952. The author, called Bronwyn in this novel, disappears when her daughter Clara is only eight years old. In 1952, Clara and her daughter Wynnie, set sail to London to try to see if some missing papers hold the key to translating her mother's last novel, which is written in Bronwyn's secret language, and answers for Clara as to why her mother left. It becomes a quest for discovery, longing, family, love, forgiveness, and creativity. You will love these characters and their adventures. Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Patti Callahan Henry for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a wonderful story! The London setting was so atmospheric and the writing is lovely. The characters are so well developed and the air of mystery that surrounds the book kept me reading.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read it in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This might be Patti Callahan Henry's best book yet! I loved the author's poetic language and use of setting. And the storyline of a daughter trying to find her lost mother tugs at the heartstrings.

4.5 ⭐

Few authors fall under the "auto-buy" category for me, and Patti Callahan Henry is one. In her newest work, The Story She Left Behind, she has captivated me yet again with her stunning prose. 

Just as in her other books, Henry has combined fiction, history, and a touch of beloved literature from olden days, weaving them with her vivid storytelling into something altogether magical. She is a master at painting an atmospheric and rich setting that sweeps the reader away. I found myself wishing to grab my passport and visit this beautiful slice of England that sprung to life through these pages. True to form, The Story She Left Behind blends mystery, romance, and a piece of history, creating a full and well-rounded narrative that will leave lovers of multiple genres enamored by this story. This book truly has it all!

The Story She Left Behind is an enjoyable, whimsical tale about a child prodigy author who, after finding success and then enduring a variety of life traumas, disappears when her daughter is 8. Leaving behind only a manuscript written in her own made up language, Bronwynn is gone with the wind. Her daughter, Clara, now a mother to an 8 year old daughter herself, learns that her mother’s missing dictionary of made up words is found in the possession of a man in England whom she’s never met. The journey to obtain her mother’s dictionary leads her and her asthmatic child to London during the 1952 Great Smog and into a whirlwind mystery to uncover the truth. And maybe more.

I truly enjoyed this story. I did find myself having to remind myself that this is a whimsical fiction as the timeline for certain things seemed very fast, and the emotional reaction of certain characters to the information they learned seemed a bit disproportionate at times. I expected more emotion than what was written, yet at the same time, I feel the importance of what was being told outweighed the “reality” or the “logical” type of response one would give in those situations.

Regardless of certain faults, I did thoroughly enjoy the story. This was my first book by Patti Kallahan Henry, and I am forever grateful to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to ARC read this book. I would definitely recommend this to friends for a light and very enjoyable read.

I was pleased to get an ARC of The Story She Left Behind as I had enjoyed the author’s earlier book The Secret Book of Flora Lea. What worked best for me was the writing about the natural world both in South Carolina and in Cumbria. Some of the magical realism seemed a bit childlike and I struggled to connect with it. There was also a lot of repetition of themes that could have been tightened up a bit. Sometimes it felt like I was reading the same chapter over and over. Overall, a pleasant story but not my personal cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well, Patti Callahan Henry did it again!
In my opinion, she wrote (and published last year) my top favourite historical fiction I read in 2023, and now she does t again: an adorable, heart-warming, cozy and lovely new story.
*I'll write a full review later*
But I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes cozy historical fiction.
Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for providing me with a free eARC of this delightful new novel.

The story she left behind by Patti Callahan Henry is a beautifully written tribute to family and all it can endure,but not break. Based loosely on a true story, it follows Clara, whose mother disappeared 25 years before. She travels across the ocean from America to England to search for a dictionary of her mother’s made up language. She discovers the power of love and the sacrifices someone can make in the name of love
Thank you goodreads and atria books for the chance to read this wonderful book

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry is the fifth book I have read by her. What I love about her books is she takes nuggets from history and weaves beautifully captivating stories. I found it fascinating that this book is partly based on the child prodigy author named Barbara Follet who created her own language, and mysteriously disappeared. Thus, the creation of Bronwyn begins.

When Bronwyn left Clara her eight-year-old daughter with her mysterious leather-bound manuscript, the story spurned me on to find out why she left the cozy town of Bluffton, South Carolina without saying goodbye.
Years later when Clara receives an interesting phone call about her mother’s missing manuscript, the story takes you on a captivating journey to London to hopefully uncover the mystery surrounding her mother’s disappearance.

The story is beautifully written with breath taking moments, stunning descriptions of the scenery, and moving moments of love, forgiveness, and redemption. Patti Callahan Henry has crafted another Five-Star read and I look forward to reading more of her books.

I love this author! Her newest book is based on a true story, a child prodigy who wrote her first and only story at age 12. Flash forward to the character when she is married and has a child and is leaving all behind. Why and what happened to her is the basic of this book. Wonderful characters, terrifc scene developments and a story that will make you cry in parts. A must read and a great choice for a book club.

I was completely blown away by this outstanding and enchanting novel!! Patti Callahan Henry never disappoints!! A wonderful interpretation of a real life author and the mystery surrounding her life

Thank you to NetGallley and Atria Books for an advanced copy of this wonderful novel. Cannot wait for her next novel!!

Just Wow! Patti Callahan Henry has done it again. I hated for it to end! She took a small part of history and made me read it in a day. Her writing story pulls you into the story. I felt like I was there. I don’t want to give any spoilers so all I am going to say is when this book is released go get it! And if you have never read a Patti Callahan Henry book you are missing out. Just Wow!

I liked this book a lot! I loved the mixture of magical realism, romance, historical fiction, and mystery. I enjoyed the characters, the mother daughter relationship, and the pacing of this story too! I like the ending and how things all worked out!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

This story was captivating & delightful! I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the gorgeous setting the touch of magic, a little romance and the mystery that didn't resolve until the last pages. This book is based on a real author/child prodigy who wrote & published book at the young age of 12 and then experienced some tragic events. It takes place during The Great Smog of 1952 in London and this natural disaster provided a lot of action in the plot! I loved getting glimpses into the creativity of authors and illustrators through these characters. I loved the beautiful yet challenging relationships between mothers and daughters that were central to the story. It was fun to see Beatrice Potter woven into the story, one of my childhood favorites! The character of Wynnie was absolutely precious. This author captured the imaginative spirit of a child so perfectly. Bravo! Historical fiction at its best!

This ARC was provided by Atria Publicity via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!