What You Leave Behind

Stunning, breathtaking, mind-blowing! Three words that succinctly capture my emotions during this unputdownable wild ride. It ensnared me from the very first page, keeping me on the edge of my seat, shivering and nervous, urging me to turn the pages faster.

This thrilling tale seamlessly weaves racism, political corruption, and history into spirituality. It takes us on a journey alongside the resilient lawyer, Deena Wood, who has been hit by tragedy like tsunami waves—losing her mother, betrayed by her ex, and ousted from her home, all while being terminated from her job. How much can one person endure? Now, with her tail between her legs, she returns to her hometown of coastal Georgia, Brunswick, where the culture of the Geeche people envelops her like a comforting safety blanket.

Returning to her childhood home becomes confusing when her mother is replaced by Ruth, her mother's best friend, who married her father only six months after burying her mother. She resents her newfound stepmother, blaming herself for failing to piece together the fragments of her shattered life.

A chance encounter with Holcomb Gardner, mistaking her for a realtor trying to take his land, turns Deena's day into a nerve-wracking experience with a barrel pointed at her head. The threats from an old man in a trailer are not the only highlights of her day; she's also pursued by a mysterious car on her return journey. Who is following her? Why does an old man in a trailer claim ownership of a million-dollar land? Which company is trying to take it from him?

While she toils away at her suffocating job to save enough funds to escape her childhood home, Deena's mind remains fixated on the mystery of the missing old man and the suspicious death of her sister. Could they be connected to those who pose a threat to the lives of many townspeople? Why does her own father act as if he's seen a ghost when she mentions the Gardners? She delves deeper not just for herself but for the townies who risk losing everything inherited from their ancestors.

Deena senses the clinking shackles of the brave Igbo people who chose death over slavery by walking into Dunbar Creek. She feels indebted to shed light on a massive corruption for her own "dayclean": a fresh start!

This epic and thought-provoking story of the Geeche people will linger in my mind and heart for a long time. It stands as one of the marvelous works of 2024! Don't miss this amazing read deserving more than five stars!

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this epic book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

5 Stars!! This exceeded my expectations.
The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

The tale starts when Deena returns to her childhood house in Brunswick, Georgia. She wants peace and a new beginning. But, her dreams of a calm escape are ruined when she accidentally finds the seaside land of a hidden widower. She doesn’t know this meeting will send her on a scary route filled with risk and mystery.

Morris is good at connecting her characters’ problems with more significant societal matters. Deena’s journey to find out why the widower went missing showed that illegal land stealing and turning old poor village areas into new places happened. Deena bravely works for justice and symbolizes hope in her community. She battles against powerful and dark forces.

Morris’ clear pictures of the seaside of Georgia make a lovely setting for the story. They put readers deeply into the exciting past and culture of that place. Morris pays close attention to details, making the location feel real. This added depth to the story. The Geechee people and their ways are easily connected to the story, giving a unique and authentic view.

“What You Leave Behind” is an exciting book that makes you think. It has parts of mystery, opinions about society, and how people can improve themselves. Wanda Morris tells a great story that keeps people reading and caring about what will happen next. It’s hard to stop reading her book. This book has solid ideas and great characters. It will make a deep impression on people after reading it.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Another great book by Wanda Morris! Expertly written and a book which sheds light on areas of our past and present which needs to be brought to light. This book kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the story would unravel and come together at the end. As with "Anywhere You Run," I loved learning about a piece of history, especially a piece of my home state's history, which I knew nothing about prior to reading. Wanda is skilled at weaving in the past, present, and future into the story line in such a dynamic way. She writes with passion and draws you deeply into the life of the characters so that you care deeply about them and what happens to them throughout the book. Can't wait for more from this author!

I have always been interested in reading about the Geechee-Gullah and grabbed this book immediately. Like many stories hitting the news now, there is a focus on the rights of the people and the land that they live on currently and in the past. Morris creates a clear view of the community while including a bit of the gothic taste in spirits and hauntings.

Deena Woods is a scrappy lawyer about to enter her 40th year. She has returned home after an upsetting divorce that has pierced her heart and made her question her own judgement. In her family home she is forced to confront the woman her father married 6 months after the death of her beloved mother and work a soul-sucking job at a local business. But when Deena runs into an unknown man she cannot let go of the feeling of foreboding that she experienced. Before long she is pulling at threads and following a long and twisted trail uncovering a redevelopment plan that hurts the entire community.

Along the way there is plenty of family drama and complex characters to pull you in. I greatly enjoyed the history and the contemporary information on the area. I also enjoyed that our protagonist was not helpless or hapless. I would love to befriend Deena and hope to read her again!
#whatyouleavebehind #wandammorris
#willimamorrow

Wanda M. Morris is steadily becoming one of my go-to authors. Her storytelling prowess is truly exceptional, showcasing a remarkable gift for narrative. In this particular book, we follow the journey of Deena, a recently divorced woman in her 30s who finds herself at rock bottom, diligently working to reclaim the life she deserves. Amidst the backdrop of her mother's passing, she moves back in with her father, navigating a neighborhood undergoing gentrification with the repeated plea, "Don’t sell grandma’s home!"

The novel resonates strongly with the ongoing gentrification affecting predominantly Black neighborhoods. It sheds light on the poignant reality that homes purchased and settled into during the 1950s and beyond are now being sold as the original owners pass away, often leaving their children land rich but cash poor.

I found immense enjoyment in every aspect of this book—the compelling narrative, the endearing characters (especially Deena’s father and uncle), and the added dimension of the paranormal elements that breathed a refreshing air into the story.

I will be recommending this book to everyone who will listen. Thanks @netgalley for the digital ARC.

Wanda M. Morris does it again with her new magnificently haunting thriller. From start to finish, this book does not disappoint with all its twists and turns. Keeps you guessing until the end!

First and foremost, thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC for an honest review!

"What You Leave Behind" is a force to be reckoned with in all of the best ways. I was enthralled reading this book and found it so difficult to put down from the moment I started to read it. As a thriller, this book is great. What makes it incredible is the fact that it takes something that I knew very little about and that is a real-world issue, and uses it to its fullest extent to show how the decisions of the rich and powerful so frequently rob the rest of us of our power.

This book is aptly named, with its focus on legacy, heirs, property, and generational wealth. All of that comes together in a plot driven by an insidious and realistic mystery, boosted by the strong characters that Morris created. Deena is a fantastic protagonist and the world that she inhabits feels real and grounded, which allows for the story to develop in a way that feels natural. It asks the reader to consider the way that opportunities for generational wealth have been stolen from Black communities for centuries, and asks it in a way that just so happens to be thrilling to read.

The book is also aptly named due to its focus on new beginnings, with Deena having come out of a divorce and essentially having to start over in life, while trying to leave behind a lot of the hurt and pain she has been through. In this aspect, the book becomes a very strong character-driven story, with Deena and those in her life becoming easy to care about and easy to root for.

All in all, I highly recommend this book to any fan of thrillers, but also as a fictional book that might actually provide a touch of education!

Wanda Morris does it again--grabbed my attention with a killer premise and kept me guessing the whole time I was reading. Couldn't put this one down!

Deena Wood has lost her mother, her job and her cheating husband. She returns to her hometown and ends up investigating murder. With the help of her father and uncle she uncovers a scheme to steal property from home owners who have very little. Will she be able to stop the forces at play before she becomes their next target. I had a hard time putting this book down. I highly recommend it.

Thank you for the ARC William Marrow Books.

This was my first book from Wanda Morris and overall I truly enjoyed it. I love the spotlight on the issues that blacks have dealt with and how it basically goes on to this day. I love that she uses her literature to bring forth the issues.

I really liked the characters in this story. The story was a bit slow for me in the beginning but I feel like it when it picked up it really picked up. Deena was irritating to me in certain parts just because stuff would happen and she wouldn't remember to tell the people that actually mattered. Somethings just went on longer than they should. She was so stubborn but we all are at some point.

Once the book picks up it really gets good. Secrets, Deceit, Betrayal, Suspense, Murder, and Rekindled love is what you find. I loved the book and would read again.

Deena has had a rough time between her mother passing away, a divorce and losing a job at a prestigious law firm. She heads back home to her dad and his new wife to try to find her next step in life. While doing this, she stumbles upon a mystery that consists of murder, secrets and people losing land that has been in their families for generations.

I really enjoyed reading this book, the beginning started a little slow but soon enough I was eager to see what would happen next. I loved most of the characters, and wanted to see them win. I really enjoyed the low country setting and getting to learn about the Gullah Geechee culture. I wasn’t expecting the paranormal bits of this book, but still enjoyed them. This book definitely makes you think about some social issues also. It was a great read!!


Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Wanda M. Morris read, but it definitely won’t be my last.

What You Leave Behind was a strong thriller with just a hint of spiritual and supernatural elements that I loved and felt added to the atmosphere and suspense of the novel. There was some great tension that continued to build as Deena’s story unraveled, and Morris was great at teasing that suspense out and helping it last for the reader. I never felt bored or disinterested in where the story was going, and I honestly can’t say that for all thrillers.

The setting and voice of the novel were probably my favorite parts however, as Georgia and the South as a whole (with its incredibly painful and racist history… and present) featured prominently in the plot and in helping provide framework for the story. As a Georgia native, I was really impressed with how Morris captured the feeling of living in the South, the hospitality and hypocrisy that go so hand in hand.

Morris also brought a beautiful cadence and naturalness to the dialogue between characters that I found comforting and familiar. A few times while I was reading I felt like I was sitting at my own grandmother’s table listening to family members talk over a great southern meal.

I also was really interested in learning about the heirs property laws and how developers and corporations use the system to take people’s homes and land away from them, yet another example of the deep seated and systemic racism that puts so many people of color and impoverished people at an even greater disadvantage. This element of the story was well woven and felt necessary and important; it was clear this was a topic Morris researched and cared deeply about.

I highly recommend What You Leave Behind to readers looking for a different and unique thriller that has themes around social justice, racism, grief, loss, and family.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Filled with tension and suspense, this page turner taught me so much about the treachery that exists going back to Reconstruction and persisting still today. Life for attorney Deena Wood is not going well. Recently divorced, fired from her high powered job and grieving the loss of her mother, Deena returns to her childhood home in coastal Brunswick, Georgia where her father and his new wife live. Not satisfied in her current job, Deena often finds herself leaving the office and taking long drives through the city and coastal communities. On one of these excursions, she finds herself on a beautiful piece of property where she is greeted by a gun toting man named Holcomb Gardner who is convinced she is there with threats to force him off the land that has belonged to his family since the end of the Civil War. As Deena starts to unravel the murderous, criminal actions of the company “stealing” the homes and property of poor Black people who are rightly trying to hang tight to their homes against the threats, she herself becomes a target. With themes of racism and political and institutional corruption against the survivors of the Geechee African slaves, this story will take you on an action packed experience that will open your mind to the inequities that still exist in our society today.

Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow and Wanda M. Morris for giving me the good fortune to read this exceptional book that filled my desire to be entertained and educated by what I read. Publication date: June 18th

Ok I'll admit it took me a while to get into this book. I'm not sure if it was how culture rich it was or my lack of knowledge in the culture or if it was just my chaotic life. Once I got into it the story flowed really good and I stayed up into the late hours reading to finish this story. I learned so much about the culture and history that lies in Georgia and now I truly want to visit the state. The story kept me on the edge of seat trying to figure out who was responsible for the deaths of Delilah and Holcomb and as a dog lover I'm so happy Trooper found his way back to people who would truly love him like Holcomb did at the end! Great story and I'll be looking for more books from you Wanda Morris to add to my knowledge of your people as well as for the story you write! Thank you Harper Collins and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

In the beginning, I thought this was a fine read. Oof – that’s like a death knell word, isn’t it? It’s…fine. Happily, it turned into: It’s great!

And, seriously, it’s a great read. I adored Deena and her father and poor Ruth. (Oh, I loved Ruth. She was so good and meant so well!)

And while the story starts a little slowly, it definitely ramps up into a tale of murder, greed, and the terrible things we do to others. At times, I was enraged.

I completely adored the parts of Gullah Geechee culture and legend we learned and, honestly, before I knew it this ‘fine’ read turned into a book I didn’t want to put down!

I ended up enjoying it tremendously and would read the author again in a heartbeat.

• ARC via Publisher

4.5 stars rounded up. This is my first book by Wanda Morris, but it won’t be my last. I really enjoy her writing style. She has an amazing way of creating realistic characters and completely believable plots. Deena Wood is having a tough time – she has recently lost her job, her marriage and her Mom, and finds herself back in her hometown trying to pick up the pieces. She makes an unexpected discovery after driving to a remote part of town, and this sets her on a journey that uncovers some things that other people in the town do not want revealed. What follows is a race to find answers before danger finds her. If you enjoy fast-paced crime fiction with a healthy dose of character-building, then this books is for you.

This is a very powerful story that intrigues you in beginning as you can’t wait to see happens next.

Deena Wood is heart broken after the passing of her mother, then her husband asks for divorce and kicks her out, then she looses her job in prestigious law firm. She must return to her childhood home in Brunswick, Georgia and live with her father.

She has an encounter with Holcomb Gardner where he threatens her to get off his land and not return. He tells her he will not sell his land. She goes back later only he is gone. Now she thinks something strange is going on and starts to dig into the history of the family and property. She is like a dog with a bone tenacious to discover the truth. The way the police treated her was heart breaking and you could feel her frustration radiate off the page as no one would listen or take her seriously.

Deena finds herself caught between wanting to help others and worried she has put her whole family in danger. Should she stop or keep going and help the community?

What I enjoyed most is how Morris shared about the Gullah-Geechee people and their history and beliefs. It gets a little spooky with the ancestors but just so interesting. She brings in information that will shock and anger you, add in some scandals, corruption, racism and you get so invested the book flies by.

I learned so much reading this book I can’t recommend enough..

What You Leave Behind
by Wanda M. Morris
Pub Date: June 18, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Award-winning author Wanda Morris returns with a powerful, haunting thriller following a lawyer who after the mysterious disappearance of a local landowner and the death of his sister just months before, uncovers a conspiracy that dates back to Reconstruction and persists in half the United States today.
I have always been interested in reading about the Geechee-Gullah and grabbed this book immediately. Like many stories hitting the news now, there is a focus on the rights of the people and the land that they live on currently and in the past. Morris creates a clear view of the community while including a bit of the gothic taste in spirits and hauntings.

"What You Leave Behind" is an exciting book that makes you think. It has parts of mystery, opinions about society, and how people can improve themselves. Wanda Morris tells a great story that keeps people reading and caring about what will happen next. It's hard to stop reading her book. This book has solid ideas and great characters. It will make a deep impression on people after reading it!

This book was so good; it’s the type of thriller that perfectly blends history, suspense, drama, and complex characters and stories! I loved Deena’s story and how the town’s past unravelled around her. This is the type of book I’ll think about for a long time, chilling and powerful. 5 stars and very much recommend!

What You Leave Behind by Wanda M Morris

384 Pages
Publisher: William Morrow, William Morrow Paperbacks
Release Date: June 18, 2024

Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Multicultural Interest, Mystery, Thrillers

Deena Woods is an attorney. She had a series of unfortunate events. Her mother died, she lost her job, and her husband asked for a divorce. Afterwards, she moved back to Brunswick, Georgia, to her childhood home where her father and stepmother live. While out walking, she meets an older man, Holcomb Gardner, who believes she is trying to steal his land. Now he is missing and presumed dead. His sister, Delilah, was involved in a hit and run incident, but the police were not interested in looking into it. Deena finds their next of kin, Rae, a young woman with no real knowledge of what is happening. She was unaware her grandmother had a brother and does not fully trust Deena. There is a real estate scam with a company buying interest in houses and then forcing people out of their homes. Deena has a plucky attitude and does not want to stop investigating before she gets to the bottom. This puts not only herself in harm’s way but loved ones as well.

The book has a fast pace, the characters are well developed, and it is written in the first-person point of view. I learned about heirs property. This refers to a property that has been in a family for generations without having a legally designated owner. Ownership can be fractured or divided between relations.

I just finished reading the novel 'What You Leave Behind' and I must say, it left me completely blown away. If you're a fan of mystery and thriller genres, then this book is an absolute must-read. The author's storytelling skills are nothing short of captivating, and I found myself unable to put the book down.

The plot of the book is rich and multilayered, with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Every chapter was packed with surprises that left me wanting more. What I found particularly impressive about this novel was the depth of the characters and how their stories were woven so seamlessly into the central mystery.

Wanda M. Morris has done an excellent job of bringing each character to life and making them feel real, with their own unique quirks and personality traits. I found myself becoming emotionally invested in their stories and rooting for them throughout the book.

Overall, I cannot recommend this novel enough to anyone looking for a thrilling and thought-provoking read. Trust me, you won't be disappointed!

In her latest novel, Wanda M. Morris has once again captivated me with her gripping storytelling in the mystery/thriller genre. After falling in love with her debut novel "All Her Little Secrets," I was eagerly anticipating her newest release and she did not disappoint. Morris's writing style is engaging and her characters are vividly portrayed, drawing readers in from the very first page.

Filled with unexpected twists and turns, I found myself constantly guessing as I delved deeper into the story. The addition of a paranormal element only added to the excitement and intrigue, keeping me on the edge of my seat until the very end. Morris's attention to detail and expertly crafted narrative made me feel as though I was right there in the thick of the action.

I am thrilled to add this latest novel to my bookshelf and eagerly await Morris's next thrilling adventure. Fans of mystery and suspense should not miss out on this captivating read.

Thank you to Willam Marrow and Netgalley for the ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.

“Gullah-Geechee. We were strong and resilient. Still are.”

As soon as I saw Geechee, I knew I had to read it. Growing up in the South Carolina Low Country, Gullah-Geechee is in my blood. It’s who I am. It’s in my DNA.

This book was messier than a hog pen after a hard rain and a king tide. And I loved every minute of it. There’s nothing like a little family drama mixed with mystery. This was my first book by Wanda Morris and I ate it up. I am adding more of her books to my reading list and letting everyone know that they need to read this book.

Wanda Morris has become a go to read for me. I enjoy the contemporary issues and settings she writes about in addition to the mystery element. Keep writing!

A thrilling story that kept my attention from the beginning to the end! I learned a lot about how big companies take property away from poor people especially minorities.

Deena returns home after her divorce. She is living with her father and his new wife after the death of her mother. She stumbles onto a murder of a woman and the disappearance of a brother. Her father tells her to leave it alone but she can’t. The suspense kept building. You will definitely want to put this on TBR list!

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow books for an advance digital copy to read and review.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC.

What a great book!! This one had me hooked from page one. I could not put it down. Great story and plot and it had me guessing the entire time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions..

"What You Leave Behind" is a fast paced and tense legal thriller with a lens towards social justice. Morris has crafted a story that not only entertains but also educates readers about the billion dollar legal issue surrounding Heir Property Law which specifically targets landowners, particularly Black families, Hispanic populations in Southwest America, Indigenous communities in the West, and communities living throughout the Appalachia, who are land-rich and cash poor. The plot is balanced with a tight-knit mystery and Deena's journey of grieving the loss of her mother and starting her life over after a nasty divorce. I also enjoyed learning about the culture of the Geeche people and the incorporation of spirituality in alternating chapters that were used effectively in creating a supportive ambience. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy legal thrillers, but also want to learn something new.

This book was heart breaking and suspenseful. This is the second book I have read this year about heirs property. It was something I had never heard of before this year. It’s another insidious way to steal land. Highly recommend reading this book for not just the entertainment but the education.

In "What You Leave Behind" by Wanda M. Morris, I found myself deeply immersed in a poignant journey of love, loss, and the enduring power of forgiveness. Morris crafts a narrative that resonates with authenticity, portraying the complexities of human relationships with remarkable depth and sensitivity. As the protagonist navigates the aftermath of tragedy, I was moved by the raw emotion and profound insights woven throughout the story. With its richly drawn characters and evocative prose, "What You Leave Behind" is a beautifully rendered exploration of redemption and the resilience of the human spirit. Morris's heartfelt storytelling left a lasting impression on me, reminding me of the importance of embracing life's joys and sorrows alike.

After her mother dies and her marriage falls apart shortly afterwards, Deena is forced to return to her childhood home in Brunswick Georgia. Home doesn’t quite feel like home since her father has remarried her mom’s best friend. She finds herself taking a drive to clear her head and stumbles upon an old widower who mistakes her for a realtor trying to steal his land. Deena begins looking into the man’s claims and realizes something insidious is happening in her hometown.

Wanda M. Morris weaves together history and suspense in such a unique way. Her characterizations are excellent. I was rooting for Deena, she was incredibly relatable as she rebuilt her life after the death of her mother. The story starts off a little on the slower side but it really ramps up halfway through and becomes unputdownable (my favorite bookish word)!

INTERVIEW: Stay tuned for my #AuthorElevatorSeries Chat with Wanda, where we go behind the scenes of WHAT WE LEAVE BEHIND and this award-winning author (June 19).

Bestselling author Wanda Morris returns following Anywhere You Run and All Her Little Secrets with her latest topical and powerful thriller, WHAT YOU LEAVE BEHIND.

The mysterious disappearance of a local landowner sparks a tenacious lawyer on a quest for justice and uncovers a deadly mystery that could ruin her coastal hometown. A conspiracy going back years in this moving multi-generational story of family, legalities, rights, heirs' property, community, grief, and injustices.

Deena Wood, a lawyer grappling with profound personal upheavals, including the loss of her mother, her marriage, and her esteemed position at an Atlanta law firm, seeks solace in her childhood home in coastal Brunswick, Georgia, and the loving Geechee people. On top of this, she is forced to deal with the woman her father married six months after the death of her mother.

However, she encounters some disturbing events when she stumbles upon the oceanfront property of a loner widower who has been fighting to keep the multi-generational land in the family since the end of the Civil War. He thinks she is a realtor or works for a developer and threatens her with leaving his land and not returning. Shortly thereafter, he goes missing, and his property is quickly put up for sale.

Deena thinks something is suspicious and starts digging into the history, discovering that their family legacy is part of the conspiracy. A deadly game of illegally taking over land and property redevelopment, especially in the poor and rural communities.

Deena soon becomes immersed in this nightmare—a scheme threatening her community and family. How are these events connected? She must do what it takes to stop innocent people from losing their land and their family's legacies.

WHAT YOU LEAVE BEHIND is an essential and powerful book and a hot topic of today about heirs' property, which targets the blacks, poor, rural, urban, and other areas. From manslaughter, fraud, greed, and a desire for wealth had come at the cost of lives and destruction of the community.

Wanda beautifully writes of the Gullah-Geechee community, located in Georgia's low country. This community is rich in culture and threatened by developers trying to use their heirs' property to scoop up land. The land is valuable; some families have handed it down for years. It is now being snatched away by greedy developers who want to turn it into resort properties and more.

I enjoy how the author writes about important and timely issues and themes that make you think and how we can participate and be a part of the solution and its legalities, as she mentions.

Inspiring, thought-provoking, and rich in history, with a cast of well-developed characters that will linger long after the book ends. I also enjoyed how the author sprinkled "Interstitial" sections and letters from the mother to Deena were spellbinding. The journey of the main character and her road to self-discovery was empowering, discovering she was stronger than she knew.

"Grief is love, repackaged in longings and despair. But after the emptiness of it all wears off, the love remains."

Please read the Afterword, which explains the inspiration behind the novel and the resources available. Heirs' property refers to a home or land that passes from generation to generation without a legally designated owner. Historically, an unstable form of ownership has made it easy for developers to acquire the property. When multiple people own the land, they can convince just one heir to sell their fractional share of the property and force a court-ordered partition sale of the entire property even if the other owners are against it.

HEIRS' PROPERTY: It is also imperative to know that when a person owns property with an unclear title, it is difficult to secure mortgages and loans to make improvements, thereby limiting the family's ability to build generational wealth. Some of these folks are rich in land but cash-poor. Some of these folks need access to tax and estate planning services, but there are non-profit organizations that can assist them.

Meticulously researched, the author tackles difficult topics and the fallout for real people and our communities. This topic is essential and timely, fascinating, and needs more awareness. I am delighted to see authors addressing it in their fiction and nonfiction books and how families are affected.

“This powerful, haunting topical novel combines the best of Southern, Gothic, legal, mystery, suspense, historical, family drama, crime thriller, literary, paranormal elements, and more... A MUST-READ!”

WHAT YOU LEAVE BEHIND, and all the author's books are highly recommended.

If you enjoyed WHAT YOU LEAVE BEHIND, I highly recommend reading John Grisham's Camino Ghosts, Terah Shelton Harris' Long After We Are Gone, and Brea Baker's Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership (all 2024). These four books also feature and highlight heirs' property.

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for a digital advanced reading copy for an honest review. #CoverCrush

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 18, 2024
June 2024 Must-Read Books
June Featured #AuthorElevatorSeries

US pub date: 6/18/24
Genre: suspense/mystery
Quick summary: Deena leaves behind her life as a lawyer in Atlanta for a fresh start at home in coastal Georgia. But all is not well in her hometown - a mysterious company is buying up property from the longtime residents, and Deena is determined to find out how and why.

This is the third of what I'm calling "social justice-themed suspense novels" from Morris, and if you haven't read one yet, you should catch up! I loved how Deena put her personal struggles aside to fight for her town, trying to keep her fellow residents in their houses despite the attempted land grabs. There's a really strong sense of place here - both in the descriptions of the landscape and the spirits who help guide Deena. This story hooked me, and the twists at the end were so good! If you're headed to the beach and looking for a book with a bit more depth than the typical beach read, definitely try this one!

Thank you to William Morrow and @thoughtsfromapage podcast for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This talented author has written a novel of intrigue and mystery. The setting is almost a character. The realistic characters keep the story moving quickly. I like this author. Enjoy the journey of this book. Thanks Netgalley.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 “Perhaps that’s the way life is. You don’t just deal with one bad thing at a time. Life throws a stream of adversities at you with no break in between. Ma used to call it a season.” Wanda Morris very eloquently shares the sentiment of when it rains, it pours. She beautifully illustrates the spectrum of human emotions in her newest novel, What You Leave Behind. The book is vividly descriptive and so alluring that her writing draws the reader in from the very beginning. When Deena returns to her low country home after losing her mother and a divorce, life seems much slower but strange things begin to happen that make her question what could be lurking around this quiet town. A brilliant statement on the impact we leave, the legacy we create, and an homage to generations before. This thrilling mystery is written with so much heart and balanced with a gripping plot that will land this as a top read for this summer!


5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review is posted on Goodreads and final review will be on Instagram ahead of the publication date.

A young lawyer ends up dealing with personal and professional tragedy and goes back home. She is mistaken for a realtor and finds a new case to work on. I loved how suspenseful this book was and how it was law based with the thrilling parts. Legacy and law is always a fun subject to write about you can tell the author really put the knowledge from her job into this piece of writing. I really enjoyed it. Also that cover is beautiful and I love it.

I love the way Wanda M. Morris unravels mysteries. She always keeps the reader on their toes but has so much respect for the reading experience. Some mysteries and thrillers feel far-fetched but the premise of this book is so frighteningly rooted in reality, every moment was believable. Podcast review to come.

Yaaaaas. Completely devoured this mystery. Could. Not. Put. It. Down.

This is my first read from this author, but won’t be my last. I’m excited to see she has a couple of titles on the backlist already out.

This is my second book by Wanda M. Morris, and she did not disappoint. Did I read it in one day? Yes, yes I did. Definition of a page-turner. I kept trying to figure out who the ghost was and why it was who it was never dawned on me, idk. All the people implicated were suspected but the last one? I wanted to throw the book because I never would’ve guessed. That plot twist was plot twisting.

Experiencing death, divorce, and professional failure, Deena has had a rough year. Grieving, she drives to an island off the Georgia coast to find solace, only to be threatened at gunpoint when a local landowner thinks she is a trespasser working for predatory land developers. The next time Deena returns to the island, the same property is for sale and the landowner nowhere in sight. As Deena attempts to resolve the mysteries of the missing landowner and the property’s current ownership, she uncovers secrets not only within her town and family but also within cultural power structures that have been haunting American families for generations.

Put this in your beach bag because this book is pure entertainment. It’s easy to read and will keep you turning the pages. While I recommend it for its sheer entertainment value, it also explores some legal issues that will probably surprise many readers and, thus, make for great book club discussions.

Death, greed, and murder are at the heart of this complex tale of intrigue that had me immersed in all aspects, quickly becoming a page-turner. Deena’s return home came with tension from within her family and her community and the author’s voice propelled this drama dealing with societal concerns that claimed a stake in the telling of this tale. The suspenseful nature of this story with its well-defined mystery kept me in the game. The visually descriptive narrative with its engaging dialogue and a setting that was made real came through, putting me in the middle of all the action as I rooted for Deena. When I thought I had a handle on what was going, the author changed directions with a few strategically placed twists, some I didn’t see coming, all to enhance my reading pleasure. The pacing was on par with how well this story was being told. Overall, this was an excellent and masterful story from Ms. Morris.

Wanda M. Morris has a great feel for the complicated relationships and emotions that tie families and communities together. She weaves a compelling story of communal loss in the mystery/thriller "What You Leave Behind" through the main character, Deena Wood, who is grieving over her own immediate personal and professional life calamities. Readers will empathize with Deena's realistic hodgepodge of contradictory emotions that emerge as a result of the loss of her mother and regret over poor life decisions. While I thought the plot development in the first half of the book could have been quicker, by the second half the progress of significant events and character evolution were paced nicely. There were plenty of sneaky plot twists and surprises that kept me wanting to find out what happened. This was a quick and satisfying read. Thanks to Cindy Burnett from Thoughts from a Page and NetGalley for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC!

This author does NOT miss‼️ If you’ve never read any books by Morris I beg you to get into it ASAP. The way she crafts her stories to tackle real life issues offers a narrative that is thrilling, authentic, and thought-provoking. This one was a when not minding your business goes wrong but works in your favor in the end type vibe.

The novel follows Deena Wood’s returning to her hometown in Brunswick, Georgia after the loss of her mother and a nasty divorce. Returning home should’ve been a fresh start for Deena. But when she has a hostile encounter with Holcomb Gardner after trespassing on his land.

Her presence puts him in defense mode because she’s unaware Holcomb’s been in a constant battle over the ownership of his property. Threatening her never to return provokes Deena to do a little snooping. But when she discovers Holcomb’s gone missing, his property is now up for sale, and his sister died a few months back Deena gets suspicious and suspects foul play. Digging through thick layers of lies, secrets in the family, and illegal land grabs that date back to Reconstruction. Deena is in a race against time to uncover the truth before it’s too late and she too may become a victim.

Exploring how heirs properties have become a serious problem in low income black and brown communities there’s so much you can learn from this book. We even get a glimpse of a spiritual entity that kind of assists and protects Deena along the way.

Overall, I loved the book with its vivid depictions and complex characters tension rises with each chapter. If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller, with a compelling plot, and a strong FMC this the one. Special thanks to the author @wandamorris & the publisher @williammorrowbooks for my gifted copy‼️

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this advance copy in exchange for a honest review.

WOW! Another hit by Wanda M Morris. I was rooting for Deena the entire story. I wanted her to get to the bottom of the mystery! What a great mystery/thriller that ties in some real life themes like corruption, displacement and gentrification. Can't wait to read more from this author.

Deena is like many middle-aged women who have to reinvent themselves after a divorce. In her case, she ends up back at home with her father and his new bride.

Not only is she healing from divorce, she is also dealing with her mother's death and the loss of her job in Atlanta.

As the story begins, you learn something is amiss in Brunswick. Soon, you join a bumpy ride as Deena uncovers hidden truths and a plot to exploit some of the most vulnerable in her area.

Overall, this was an engaging story that tackles an important issue in our world - illegal land grabs and property redevelopment in poor and rural communities.

This is the first title I've read by Wanda Morris and I can see it won't be the last.

I have some of the worst sleep habits ever. And there are just some authors that make it worse, but in a good way ( as a matter of fact, I'll probably be taking a nap by the time you read this). I went to sleep around 3:30 this morning, and could only get a few hours in before i couldn’t sleep anymore, because of these characters. I could not rest until I knew what happened to the characters. (Now mind you, I was at 80% when I tried to our the book down). This book was absolutely such a ride. It also covers a topic that happens a lot in minority community, and especially black ones. Although she didn't originally know it, Deena was destined for this assignment and was not alone. Not only did she have her family’s help, but she was unknowingly guided by the ancestors. And it makes me want to know more about the Gullah region. I've read many good books this year, and so far this one tops all of them. I have yet to read a book by this author that I not only enjoyed, but gleaned some unknown information to me. It was brilliantly executed and I loved and enjoyed every minute of this ride.

I loved this book!! What an absolutely captivating thriller this is! Deena Woods is a lawyer whose life has been in a downward spiral. She has lost her mother, her job, her home, and her marriage to a cheating spouse. She returns to her childhood hometown, looking for a new beginning. As she adjusts to life in her girlhood bedroom, with her loving father and his new wife, and a job that barely utilizes her skills as a lawyer, she takes a wrong turn on rural road and finds herself confronted by a man who thinks she wants to steal his home. When he disappears a few days later, Deena is determined to discover what happened to him, and finds herself in the midst of web of fraud, deceit and murderous intentions. Wanda Morris has created a marvelously complex plot and characters that drew me in from beginning to end! She touches on many current social issues, including the little-known heir's property law that still persists today in much of our country. I was completely blown away by the ramifications of this law. The incorporation of the Geechee people and the haunting history of the Igbo people added much to the story, as did the beautiful, mystical Interstitial sections of the book. While this is a quite exciting and mysterious thriller, it also is a book with love and hope, and new beginnings that will long live in my memory. A huge thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book. The opinions of my review are my own.

What You Leave Behind may be a thriller - but it is so much more than that! This author tackled serious topics and raises awareness to soo many controversial issues...racism, political injustice, history, spirituality, grief and depression. The final product is beautifully executed and inspiring!

Deena Wood's is a middle aged lawyer who has been forced to move back to the small childhood town she thought she escaped following a cascade of emotional blows. She lost her mother, her marriage, her home, her job and her friends. Deena is struggling just to keep one foot in front of the other, working a dead-end job and living in her old bedroom with her father and his new wife.

A chance encounter with a local loner, Holcomb Gardner, lands Deena in the middle of a nightmare family struggle. As a woman who has never been able to leave well enough alone, Deena gets sucked into learning more about the situation. When Holcomb goes missing, Deena is like a dog with a bone and becomes determined to find out what happened to the old man. The police are no help. Her father keeps telling her to leave it alone. But Deena can't and soon she finds herself in a system-wide controversy that effects every person she knows. This also lands her in the crosshairs of some incredibly dangerous people. Deena must pull on her inner strength, those around her and the love of her ancestors to get to the bottom of the mayhem with her life.

I adored how the author showcased the Geechee-Gullah culture and history. She did a fabulous job making the story both educational and interesting. I had legit goosebumps on more than one occasion. The pacing was a bit slow for me in the beginning but once things started to stack up - I was pulled in hook, line and sinker! The writing style was polished, the characters relatable, the plot full of twists and mysteries. Overall, I rated this a 5 star and would recommend it to anyone to read!

This started off a bit slower than Morris's previous titles, but once I got into it, I was completely sucked in. I appreciated learning about the Gullah Geechee culture and the Low Country setting. It was very rich in description and atmosphere. I love all of Morris's books and this has her signature effortless storytelling with compelling relatable characters. The paranormal elements were totally unexpected but it helped frame the story. Interestingly, I just started another book about heirs property law and generational wealth. A very timely topic!

I loved everything about "What You Leave Behind", by Wanda M. Morris, and I plan to read her other books, because this was so good. This story is a stunning, blow your mind thriller, this is a book that I won't forget.