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Table of Contents
About The Book
In 1927, eight-year-old Clara Harrington’s magical childhood shatters when her mother, renowned author, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham, disappears off the coast of South Carolina. Bronwyn stunned the world with a book written in an invented language that became a national sensation when she was just twelve years old. Her departure leaves behind not only a devoted husband and heartbroken daughter, but also the hope of ever translating the sequel to her landmark work. As the headlines focus on the missing author, Clara yearns for something far deeper and more insatiable: her beautiful mother.
By 1952, Clara is an illustrator raising her own daughter, Wynnie. When a stranger named Charlie Jameson contacts her from London claiming to have discovered a handwritten dictionary of her mother’s lost language. Clara is skeptical. Compelled by the tragedy of her mother’s vanishing, she crosses the Atlantic with Wynnie only to arrive during one of London’s most deadly natural disasters—the Great Smog. With asthmatic Wynnie in peril, they escape the city with Charlie and find refuge in the Jameson’s family retreat nestled in the Lake District. It is there that Clara must find the courage to uncover the truth about her mother and the story she left behind.
Told in Patti Callahan Henry’s lyrical, enchanting prose, The Story She Left Behind is a captivating novel of mystery and family legacy that captures the profound longing for a mother and the evergreen allure of secrets.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria Books (March 18, 2025)
- Length: 352 pages
- ISBN13: 9781668011898
Raves and Reviews
"The spectacular Patti Callahan Henry is at the height of her literary powers with The Story She Left Behind. Bronwyn's story, steeped in secrets and an unsolved family mystery, is emotional and atmospheric. The author paints the dual settings, languid South Carolina in America and the haunting Lake District of England with color and veracity. This mother-daughter story is one for the ages." —Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Left Undone
"Once again, Patti Callahan Henry proves that she is a magician with words. In her newest novel, she conjures a story that is a lovely mix of so many elements sure to please her universe of readers, a magical mosaic of adventure, suspense, romance, mystery, and even a sprinkle of make-believe. Graceful in its telling and so very wise in its insights, The Story She Left Behind is a book that will capture your heart, lift your spirits, and delight your soul.” —William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of The River We Remember
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Story She Left Behind eBook 9781668011898
- Author Photo (jpg): Patti Callahan Henry Bud Johnson(0.1 MB)
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