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A review by adanna_h
What You Leave Behind by Wanda M. Morris
5.0
After losing her job and marriage, Deena Wood returns to her childhood home in coastal Georgia. Being home isn’t the same after her mother’s passing and her father’s remarriage.
One day while mourning her mother and avoiding her unsatisfying new job, Deena takes a trip out to an island and meets an elderly man fighting to keep his land. When he suddenly disappears and his home is put up for sale, Deena becomes suspicious and begins investigating.
This thriller reminds me of a news article I saw last year about a Gullah woman fighting to keep a property on Hilton Head Island that her family had owned since the Civil War. A real estate development company built around them then attempted to take the property after the family refused to sell. Unfortunately, land grabs of desirable properties like this are all too common. The premise of What You Leave Behind takes a similar type of greedy developers combined with the heirs property laws to form a timely, sinister thriller.
Deena makes such a great flawed but relatable character. I couldn’t help but feel for her given the stream of adversities that she faced and her palpable grief. Plus, she’s passionate and stubborn. Despite being somewhat ill-equipped to conduct this investigation, Deena is determined to get to the bottom of this situation. She’s clearly on to something and the police don’t seem to be interested.
I loved Deena’s dad Jimmie and her Uncle Duke. Everyone needs older, protective men like them in their lives. You don’t play with that OG duo!
Morris immerses readers in this coastal Georgia small town and the Geechee Gullah culture. The uniqueness of these Geechee Gullah people and their ways really comes through and is woven throughout.
This story is a twisty slow burn until the last 75 pages. Then everything started to fall in place, the suspense and tension peaked, and I turned pages as fast as possible to get to the end!
I’ve loved Wanda Morris’ storytelling since I read an early copy of All Her Little Secrets. So it’s no surprise What You Leave Behind is another great read. I can’t wait to see what Wanda Morris writes next!
Thank you to William Morrow for a gifted copy.
One day while mourning her mother and avoiding her unsatisfying new job, Deena takes a trip out to an island and meets an elderly man fighting to keep his land. When he suddenly disappears and his home is put up for sale, Deena becomes suspicious and begins investigating.
This thriller reminds me of a news article I saw last year about a Gullah woman fighting to keep a property on Hilton Head Island that her family had owned since the Civil War. A real estate development company built around them then attempted to take the property after the family refused to sell. Unfortunately, land grabs of desirable properties like this are all too common. The premise of What You Leave Behind takes a similar type of greedy developers combined with the heirs property laws to form a timely, sinister thriller.
Deena makes such a great flawed but relatable character. I couldn’t help but feel for her given the stream of adversities that she faced and her palpable grief. Plus, she’s passionate and stubborn. Despite being somewhat ill-equipped to conduct this investigation, Deena is determined to get to the bottom of this situation. She’s clearly on to something and the police don’t seem to be interested.
I loved Deena’s dad Jimmie and her Uncle Duke. Everyone needs older, protective men like them in their lives. You don’t play with that OG duo!
Morris immerses readers in this coastal Georgia small town and the Geechee Gullah culture. The uniqueness of these Geechee Gullah people and their ways really comes through and is woven throughout.
This story is a twisty slow burn until the last 75 pages. Then everything started to fall in place, the suspense and tension peaked, and I turned pages as fast as possible to get to the end!
I’ve loved Wanda Morris’ storytelling since I read an early copy of All Her Little Secrets. So it’s no surprise What You Leave Behind is another great read. I can’t wait to see what Wanda Morris writes next!
Thank you to William Morrow for a gifted copy.