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.
Deena Wood’s life has fallen apart in the aftermath of losing her beloved mother, her marriage, and her prestigious job at an Atlanta law firm. She needs what the Geechee people of coastal Georgia call a “dayclean,” a fresh start.
She returns to her childhood home in Brunswick, Georgia, to heal. But her return is anything but the respite she thought it might be. To make peace with all her loss, she often drives through the city. One day, she unwittingly finds herself on the oceanfront property of a loner widower who is fighting to keep land that has been in his family since the end of the Civil War. He threatens her and warns her to never return. But shortly after, he disappears, and his very expensive property is quickly put up for sale. Curious about what has happened to the man, Deena digs into his disappearance and finds a family legacy at risk. What starts out as a bit of curious snooping, turns into a deadly game of illegal land grabs and property redevelopment in poor and rural communities with dark and powerful forces at work.
Without realizing it, Deena finds herself caught up in a nightmarish scheme that threatens her community and her family. She’ll need help and finds it in a close but unlikely source because she knows she must do whatever it takes to stop the sinister forces at play before she becomes their next target.
Wanda M. Morris is a corporate attorney, having worked in the legal departments of some of America's top Fortune 100 companies. As an accomplished presenter and leader, she previously served as President of the Georgia Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, in which she established a signature female empowerment program known as the Women's Initiative.
Wanda M. Morris is an alumni of the Yale Writers Workshop and a Claymore Award finalist for mystery writing. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. She is married, the mother of three, and she lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
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.
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Well-written, with an intriguing premise and superb characterization, What You Leave Behind by Wanda M. Morris is a gripping read.
The story revolves around thirty-nine-year-old Deena Wood, who recently moved back to her childhood home in Brunswick, Georgia, where she lives with her father and his new wife, Ruth. The move hasn’t been easy for Deena. She is still grieving the loss of her mother and her recent divorce and having to move back home and take up an unfulfilling job after being fired from her position as a litigator in a prestigious law firm in Atlanta hasn’t been a pleasant experience. On a day trip to the south Georgia Coast to clear her mind, she encounters Holcomb Gardner, who looks to be in his seventies living in a trailer, who claims she is trespassing on his property – land that he jointly owned with his sister Delilah. Deena is curious and on looking into the details, discovers that Delilah is recently deceased and when she attempts to meet Holcomb again, she finds him gone -and the land up for sale, which her suspicions as Holcomb had been adamant about protecting what was rightfully his. Deena sets out to find out what happened to the Gardner family and who is behind the realty company that is facilitating the sale of the Gardners' land.
As Deena embarks on her quest to find out what happened to Holcomb, she uncovers a complex web of illegal land grabs targeting low-income communities, political corruption, corporate greed, conspiracy and murder. As Deena gets closer to the truth, it is evident that there are players in the mix who would resort to any means to stop Deena and she will need all the help she can get.
The plot, the writing and the characters grabbed from the very first page and I stayed up all night reading this novel, simply unable to put it down until I reached the end. The story touches upon themes of grief, family, community, inheritance and legacy. The narrative is shared for the most part from Deena’s first-person POV with the other narrators’ perspectives shared in short chapters interspersed throughout the narrative.
I enjoyed following Deena’s character arc and getting to know the people in her support system (Uncle Duke was one of my favorite characters) and thought that the author has done a commendable job of striking a balance between Deena’s home life, personal troubles, family history and the primary plotline, weaving the different threads of the narrative together into a consistently paced, well crafted, suspenseful narrative with enough twists and surprises (with a touch of the supernatural) to keep you turning the pages. The romance track was maturely handled and did not distract from the main plot. I was satisfied with how the author chose to end the novel and enjoyed the climax, which followed a tension-filled build-up.
The elements of Gullah-Geechee culture and beliefs and the historical detail on Igbo Landing at Dunbar Creek on St. Simons Island, Georgia, incorporated into the plot, certainly enriched the narrative.
Do read the informative Afterword where she discusses the issue of heir’s property and the places and people that inspired this novel.
This was my first time reading Wanda Morris and I look forward to exploring more of her work.
Finally, I love that cover!
Many thanks to William Morrow for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on June 18, 2024.
This character driven, contemporary thriller follows Deena. Deena has found herself back in her childhood home in Brunswick, Georgia. Her marriage has crumbled, her mother has recently passed away and she has also lost her job at a top Atlanta law firm. While on the road to clear her mind she stumbles onto the property of disgruntled homeowner Holcomb Gardner, who believes she is there to try and take away his home away from him. Managing to escape from a near deadly ending. She finds out a couple of days later that the Holcomb has disappeared and from deeper investigation it seems his whole lineage have disappeared or been k!lled. A carless slip up now has Deena in a deadly game of illegal land grabs and property redevelopment in poor and rural communities. There are dark and powerful forces at work, but can Deena get to the bottom of it and come out unscathed?
Whewww I listened to the audiobook of this book and I am so glad I did. It was such a outstanding read and performance and had me LOCKED IN! Deena is dealing with so much trauma while also trying to help her community and dealing with the pop up of a once great love, her childhood boo! I adored Deena’s character, and she was such a strong and courageous woman. She never backed down once and stood up for what was right. I was rooting for her throughout. Her chapters with her dad and uncle had me in a chokehold and i was holding back the tears. Those two men loved her unconditional and were fantastic wingmen!
I learnt so much about how properties dating years back from heirs can quickly be taking away from todays families due to dirty politics and money grabbing b$astards! The paranormal chapters intertwined with the Gullah-Geecee culture, gave me such goosebumps. It really was a profound and ear grabbing read.
⋆。°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆。°✩ ➽ The characters of Deena, Jimmie and Duke ➽ The educational background of tax issues and properties ➽ Learning about cultures I didn’t have a vivid knowledge about ➽ The interval chapters from a ‘mystery woman’ had my nerves SHOOK
⋆。°✩WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE⋆。°✩ ➽ The ending felt semi rushed ➽ A little predictable
This was a fantastic book and would urge to listen to the audiobook if you decide to pick this one. The afterword by the author was the crème de la crème and explained so much why this story was needed! Cant wait to read more of Wanda’s work!
4.5 ⭐
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ⋆。°✩pre read⋆。°✩ Woop! Found another book with a mix of my favourite genres! Thrillers + Historical Fiction = perfection 😮💨 Fingers crossed with this one ❤️💚💛
Deena Wood’s life has fallen apart in the aftermath of losing her beloved mother, her marriage, and her prestigious job at an Atlanta law firm. She needs what the Geechee people of coastal Georgia call a “dayclean,” a fresh start.
She returns to her childhood home in Brunswick, Georgia, to heal. But her return is anything but the respite she thought it might be. To make peace with all her loss, she often drives through the city. One day, she unwittingly finds herself on the oceanfront property of a loner widower who is fighting to keep land that has been in his family since the end of the Civil War. He threatens her and warns her to never return. But shortly after, he disappears, and his very expensive property is quickly put up for sale. Curious about what has happened to the man, Deena digs into his disappearance and finds a family legacy at risk. What starts out as a bit of curious snooping, turns into a deadly game of illegal land grabs and property redevelopment in poor and rural communities with dark and powerful forces at work.
Without realizing it, Deena finds herself caught up in a nightmarish scheme that threatens her community and her family. She’ll need help and finds it in a close but unlikely source because she knows she must do whatever it takes to stop the sinister forces at play before she becomes their next target.
A haunting, thought-provoking story, What You Leave Behind was yet another example of this author’s masterful talent. From the dynamite characters to the twisty, twisty plot, all I could do was hold on for dear life as this tale of psychological suspense unwound before me. In true Morris form, she gracefully intertwined an education in racism through a historical lens into a captivating storyline that won me over from the very first page.
The strongest element to this humdinger of a book, however, were easily the characters. Fully fleshed out and realistic, they came alive right before my eyes. From the “OG duo” of Jimmie and Duke to Deena herself, I was swept away by them all. I was particularly enamored with Deena’s startlingly endearing character arc. From a broken woman down on her luck to a brave, dogged warrior for what she thought was right, she made this character-driven novel sing from the start.
The plot itself was a combo of nuanced powerhouse and suspenseful whodunnit. Thrown into the mix was the addictive element of Gullah-Geecee culture. Every time that I pick up one of Morris’s novels, I’m happily taught just a bit more about the difficulties that face African-Americans in our society as well as the depth to their heritage. Despite the importance of the topics, however, it only added to—and never distracted from—the propulsive narrative or unbridled tension.
There were only two teeny, tiny flaws that I could find within these pages. Namely intermittent moments of stilted dialogue and a somewhat confusing climax. Despite them, however, both only just barely caught my attention. And when push came to shove, neither of those things could touch my love for this book. Fast-paced and addictive, it took some doing not to read every last word in just a single sitting.
All said and done, from the deep conspiracy plot to the sweet romance, this book had it all. Even a trace of the paranormal. If that’s not your thing, don’t let it sway you. For me, it merely added to the success of the vibrant historical background. If anything, it brought to mind the Ya-Ya Sisterhood without appropriating someone else’s culture. Needless to say, though, it was the heartrending emotion, dastardly deeds, and well-written prose that won me over hook, line, and sinker. All in all, it was a knockout. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Wanda M. Morris and William Morrow for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: June 18, 2024
Trigger warning: death of a parent, stalking, breaking and entering, racism
It was the familiarity about real estate developers stealing ancestors land, and supernatural elements intermingling in the background, with present-day attorneys doing what they could to fight as underdogs to stop those developers, that lingered throughout this story. These were the things that kept tugging at me, making me see Grisham’s story, too.
Even with the plot familiarity, this one was still character-driven, and the history of the Gullah-Geechee area was scenic and entrancing. Be sure to read the author’s afterward for more information.
And, even if ‘Camino Ghosts’ kept popping up for me, the author still did an incredible job bringing the culture of the South Carolina and Georgia coasts, along with the challenges and predicaments of the people to life, in this one. She also had a way of making it appear she was incorporating facts about the issues without slowing down the plot. The mystery with some romance, will keep readers turning pages.
I’d heard good things about What You Leave Behind. And I loved the idea of a historic aspect dating back to Reconstruction on top of a mystery. First off, the reference to Reconstruction is a misleader. There is only one little link to Reconstruction in this book at all and that comes almost at the end. It’s also much more women’s lit than it is a mystery, especially once a romance angle is added. And the final straw for me was that there is a big supernatural element. This book ended up being a big miss for me. Deena returns to her father’s home in Brunswick, GA after her marriage falls apart and she loses her job as a lawyer in Atlanta. She’s also recently lost her mother. Her dad has remarried, to her mom’s best friend. To say Deena is struggling is an understatement. I recognized she was depressed, but I just couldn’t relate. Her stepmother was such a lovely woman and Deena was so borish to her. She’d even realize how ugly she was being but never corrected her actions until the very end. And did this gal ever do anything to earn her salary? She took so much time off, taking long lunches and faking doctor’s appointments, and then spent time at the office doing her own investigations. Not discounting what an a**hole her boss was, she was a worthless employee. The premise that Deena stumbles across an angry old man armed with a shotgun, insisting he’ll never sell his property. But a few days later, she returns to his property to find him gone and a for sale sign up. I found the premise forced. It seemed implausible that this woman would go off on a massive witch hunt over a man she literally only talked to for a few minutes. The interval sections written from an unknown woman’s perspective were unnecessary. I’m not a fan of foreshadowing, which is what these sections were all about. And then that ending. As I’ve said earlier, I’m not a fan of the supernatural and it figured heavily in the ending. I felt duped. The Afterword was the best part of the book. I wish I had only listened to it and skipped the actual story.
This sounds great and I love Morris's writing. I'm looking forward to getting to this. Also, applause for this stunning cover. This ombre color gradient -- Wow!
Well this was a page turner! Once I got into this book I could not out it down and I ended up binge reading the last 75%. A variety of characters who you will be either loving or loathing made this a fun mystery with some dark and disturbing themes.
Deena is almost 40 and her life has just imploded! Her husband left her, she lost her job and her mother passed away. She packs up her life and moves back home to Brunswick, Georgia where she works a job that she hates and is still grieving for her mother. One day when she is out driving to try to clear her head, she meets Holcomb Gardner, a man determined not to lose his house and land to those who are trying to get their hands on it. A week later she returns to seem him and there is no trace of the man and a sold sign on the fence. Deena cannot let this go, and will do anything to find out what happened. It opens up a can of worms and she find herself in danger.
This book was so addictive. Whilst Deena made some questionable choices, she was like a dog with a bone to get to the truth. Nothing was too hard, even if it meant putting herself up against some nasty folks. I love her Uncle Duke, what a firecracker of a man he was!
Thanks so much to William Morrow and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Publishes on June 18th.
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.
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 #partner @williammorrowbooks for my #gifted copies.
What You Leave Behind Wanda Morris
This is my third book by @wandamowrites in as many years, and she's three for three for me! 🙌🏼
Her newest, What You Leave Behind, is a gripping, multilayered thriller with a hint of the paranormal. Here we meet Deena Wood, a lawyer who, after the mysterious death of a local landowner and his sister, uncovers a conspiracy that dates back to Reconstruction. Despite having lost so much, Deena risks it all for justice.
Exploring the corruptive practice developers use to kick Black folks off their rightful land, What We Leave Behind is as heartbreaking as it is thrilling. Intricately plotted with twists and turns around every corner, this emotionally charged novel will keep readers turning the pages just to find out what happens next.
If you haven't read this author's work yet, I highly recommend all three:
•All Her Little Secrets •Anywhere You Run •What You Leave Behind
Each book by Wanda has gotten better to me. I loved the format with which she wrote this one. The interludes from an ancestor were everything!! 🔥🔥💜 There is a balance of lovable characters and loathsome ones. Enough mystery and suspense to keep the pages turning. Enough factual researched plot and content to make you sit up and think. This definitely an auto-buy author for me at this point. Looking forward to her next book and recommend all three of her books.
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
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.
It didn't take long for Wanda M. Morris to become one of my favorite authors, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on What You Leave Behind. I loved the basis of the story here, and it was all very mysterious. Deena was a very empathetic character and I got wrapped up in her sleuthing after the man she meets disappears. I learned so much through this book and it also made me think about things I knew nothing about going in. I was wrapped up in it from the very start, and there is plenty of suspense as the story goes on. This could easily be read in a day and is so gripping that it made for a bingeable read for sure.
I listened to the audiobook as per usual and thought Joniece Abbott-Pratt & Lynnette R. Freeman did a great job as narrators. Besides Deena's viewpoint, we also have another POV, and it took me a bit to figure out who/what that was supposed to be. The supernatural element to that was a little confusing TBH, and I almost wish that POV hadn't existed. I would have preferred to get full realization through Deena, but when I neared the end, I did appreciate it a bit more. What You Leave Behind left me feeling shook and was a heavier read with a bit of humor. I will also say that the author's note is a must-read, and if you enjoy learning about timely issues with your fiction I would definitely give this one a read!
Deena has lost her mother, her job, divorced her cheating husband, and moved back to her childhood home in Brunswick Georgia with her dad and his new wife all within one year. Still grieving the loss of her mother and her previous life Deena likes to take rides to clear her mind. One particular ride she winds up trespassing on private property where she comes in contact with owner Holcomb Gardner who thinks she is someone trying to force him to sell his land. After threatening Deena, she leaves but finds herself being followed by someone in a black SUV. Arriving back to work safely Deena vows to get it together so she doesn’t lose the job she hates. But there is something about Holcomb and Delilah that Deena can’t shake. After finding out Delilah is dead Deena wants to talk to Holcomb but finds him missing and his house up for sale. Now Deena sets out to find out what happened to the Gardner family, and who is behind the realty company that took the Gardners land. What a ride. I see why Wanda M. Morris gets amazing reviews. This was my first read by the author and I am now a fan. This was a phenomenal book that had me in a choke hold from beginning to the very end. I love how the book starts with a history lesson about the Igbo people and Dunbar Creek on St. Simon Island. Wanda had me running to google to see what I could learn, and I hadn't even gotten to Chapter 1. I was hooked from that moment on. In the beginning Deena did irritate me because I thought she was being a bit repetitive, but I had to remember she was grieving and push past the repetition. Once Deena found out Holcomb was missing, she dove headfirst and found the distraction she needed from her grief. Deena was not going to let up. The more she found, the harder she dug even when her life was in danger Deena did not back down. I loved her daddy Jimmy Lee and her Uncle Duke, they made sure they knew what was going on with baby girl at all times. Daddy and Unc played no games. I was suspicious of one or two people but Wanda did a good job not dropping many clues on who all was in on the fraud. I also learned so much while reading this. Wanda said she wanted to write an engaging and entertaining story that made you think too, and she succeeded. I had never heard of the heir's property legal theory before, this book sent me down a rabbit hole to learn more about this. I have been interested in the Gullah Geechee Culture since my visit to Kiawah, an Island in South Carolina, last year, so I was happy to see the culture woven into this story so effortlessly. I have now become a fan of Wanda M. Morris and will be reading more from her in the coming months.
Take a trip with me to Georgia low country where we’ll meet Deena, a non-practicing attorney, who moved back home to Brunswick after her life fell apart in Atlanta and she grieves over multiple losses. Sit back in the shade of the Golden Isles as she gets herself into some dicey situations while trying to solve a mystery surrounding a missing elderly man whose land is possibly worth killing over.
This was a fun read and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys southern crime stories! Come for the atmosphere and mystery, stay for the eye-opening commentary on a pesky little law called heirs’ property that can and has been used to strip generational wealth from the disenfranchised and ill-informed, targeting those who are estate rich but cash poor.
A second chance romance provides guidance and stability for our MC, and we meet some lovable characters anyone would want to have in their corner, (especially Deena’s dad, Jimmie, and her Uncle Duke). The author weaves in touches of Gullah Geechee culture and supernatural magical realism that adds richness and depth to the overall story.
The ending seemed to miss a bit of umph for me. Although it’s very dramatic, I think I found that the culprit and motives required too much suspension of disbelief (although saying this about a book that includes a decent amount of magical realism, which I enjoyed, may be silly lol). A good 3.75 rounded up to 4⭐️s!
A good thriller that touches on an important social issue chiefly affecting marginalized communities. Deena, who’s spent years as a big-city lawyer in Atlanta, returns to her small low country Georgia hometown with her tail between her legs after her creepy husband kicks her out and she loses her job at a high-powered firm. Not only that, she’s still reeling from the loss of her beloved mother and feels like a complete 39-year-old failure after moving back under her father’s roof while she gets back on her feet, not to mention that she’s now woefully underemployed as a glorified paralegal, reporting to a despicable bully. She’s completely demoralized, but don’t count her out just yet. She has an accidental encounter with a shotgun-toting stranger shooing her off his land, ranting about how he won’t let this land that has been in his family for generations be stolen from him. Deena gets the bit between her teeth and just will not give up as she begins to unearth evidence of widespread (legal but surely unethical) stripping of generational wealth, ie, land and houses, from the descendants of those who die intestate. In an afterword, the author explains that it was her hope to highlight this practice, shockingly widespread in great swathes of the U.S.
Ugh! Wanda Morris does it AGAIN!! She knocked it out the park with this paranormal-esque mystery suspense that transfers between two different time periods! Entertain me, school me! Give me real life style thriller vibes! Dy-no-mite 💥
Deena is in limbo. She’s not loving her job, recently divorced, grieving her mother, and feels quite dejected. One day she goes out to where she feels her mother’s presence the most. There, an old man threatens her to get off his land because he’s not selling.
Excurse me, sir?! She hurries away, but she’s left intrigued. What is the deal with this man and this land? After doing some research and snooping, she finds out about a long seedy history of companies taking over properties from Blacks - even if they have to kill.
This shocked the shit out of me, because Heiress Property! Someone’s property can be sold or acquired if there’s no legally designated owner. I want to learn more about this for personal knowledge, and wish I’d known about this while my elders were still alive.
Is this real?! Yes! It’s happened to so many of my elders. So much of our land has been taken from us with no one knowing what to do, how it happened, or where to even start to get it back, if we can!!
Quite a few people commented that they figured out who was behind all the crime, but I had no clue. Totally blindsided, here!
This, coupled with some drama, family secrets, history, guidance from the ancestors, a little touch of romance, and Uncle Duke who stayed ready to “set it off in this MF”, topped with the Geechee style I’ve come to love made this another WM banger & my top read in July!
Gimme more, Wanda, give me more! Get yo hands on this one nowww!!
Gonna talk to my parents about this HP and make sure they sign them papers! ✍️
I know other people will love this more than I did so please take my review with a grain of salt. If you like missing person mystery books you’ll probably enjoy it.
Pros: Well written, well thought out, developed characters, betrayal, secrets, dysfunctional family dynamics
You know how some folks are just too nosey for their own good? Well that is exactly Deena Woods’s problem in this book. Her daddy tried to warn her NOT to be meddlin’ in those folks business, but Deena simply couldn’t help herself.
So, who is Deena, and who are “those folks?” Deena is a lawyer who has recently experienced a lot of loss. From going through a divorce with her jerk ex-husband, losing her job and her mother, Deena is going through it. So much so, she had to move back in with her father, and his new wife, Ruth, that he married six months after Deena’s mother died (chile)!
The grief of losing a mother is something you never get over, so Deena often slipped away to try and clear her mind. Who knew she would stumble on the property of Holcomb Gardner, and he would greet her with a gun in his hand? Holcomb had mistaken Deena for a realtor that wanted to purchase his property. Mr. Gardner has told “them people” several times, “I AM NOT SELLING!”
Things get strange when Deena ventures back to Holcomb’s land (girl, why?) and finds his home abandoned. Can you believe there was a “for sale” sign in front of the property!? What happened to Holcomb, and what’s up with his drastic change of heart? Will Deena’s nosiness get the best of her?
Despite a few loose ends, I enjoyed this book! Learning about the Gullah Geechee culture was very insightful. I have to say reading this book with some great friends made the reading experience even better!
Wanda is such a breath of fresh air. There is a dearth of crime writers that look and sound like me and I've been so happy since Wanda has begun publishing! The way she writes her books, the settings are so vivid and she drops the reader directly into the action. This book was fraught with emotion, as her main character, Dena (who is never at work, chile, it was stressing me TF out) is struggling with the loss of her mother and her father's rapid remarrying. She's also very nosy, which gets her into a heap of trouble. Now... yall know how I feel about magic and spirits and the solution to big problems being supernatural-- take that as a hint or a spoiler -- but it was manageable for me. Stellar novel.
I do really love this narrator, Abbot-Pratt, but felt her voice was too young for this character. She didn't 'sound like what she'd been through' if that makes sense. Loved the second narrator Lynette Freeman. She gave us a rich, seasoned voice with a great accent.
Overall, great book! Already can't wait for the next novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I’m sorry, I wanted to give this a higher rating - I was so excited to read this book and loved the subject area. But it’s just not well-written. There are so many obvious plot holes, that any amount of research could’ve corrected. 1. A stranger cannot sign a dead body out of the morgue. Even if they could, it would seem suspicious to the police that the person who reported this man missing and said she doesn’t know him, turns around and signs his body out as next can a few days later. But this issue was never focused on and was an aside throughout the story. The character of Lester annoyed me to no end. He’s supposedly this career criminal who falls under the radar because of his wits but openly tots this family at their home and at the police department? That would be stupid. And then he gives this full confession of the whole criminal enterprise because he’s tied up with some barber towels by two old men, who’ve never committed a crime in their life? But he knows that the guys he’s working with our confirmed murderers. Yet he put himself in danger to tell their entire story?vSimply dumb.
And I totally get it that we have an imperfect narrator who’s been through a lot, but she’s supposed to be an accomplished attorney as well. She made certain decisions that any intelligent and legally trained person would not make it was written as though she wasn’t aware of the risk she was putting herself in - Like finding out, someone used her name to sign a body out of the morgue but doing nothing with the information. I honestly didn’t care for her.
The only redeeming elements of the book were the use of black, southern mythology and folklore, and the discussion of real issue of land theft within depressed communities. I was happy to learn more about this, but so wish that the writing had been better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This is my first book by author Wanda Morris and I highly enjoyed it. The description of the coastal setting was a highlight for me. This story was based on a premise about property ownership and how someone can con and be deceptive in stealing your rights to your land. I appreciated the authors note and learned tremendously about a topic that I didn’t know a lot about. I love when a story is thought provoking and has me researching about themes in the novel. I highly recommend this book if you like coastal settings, supernatural elements, and an intriguing murder mystery.
I received an advanced electronic (eARC) copy from @thoughtsfromapage Early Reads Program. Thank you to Cindy Burnett and publisher William Morrow books. I appreciated the opportunity to preview this book.
The setting of this story is great. There is some excellent culture and history here, but it just didn't shine as a mystery or thriller. The circumstances surrounding the plot felt entirely realistic and relevant.
The mystery takes a backseat to Deena's constant lamentation of her failures and disappointment with her current situation. The repeats didn't add anything to the narrative but slowed it down a lot. And I don't think first-person writing was a good choice for this story. I never felt like I was in the story, but instead reading passive diary entries.
My favorite character was Uncle Duke. I would certainly want him on my team.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.
Wanda Morris knows how to tell a story. This one had drama, history, romance, and suspense! I loved this book. It touched on a topic I wasn't familiar with - Heirs Property. I went down a rabbit hole researching midway through this book. The way that the author showcased it made you feel the injustice, inequity, and pure anger that the characters must have felt.
I loved the relationship that Deena had with her dad. Their bond was unbreakable. This story definitely made me miss my parents. Uncle Duke was also a great addition to the story!
I realy enjoyed how the story unfolded. I didn't know where the author was going, but I was fully invested. Deena was determined to find out what was going on, sometimes with a little recklessness. I would have liked to see more interaction between Deena and Howie, but I get that the author may not have wanted to lose focus on the plot. Wanda Morris has been 3/3 for me. I would highly recommend this book to everyone!