In her gripping new thriller “What You Leave Behind”, award-winning author Wanda M. Morris weaves a haunting tale of loss, redemption and dark conspiracies that stretch back to the Reconstruction era.
Narrated with skill and sensitivity by Joniece Abbott-Pratt and Lynnette R. Freeman, the audiobook immerses the listener in the journey of protagonist Deena Wood. Reeling from a cascade of personal losses including her mother’s passing, her crumbling marriage, and the implosion of her once promising law career in Atlanta, Deena returns to her childhood home in Brunswick, Georgia seeking a “dayclean” – the Geechee term for a fresh start.
But solace proves elusive. A chance encounter with a reclusive widower fighting to retain his family’s ancestral land dating back to the Civil War era plunges Deena into a sinister web of illegal land grabs and exploitative property development targeting vulnerable rural communities. As she delves deeper into the man’s sudden disappearance and the shadowy forces maneuvering to seize his prime oceanfront acreage, Deena unwittingly becomes the next target in a deadly conspiracy.
Morris demonstrates a confident command of pacing, unveiling the mystery’s complex layers with well-timed revelations while deftly exploring themes of grief, resilience, and the scars of systemic racism that persist across generations. The dual narration breathes life into Deena’s determined quest for truth and the evocative coastal Georgia setting.
Thought-provoking and pulse-pounding, “What You Leave Behind” solidifies Wanda M. Morris’s reputation as a master of socially conscious suspense. This transportive audiobook rewards the attentive listener and lingers in the mind long after the final chapter. Highly recommended.
