What You Leave Behind by Wanda M. MorrisBook Review by Mariah V.

What You Leave Behind

 by Wanda M. Morris

Book Review by Mariah V.

Overview

Award-winning author Wanda M. Morris returns with a powerful and haunting thriller that follows a lawyer who, after the mysterious disappearance of a local landowner and the death of his sister just months earlier, uncovers a conspiracy rooted in Reconstruction, one that still persists across half of the United States today.

Deena Wood’s life has unraveled. In a short span of time, she has lost her beloved mother, her marriage, and her prestigious job at an Atlanta law firm. Desperate for healing, she seeks what the Geechee people of coastal Georgia call a “dayclean”, a fresh start.

Deena returns to her childhood home in Brunswick, Georgia, hoping to find peace. Instead, her homecoming brings more questions than comfort. As she drives through the city to cope with her grief, she accidentally wanders onto the oceanfront property of a reclusive 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 never to return. Shortly afterward, the man mysteriously disappears, and his valuable property is quickly listed for sale.

Driven by curiosity, Deena begins to investigate and soon discovers that this disappearance is part of a much larger pattern. What starts as simple snooping turns into a deadly game involving illegal land grabs, gentrification, and redevelopment schemes targeting poor and rural communities. Without realizing it, Deena becomes entangled in a nightmarish conspiracy that threatens both her family and her community. With the help of an unexpected ally, she must confront the dark forces at play before she becomes their next target.

Connection, Grief, and Love

First book review of the year, let’s gooooo! (Yes, I know I can be a little lame 😄)

I kicked off the year with What You Leave Behind, and let me just say,I’m off to a great start. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from beginning to end. It’s a true page-turner and absolutely perfect for a book club or your yearly reading list. If you’re a thriller fan, this book is definitely for you.

The writing is strong, the pacing is engaging, and the plot kept me hooked all the way through. One of my favorite aspects of the novel was the setting: Brunswick, Georgia. I had never heard much about Brunswick before reading this book,even though I lived in Georgia at one point,but I quickly learned that it has a rich and deeply layered history. From its slow coastal lifestyle and proximity to the Golden Isles to its painful roots in slavery, the setting added so much depth to the story and made me appreciate the novel even more.

As highlighted in the book, the Golden Isles are part of the Gullah Geechee cultural region. The Gullah Geechee people are descendants of West and Central Africans who were enslaved along the coastal regions of the United States, including North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Over time, they developed a beautiful culture rich in language, traditions, and spirituality that blends African and American roots.

If you grew up in the ’90s, you might recognize Gullah Geechee culture from one of my favorite childhood TV shows, Gullah Gullah Island. That’s actually where I first learned about the culture and language. It was such an important and educational show for Black children, and to this day I still randomly sing the theme song. Seeing this story set in the Golden Isles and infused with Gullah Geechee culture was a major highlight for me. It even inspired me to do more research, and yes, rewatch Gullah Gullah Island.

Another aspect I appreciated was learning about the author’s inspiration. We’ve all seen how gentrification can devastate communities, especially after natural disasters. Black and low-income communities are often the first targeted, and I loved how Morris used this reality as a driving force in the novel.

Even though this is a work of fiction, it feels incredibly relatable. Deena Wood’s grief, losing her mother, her job, and her marriage,felt raw and real. Returning to her childhood home to live with her father and stepmother, Ruth (who was once her mother’s close friend and married her father just six months after her mother’s passing), added another emotional layer. I’ll be honest: I struggled to like Ruth at first. But as her backstory unfolded and I learned more about her own losses, my perspective softened. I also appreciated how strongly she embodied and expressed her Gullah Geechee heritage.

As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that grief, pain, love, and healing are all deeply connected. One thing I loved most about this novel is how it shows that grief has no timeline,it doesn’t simply end. Deena is a character many readers can connect with, especially those who have experienced loss, career setbacks, or heartbreak. Watching her grow stronger through her grief and ultimately fight for justice in her community was incredibly powerful.

I also had a good laugh when Deena described feeling like she was losing brain cells at her dead-end job, because honestly, same. Sometimes you do what you have to do until something better comes along, and in Deena’s case, that job ultimately led her to uncovering a major mystery that helped those around her.

This novel also beautifully touches on ancestral spirituality,the idea that our ancestors are always with us, guiding and protecting us. That theme hit close to home for me, especially through Ruth’s character, who reminded me of my older sisters and their own ancestral practices. The book carries themes deeply rooted in Black culture: staying connected to your history, protecting your land, and honoring those who came before you.

What You Leave Behind is a gripping thriller and mystery with an unforgettable twist. It’s a compelling conspiracy story that will keep you on edge and turning pages. While I do wish there were more romantic moments between Deena and her childhood love, I still appreciated their story and how it concluded. I loved how all the characters were connected in unexpected ways.

This is definitely a novel I would reread during a reading slump to reignite my love for books.

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend adding What You Leave Behind to your 2026 reading list. You won’t be disappointed.

⭐ Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Happy reading! 📚✨