I’d enjoyed reading After Isabella and have been eagerly awaiting the next novel from Rosie Fiore. I was not to be disappointed as I started reading What She Left, which was published through Allen and Unwin earlier this month.
Can you imagine walking out of your front door one morning and never going back? Leaving no trail, no letter, no explanation? That’s how What She Left starts as we meet Helen Cooper, a perfect wife and step mother, Mrs super organised, with fingers in many pies. She’s the woman who organises every one and every thing. But one day, she doesn’t pick up a message from her husband Sam, and doesn’t pick up her two step daughters from school, and then she doesn’t come home.
I started reading What She Left, really not liking Helen much, how on earth could she just walk away without a backwards glance? You start off feeling sorry for Sam, the husband who hasn’t got a clue what’s going on. The police seem to be doing nothing to find his missing wife, so he puts an appeal out on Facebook, against their advice. Then he finds Helen’s handbag hidden in the house, along with her keys, purse and phone. Her laptop leaves no clues. What could have happened to her? As everyone thinks the worse, the police confirm that Helen is safe and well but doesn’t want to be found or to return home. They also walk away, and leave Sam to deal with the aftermath. With two angry and confused children.
As the book progresses we read the story from both Sam and Helen’s perspective as well as from Lara, a school mum who comes to Sam’s aid. It soon becomes clear that Sam isn’t such an angel, he hasn’t been the perfect husband, he hasn’t been honest on a number of levels. He’s also turning to alcohol as a crutch, which can never end well. Things take a dramatic twist when Sam is contacted my Helen’s sister. A sister he never knew existed.
There are lots of twists and turns as the plot unravels in What She Left, my allegiances changed and you get to really understand the various characters involved in this unusual story. I’ve loved reading this book, it really didn’t disappoint.
I’ve included my Amazon Affiliate link below for your reference in case you fancy reading What She Left for yourself.
disclosure: we were sent the item mentioned in exchange for an honest review
