#BlogTour ‘What She Left Behind’ by Emily Freud

About the book…

Her perfect life became a perfect nightmare

Lauren can’t believe she’s escaped her old life in London for a new start with her partner, Paul, and his two young children. Haunted by her past, Lauren knows how lucky she is: a dream home, a ready-made family. And she also knows how much she could lose.

But as Lauren struggles to adjust to motherhood, her fears grow. She’ll never live up to the ghost of Paul’s perfect wife, or help him forget his grief over her tragic death. And as village rumours begin to swirl about their house in the woods, Lauren feels ever more isolated – despite Paul’s reassurances. She wants to trust Paul – she owes him everything – but how can she, when she can barely trust herself?

Huge thanks to the wonderful people at Quercus for inviting me on the tour for ‘What She Left Behind’. I loved her first novel, ‘My Best Friend’s Secret’, review here, so was very excited to see what she did next, and , reader, I was not disappointed.

Well respected academic and father, Paul, recently widowed, girlfriend Lauren,who is desperately trying to fill rather large shoes, and adorable children Jesse and Margo ,appear picture perfect.

But Lauren’s nagging insecurity ,her recovery from an unspecified incident which preceded their move combined with increasing feeling that something is not quite right,all combined to create a compelling and twisting narrative of the things we do to protect the ones we love.

Lauren is a complex character whose self worth is tied up in being the best substitute for a mother which any child could want, she feels her perceived failures are down to the lack of a biological bond between her, Jesse and Margo. Her deep and abiding love for her children is what urges her forward,no one is there to tell her that parenting is so much more than a genetic relationship, and that everyone gets things wrong sometimes.

As Lauren begins to try and make a home for her family in the glass house, in the middle of a wood,she unravels her trauma at the same time as a parallel story is revealed about the last inhabitants.

This one did not have a happy ending.

Is history about to repeat itself?

A deliciously dark and disturbing story driven by Lauren’s first person narration,I found this book so very difficult to put down!

About the author…

In my other life, I make TV. I have over ten years experience in development and production and have worked on some of the most loved, talked about and award-winning series in recent years.

Credits include: ‘Educating Yorkshire’, ‘First Dates’, and ‘SAS Who Dares Wins’. This lifelong fixation with story and character is the thread that runs through my work, and ultimately led to the pursuit of a writing career.

‘My Best Friend’s Secret‘ is my debut novel, published by Quercus.

I live in London, with my husband and two small children.

Links-https://www.emilyfreud.com/

Twitter @MsEmilyFreud @QuercusBooks