“‘What would you do?’ asks this searing thriller in its opening pages. And then, just a few chapters later, another question, more unnerving: ‘What would you do now?’ Most novels would’ve quit by this point, but most novels aren’t written by Wendy Walker, whose earlier stories of psychological suspense — humane, inquisitive, and sinister, often in the same sentence — showcased a rare talent. In WHAT REMAINS, Walker smashes that showcase to rubble. I can’t recall the last time a thriller kept me so alert, as though the muzzle of a gun were pressed to my temple. While the novel rotates through assorted genres (cop drama, psychological suspense, stalker scares — each meticulously evoked and arranged), this is from beginning to end absolutely splendid storytelling, a book to entertain, to immerse, and to challenge.”
—AJ Finn, New York Times Bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

“WHAT REMAINS starts with a dilemma and develops into a terrifying ordeal for Detective Elise Sutton as she tries to untangle a deadly web of lies and deceit. Finely crafted characters, great plotting and so much tension you’ll have trouble catching your breath. This is Wendy Walker at her best!”
—BA Paris, New York Times Bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors

“In addition to being a heart-pounding page turner, Wendy Walker’s WHAT REMAINS is an exploration of love and fidelity and of the secrets that bind us and tear us apart. The engine that keeps us riveted is not simply the masterful plot but our empathy for Walker’s complex characters as they test the fragility of the ties that tether them to not only the ones they love but to their own identities. A gorgeous and compelling emotional thriller.”
—Jean Kwok, New York Times Bestselling author of Finding Sylvie Lee

“Perfectly plotted and beautifully written, I was gripped from the first page.”
—Alice Feeney, New York Times Bestselling author of Daisy Darker

“A twisted game of obsession and secrets, WHAT REMAINS is the story of detective Elise Sutton who finds herself face to face with a mass shooter. What follows is the unraveling of trauma – not just detective Sutton’s, but the others in the store that day. However, one of the shoppers wasn’t who he claimed to be and begins a dangerous cat and mouse game that draws Detective Sutton away from those she trusts the most. WHAT REMAINS starts with a bang – literally – and doesn’t let you go until the final, exquisite resolution. This book is Wendy Walker at her best!”
—Julie Clark, New York Times Bestselling author of The Lies I Tell

“I couldn’t put this book down once I started. Thoroughly enjoyable from the first page to the shocking conclusion, Wendy Walker’s WHAT REMAINS is an addictive, immersive, propulsive thriller. Not only is Walker at the top of her game, she is absolutely one of the genre’s best.”
—Jennifer Hillier, USA Today Bestselling author of Things We Do In the Dark

“What Remains begins with a (literal) bang and doesn’t let up until the final shocking conclusion. Elise Sutton is our perfect guide through this labyrinth—tough but vulnerable, smart but a bit lost in the plot of her own life. Walker immediately made me want to know what was happening, but I never guessed THAT ending! A tour de force.”
—Catherine McKenzie, USA Today Bestselling author of You Can’t Catch Me and Have You Seen Her

“Incredibly tense, utterly authentic and endlessly intriguing – I dare you to put this book down.”
—Catherine Ryan Howard, International Bestselling author of 56 Days

“Wendy Walker is an extraordinary crime fiction author, and she proves this once again in WHAT REMAINS. This unique thriller’s pacing is breathtakingly relentless, and while the protagonist, Detective Elise Sutton, is lost and vulnerable, she’s also smart and headstrong. When the man she saved in a shooting becomes obsessed with her, and increasingly dangerous, she’s determined to do whatever it takes to protect her family. But just how far is Elise willing to go? A brilliant page turner that’ll have you wondering who’s chasing whom until the very end. In a word: incredible!”
—Hannah Mary McKinnon, International bestselling author of Never Coming Home

Hey everybody! When I was asked to create a playlist for What Remains on Spotify, I wasn’t sure how to capture the mood of this book. It’s pretty dark and emotional but it’s not about love. The story follows a cold case detective who’s tormented by a man whose life she saves in the line of duty. But then I thought about the characters. There’s the husband who can’t seem to reach her because of something he did four years ago. And the partner she relies on when she finds she can’t go it alone. She takes some pretty extreme measures to keep her family safe. The songs I chose really capture these themes. Feeling desperate and trapped by something that’s happened in your life. Needing other people to see you through. And sociopathic obsession. From Every Breath You Take to Runaway Train to Hold My Hand – I hope these songs get you in the mood for What Remains!

Wicked Game – Chris Isaak
The world was on fire and no one could save me but you …

Often mistaken for an eerie love song, Chris Isaak was actually writing about the consequences of misguided attracted. In What Remains, Wade’s obsession with Elise isn’t sparked by sexual desire, but his relentless pursuit to be with her after she saves his life mirrors the behavior of a romantic stalker.

Runaway Train – Soul Asylum
It seems no one can help me now …

This song is about the debilitating pain caused by depression. What Remains tracks the impact of trauma on a police detective who takes a life in the line of duty. Forever changed by the event, Elise doesn’t recognize herself and is numb to those around her, even her children. She feels completely alone as she fights to protect her family from the man whose life she saved. Her despair is perfectly captured here.

Hold My Hand – Lady Gaga
I won’t let go ‘til the end…

Although Elise feels alone with both her pain and Wade’s torment, there are people around her just as desperate to help. Her partner, Rowan, goes to extraordinary lengths to protect her. Their bond is unbreakable. And although her marriage has seen rough times, her husband is there, too, trying to understand what she’s going through and help her find a way back to their family. This song always gets me – and the feelings it stirs were in me as I wrote these pieces of What Remains.

Every Breath You Take – The Police
Every breath you take; every move you make …

Like Wicked Game, this is another song about the consequences of obsessive love often mistaken for a romantic ballad. In What Remains, Wade torments Elise when she rejects him after saving his life. Armed with knowledge she unknowingly provided, he uses both skill and cunning to be around every corner, and threaten every part of her life.

Everybody Hurts – REM
No, no, no, you are not alone …

Written to help combat teen suicide, this moving song has simple lyrics and a simple message – hold on because it will get better. I wrote What Remains after listening to interviews with witnesses to a violent crime. Their stories are rarely told, and I wondered what it must be like in the aftermath – everyone telling them how lucky they are to be alive, and yet undoubtedly impacted by the trauma. Whatever pain they feel could easily be unseen and misunderstood, which are themes at the core of this song.

Fix You – Cold Play
Lights will guide you home …

After Elise takes the life of a young man in the line of duty, she is tormented by guilt and doubt. This is made worse when everyone hails her a hero. She quickly recedes into a place of isolation as she confronts the threat from the man whose life she saved. This song makes me think about her husband, Mitch, and his desire to help his wife, knowing he can’t – mostly because he broke their marriage years before by having an affair. I promise you I will learn from my mistakes. But it may be too late.

Million Years Ago – Adele
I know I’m not the only one who regrets the things they’ve done …

Adele writes about the longing to turn back time and recapture the innocence of life. Elise has been forever changed by one moment and she knows she can never go back. She’s taken a man’s life, and although everyone tells her it was justified, she would do anything to be the woman she was before that horrible day.

Lovely – Billie Eilish
Thought I found a way out, but you never go away …

While there are many interpretations of the lyrics, all of them agree that at its core, this song is about the inability to move past a painful emotional state. I thought this was a perfect reflection of what Elise feels – stuck in her guilt at having killed a man in the line of duty. But then I realized that it also captures Wade’s obsession with Elise after she saves his life. That event finally broke him and now his attachment to her feels necessary to his very survival. He’ll never let her go.

Under the Bridge – Red Hot Chili Peppers
It’s hard to believe that there’s nobody out there …

Written about the loneliness caused by drug addiction, this song also speaks to the despair of emotional isolation in a broader sense. In What Remains, Elise choses to confront Wade on her own, even as her partner and husband are right there standing by. The trauma of taking a man’s life has sent her spiraling, and she feels responsible for bringing Wade into their lives. The song also references a place under the bridge, which is where the chain of events in the book begins.

Safe and Sound – Taylor Swift
Come morning light, you and I’ll be safe and sound …

For the Swifties out there, here’s a haunting song that mixes a lullaby rhythm with ominous tones to create the perfect mood for What Remains. The lyrics offer reassurance that even though everything’s on fire, it’ll all be gone in the morning. This is what Elise is trying to accomplish for her family by going after Wade on her own, and what Rowan and Mitch want to do for Elise. The desire to make things safe for the people we love is at the core of being human.

Let’s Hurt Tonight – One Republic
If this love is pain, then honey let’s love tonight …

One of the significant story lines in What Remains is the relationship between Mitch and Elise. Their marriage was glued back together after his affair four years ago, and now it’s starting to give, right when she needs it most. The pain from recent events has reignited the pain from the affair, and Elise can’t find her way back. This song is about facing that pain at all cost to get to the other side.

In Repair – John Mayer
So much to do to set my heart right …

I love this song for the final chapter of What Remains. While it’s about healing after heartache, the sentiment is apt for every storyline in the book. Elise and Mitch and their troubled marriage. Elise and Rowan and the things she did – alone – to keep her family safe. And Elise within herself. At the end of the book, she wonders what remains of her after all that’s happened. She’s on the mend, but still unsteady. Because we can never go back and undo the damage. All we can do is try to heal and move forward.