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TL;DR: Thirteen-year-old Jenna Metcalf is determined to find her mother, Alice, an elephant researcher who vanished ten years ago after a tragic night at an elephant sanctuary. Jenna enlists a washed-up psychic, Serenity Jones, and a cynical private detective, Virgil Stanhope, who once investigated the case. Their search leads to a shocking twist about who is alive and who is not.
Table of Contents
Leaving Time at a Glance
| Author | Jodi Picoult |
| First published | 2014 |
| Type | Novel |
| Best for | readers who enjoy emotional mysteries with a big twist |
Leaving Time is a novel by Jodi Picoult, published in 2014. It blends a mystery with a moving look at grief and at elephants' memory and mourning. Below you will find a part-by-part summary, five key takeaways, ideas worth remembering and a note on who will enjoy it.
Content note: Includes death, grief and mental illness.
Main Characters
- Jenna Metcalf: A determined teenager searching for her mother.
- Alice Metcalf: Jenna's mother, a scientist who studies grief in elephants.
- Serenity Jones: A former celebrity psychic who has lost her gift.
- Virgil Stanhope: A former detective turned private investigator.
- Thomas Metcalf: Jenna's father, who ran the elephant sanctuary.
What Happens, Part by Part (Contains Spoilers)
Jenna's search
Jenna lives with her grandmother and visits her father, who is in a psychiatric facility. She reads her mother's research journals and searches online, convinced Alice did not abandon her. She hires Serenity, a psychic who once was famous but now does cheap readings.
Alice's story
Alternating chapters tell Alice's story. As a young researcher in Botswana, she studied how elephants grieve. She met Thomas, moved to New Hampshire to work at his elephant sanctuary and had Jenna. Thomas grew mentally unstable, and Alice grew close to a coworker, Gideon.
The night of the tragedy
Ten years earlier, a sanctuary worker, Nevvie, Gideon's mother-in-law, was found dead, apparently trampled by an elephant. Alice was found unconscious and later disappeared from the hospital. Virgil, the detective on the case, always felt something was wrong.
The investigation
Jenna, Serenity and Virgil follow clues, including a hair sample and old evidence, and track down Gideon. They learn that Alice had a secret and fled to Africa. Serenity's psychic ability seems to return in strange ways.
The twist
In the end, it is revealed that Jenna herself died on that night ten years earlier, killed by Nevvie, and that Virgil also died later. Jenna and Virgil are ghosts, and only Serenity, whose gift was real, can see them. Alice is alive in Botswana. Serenity finds her and gives her the closure she needs, and Jenna is finally able to move on.
5 Key Takeaways
- Grief changes how we see the world.
- Mothers and children share powerful bonds.
- Elephants show complex emotions, including mourning.
- Letting go can be an act of love.
- Truth can be hiding in plain sight.
Ideas Worth Remembering
These are paraphrased, not direct quotes:
- Memory keeps loved ones alive.
- People search for answers to make peace with loss.
- Some bonds survive even death.
Who Should Read Leaving Time?
Read Leaving Time if you enjoy emotional mysteries, family drama and books with surprising twists. It suits adults and older teens.
Questions to Think About After Reading
These prompts work for solo reading, a book club or a classroom discussion of Leaving Time:
- Did the twist surprise you?
- What do elephants teach about grief?
- How does Serenity change?
How to Use This Summary
Use this page as a quick reference before a book club meeting, an exam, or a decision about whether Leaving Time is worth your time. The takeaways are written to stand on their own. If a point interests you, go back to the book for the author's full story, characters and style, which no short summary can replace.
A Note on Accuracy and Spoilers
This summary is based on the published text of Leaving Time, not on any film, series or stage adaptation, which often change the story. Details are kept at the level of the main events so that nothing is invented. Editions differ slightly in length and wording, so page numbers and small details may vary between copies.
Should You Read the Book?
Yes, if you enjoy twists. The elephant research is fascinating, and the ending recasts the whole story, though some readers find it divisive.
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What to Read Next
- My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult: another emotional family drama
- The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold: a story told from beyond death
- Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen: elephants and circus life
Related: Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult: Summary and Key Takeaways · Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Leaving Time about?
A girl searches for her missing mother with a psychic and a detective, leading to a shocking twist.
Who wrote Leaving Time?
Jodi Picoult, in 2014.
What is the twist?
Jenna and Virgil are revealed to be ghosts.
Is Alice alive?
Yes, living in Botswana.
Who killed Jenna?
Nevvie, the sanctuary worker, who was then killed by an elephant.
Why are elephants important?
Alice studies how elephants remember and grieve their dead.
What age is it for?
Adults and older teens.
How long is it?
About 400 pages.
Is there a short story prequel?
Yes, Larger Than Life, about Alice in Africa.
Is it a ghost story?
Partly, though it reads mostly as a mystery until the end.
Who are the main characters in Leaving Time?
The main characters are Jenna Metcalf, Alice Metcalf, Serenity Jones, Virgil Stanhope and Thomas Metcalf. Jenna Metcalf: A determined teenager searching for her mother. Alice Metcalf: Jenna's mother, a scientist who studies grief in elephants. Serenity Jones: A former celebrity psychic who has lost her gift.
Is Leaving Time worth reading?
It depends on what you want. The book is best for readers who enjoy emotional mysteries with a big twist. If that describes you, it is likely a good fit. If not, the titles under What to Read Next may suit you better.