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Tom Burne Has Left the Chat
'Touching, beautiful and wholly unique.' Margaret McDonald, Carnegie Award winning author of Glasgow Boys
A stunning new voice in YA, exploring grief and loneliness. Perfect for fans of Kathleen Glasgow and John Green.
This wasn't my phone. This was real. Tom had died today, literally died, and here I was, picking through the digital carrion like some sort of virtual vulture.
What happens to your phone when you die and who has access to your online legacy? When micro-influencer Tom Burne takes his own life, he leaves behind his phone, its password and a cryptic message that needs decoding.
Seventeen-year-old Jamie doesn't intend to take the phone, but once he does, he knows it was meant for him. Fuelled by his own sense of isolation and the recent passing of his father, Jamie loses himself in uncovering the truth. The more he investigates the digital fragments contained within the phone, the deeper into Tom's dark world he falls.
As his own grief resurfaces and with his mother pushing for them to move to a different country for a fresh start, Jamie has very little time to find out the harsh reality that led to Tom's tragic end.
Can he clear Tom's name before it is too late?
A stunning new voice in YA, exploring grief and loneliness. Perfect for fans of Kathleen Glasgow and John Green.
This wasn't my phone. This was real. Tom had died today, literally died, and here I was, picking through the digital carrion like some sort of virtual vulture.
What happens to your phone when you die and who has access to your online legacy? When micro-influencer Tom Burne takes his own life, he leaves behind his phone, its password and a cryptic message that needs decoding.
Seventeen-year-old Jamie doesn't intend to take the phone, but once he does, he knows it was meant for him. Fuelled by his own sense of isolation and the recent passing of his father, Jamie loses himself in uncovering the truth. The more he investigates the digital fragments contained within the phone, the deeper into Tom's dark world he falls.
As his own grief resurfaces and with his mother pushing for them to move to a different country for a fresh start, Jamie has very little time to find out the harsh reality that led to Tom's tragic end.
Can he clear Tom's name before it is too late?
- GenresYoung Adult
300 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 5, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 26, 2026
Take the grief from History is All You Left Me, mix it with the parasocial relationships in Amelia, If Only, set the story in Dublin, and Tom Burne Has Left the Chat is born.
This story is not about Tom. Or actually it is, but he’s not the main character. Jamie is, a seventeen-year-old who lost his dad a couple of months ago, and arrives at the scene where Tom just has committed suicide. And then Jamie finds his phone.
Tom Burne Has Left the Chat is a story about grief, so I expected it to be sad. At first I didn’t feel much though. But the more I read, the more I realized the author wanted it that way, because Jamie doesn’t feel much either. He’s numb. His dad passed away a few months ago, he’s been skipping school, neglecting his friends, and now he suddenly has a purpose again: finding out who Tom was and why he jumped off that cliff. He develops a parasocial relationship with Tom, and slowly his grief for his dad surfaces.
This story shows what people do when they lose someone: actions others might not understand or might even disapprove of. It also shows how one‑sided a parasocial relationship can be.
The more I read, the more I started to love the story. I think it’s perfect for readers who like heavier themes but don’t want a book that feels overwhelmingly heavy. Margareth McDonald blurbed this one, and her Glasgow Boys is a great example of a comparable story.
Thank you, Faber US and NetGalley, for this great ARC!
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This story is not about Tom. Or actually it is, but he’s not the main character. Jamie is, a seventeen-year-old who lost his dad a couple of months ago, and arrives at the scene where Tom just has committed suicide. And then Jamie finds his phone.
Tom Burne Has Left the Chat is a story about grief, so I expected it to be sad. At first I didn’t feel much though. But the more I read, the more I realized the author wanted it that way, because Jamie doesn’t feel much either. He’s numb. His dad passed away a few months ago, he’s been skipping school, neglecting his friends, and now he suddenly has a purpose again: finding out who Tom was and why he jumped off that cliff. He develops a parasocial relationship with Tom, and slowly his grief for his dad surfaces.
This story shows what people do when they lose someone: actions others might not understand or might even disapprove of. It also shows how one‑sided a parasocial relationship can be.
The more I read, the more I started to love the story. I think it’s perfect for readers who like heavier themes but don’t want a book that feels overwhelmingly heavy. Margareth McDonald blurbed this one, and her Glasgow Boys is a great example of a comparable story.
Thank you, Faber US and NetGalley, for this great ARC!
Follow me on Instagram
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I read this book in one sitting. I won it at YALC and I'll be honest, it's not my typical genre but I wanted to give it a chance.
It was gripping and I couldn't put it down. As someone who used to live in Dublin, it was amazing seeing the Irish culture come alive in this book and the places I so dearly miss be mentioned. There is a lot of humanity and complex emotions being explored, reminding us that we are all flawed and yet worthy of love.
This book touches heavily on depression and mental health struggles, parasocial relationships and the lines we should not cross, friendships and the value of them in times of need, the struggle of openly grieving after the loss of a loved one...
But it also reminds us that there is hope as long as we don't give up. Climb up that cliff, no matter how much you don't believe you will make it. And ask for help.
It was gripping and I couldn't put it down. As someone who used to live in Dublin, it was amazing seeing the Irish culture come alive in this book and the places I so dearly miss be mentioned. There is a lot of humanity and complex emotions being explored, reminding us that we are all flawed and yet worthy of love.
This book touches heavily on depression and mental health struggles, parasocial relationships and the lines we should not cross, friendships and the value of them in times of need, the struggle of openly grieving after the loss of a loved one...
But it also reminds us that there is hope as long as we don't give up. Climb up that cliff, no matter how much you don't believe you will make it. And ask for help.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 Stars
I liked this!
It was a very sweet and sad and adorable and emotional coming of age YA/NA story.
We're dealing with grief and depression and everything that happens while we're trying to more or less survive that time as a somewhat still functioning teenager.
School. Friends. Social Media. Sexuality. Family. Ireland. The past. The future. Hopelessness and hope.
I really enjoyed reading this. I wouldn't have minded a few more pages - or a few hundred. I wanted more of Jamie. I also wouldn't mind seeing this on TV one day!
To buy the book - click ► HERE!
I liked this!
It was a very sweet and sad and adorable and emotional coming of age YA/NA story.
We're dealing with grief and depression and everything that happens while we're trying to more or less survive that time as a somewhat still functioning teenager.
School. Friends. Social Media. Sexuality. Family. Ireland. The past. The future. Hopelessness and hope.
I really enjoyed reading this. I wouldn't have minded a few more pages - or a few hundred. I wanted more of Jamie. I also wouldn't mind seeing this on TV one day!
To buy the book - click ► HERE!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A strong, somewhat disturbing realistic YA novel that explores the depths of grief, the mysteries of depression and suicide, and the remarkable reach and enduring life of social media. Jamie happens to be nearby when Tom commits suicide, and Jamie finds Tom's phone. He impulsively takes the phone away with him, and as he explores the content, becomes obsessed with figuring out what made Tom decide to end his life.
A fascinating look at the whole social media age. Not always likeable, but a compelling read.
A fascinating look at the whole social media age. Not always likeable, but a compelling read.
Review of advance copy
A wonderful debut novel from Sean Farrelly, portraying a mature outlook on the painful wonder of youth, with none of the cynicism. This book explores grief, loneliness and the very modern experience of how one’s online presence can linger on even after we’re gone.
Once I got my hands on it, I could not put it down and devoured it in one evening.
Anxiously anticipating this authors next work!
Once I got my hands on it, I could not put it down and devoured it in one evening.
Anxiously anticipating this authors next work!
May 19, 2026
Jamie took me back in time and made me relive what life was like as a 17 year old. I loved the character development the thrill of finishing out about Tom and would Jamie stay in Ireland or make the big move?
This book had me in my feels quite a lot. I found it heavy here and there but in the best way possible.
This book had me in my feels quite a lot. I found it heavy here and there but in the best way possible.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
An emotional coming of age read, with themes of grief, suicide, depression, the effects of social media on young people and friendship but ultimately hopeful.
Review of advance copy
This book really highlights how dangerous social media can be to teenagers lives. It also shows how even if you went through a tough time, you can still accomplish anything you want.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
A fascinating take on parasocial relationships and how we deal with grief. Jamie is a deeply relatable character, and I loved the way his relationships changed and grew throughout the novel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 Stars
I liked this!
It was a very sweet and sad and adorable and emotional coming of age YA/NA story.
We're dealing with grief and depression and everything that happens while we're trying to more or less survive that time as a somewhat still functioning teenager.
School. Friends. Social Media. Sexuality. Family. Ireland. The past. The future. Hopelessness and hope.
I really enjoyed reading this. I wouldn't have minded a few more pages - or a few hundred. I wanted more of Jamie. I also wouldn't mind seeing this on TV one day!
To buy the book - click ► HERE!
I liked this!
It was a very sweet and sad and adorable and emotional coming of age YA/NA story.
We're dealing with grief and depression and everything that happens while we're trying to more or less survive that time as a somewhat still functioning teenager.
School. Friends. Social Media. Sexuality. Family. Ireland. The past. The future. Hopelessness and hope.
I really enjoyed reading this. I wouldn't have minded a few more pages - or a few hundred. I wanted more of Jamie. I also wouldn't mind seeing this on TV one day!
To buy the book - click ► HERE!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews