Загрузка
Сведения о книге
The Stranger Diaries
Автор: Elly Griffiths
Активность, связанная с книгой
Начать чтениеПримечание редактора
Edgar Award winner…
“The Stranger Diaries” won the Edgar Award for Best Novel. It’s a delightfully chilling take on Gothic mysteries featuring an English teacher who loves Gothic writer R.M. Holland and finds herself at the center of a real-life murder case, inspired by the fictional ones she loves.
Описание
International Bestseller
Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel
"This lively whodunit keeps you guessing until the end." —People
Death lies between the lines when the events of a dark story start coming true in this haunting modern Gothic mystery, perfect for fans of Magpie Murders and The Lake House.
Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she even teaches a course on him. But when one of Clare’s colleagues is found dead, with a line from Holland’s iconic story “The Stranger” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with her favorite literature.
The police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her diary, the only outlet for her suspicions and fears. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary:
Hallo Clare. You don’t know me.
Clare becomes more certain than ever: “The Stranger” has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?
Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel
"This lively whodunit keeps you guessing until the end." —People
Death lies between the lines when the events of a dark story start coming true in this haunting modern Gothic mystery, perfect for fans of Magpie Murders and The Lake House.
Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she even teaches a course on him. But when one of Clare’s colleagues is found dead, with a line from Holland’s iconic story “The Stranger” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with her favorite literature.
The police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her diary, the only outlet for her suspicions and fears. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary:
Hallo Clare. You don’t know me.
Clare becomes more certain than ever: “The Stranger” has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?
Активность, связанная с книгой
Начать чтениеСведения о книге
The Stranger Diaries
Автор: Elly Griffiths
Примечание редактора
Edgar Award winner…
“The Stranger Diaries” won the Edgar Award for Best Novel. It’s a delightfully chilling take on Gothic mysteries featuring an English teacher who loves Gothic writer R.M. Holland and finds herself at the center of a real-life murder case, inspired by the fictional ones she loves.
Описание
International Bestseller
Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel
"This lively whodunit keeps you guessing until the end." —People
Death lies between the lines when the events of a dark story start coming true in this haunting modern Gothic mystery, perfect for fans of Magpie Murders and The Lake House.
Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she even teaches a course on him. But when one of Clare’s colleagues is found dead, with a line from Holland’s iconic story “The Stranger” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with her favorite literature.
The police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her diary, the only outlet for her suspicions and fears. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary:
Hallo Clare. You don’t know me.
Clare becomes more certain than ever: “The Stranger” has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?
Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel
"This lively whodunit keeps you guessing until the end." —People
Death lies between the lines when the events of a dark story start coming true in this haunting modern Gothic mystery, perfect for fans of Magpie Murders and The Lake House.
Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she even teaches a course on him. But when one of Clare’s colleagues is found dead, with a line from Holland’s iconic story “The Stranger” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with her favorite literature.
The police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her diary, the only outlet for her suspicions and fears. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary:
Hallo Clare. You don’t know me.
Clare becomes more certain than ever: “The Stranger” has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?
Об авторе
EG![]()
Обзоры
Well written with many twists and turns a joy to read
Rating: 5The text in spoiler tags really are spoilers for this book. Just a warning. I read this book as a buddy read with Hilary. We ran out of the Ruth Galloway series books and decided to try the standalone next. I’m glad I read it. I liked it. I will read book 12 of the Ruth series as soon as it’s available to me, and I’d like to try this author’s other series too. I’m glad I read this as a buddy read because for a short time that obligation is what kept me reading.3-1/2 stars for this book. Most of the time as I read it was a 3 star book for me. Early on only it was at times only a 2 star book for me. By the end I’m thinking it is kind of brilliant and is probably worth 4 stars. I might change from 3 or 4 stars and back a few times before I decide my rating. For now it's a 4 because I'm glad I read it and these days I'm glad only when my read books are 5 or 4 star worthy.I enjoyed the different POV narrators: Clare, Harbinder, and Georgia.I wasn’t overly fond of anyone the way I am in the Ruth Galloway series books but at least they were interesting characters, and my opinions of people changed the more I learned about them. By the end I did like most of the characters. I ended up liking all three of the female narrators. It took me a bit of time to get into the book but I ended up liking it. Due to the references of Wilkie Collins and other books, I thought too hard, especially regarding which characters were reliable and which unreliable, and having a hard time trusting any of them. I’m a fan of only a relatively few gothic genre books. I’d been afraid this book would get darker (more scary, more violent) than the Ruth Galloway books. It was okay for me though. I was greatly relieved that what I’d feared all along and at one point toward the end in particular did not happen. The dog was not killed. The dog was a hero dog and I ended up really liking him. I guessed throughout about the culprit and about a lot, and I made mostly wrong guesses. As I read I thought it was impossible to guess but the author left great hints about the identity of the culprit. It wouldn’t have been that hard of a mystery to solve. The dog didn’t like the murderer, and that should have told me everything. As I read I liked the main story but didn’t much like the story within the story but after the story proper the short story within the story is at the end in its entirety, all together. I was dreading reading it and had wondered why was it so revered by an English teacher or so well liked by so many readers. When I read it all at once though I did like it and did think it was a good short story. It’s funny how even though authors write different sorts of books, readers can often recognize them from book to book. From reading the first eleven books of the Ruth Galloway series, I “recognize” this author. A companion dog, a child (teen here), single parenting, a vegan café shows up and a person “threatening”/”aspiring” to be a vegetarian, mention of a school where are girls with eating disorders. Body image issues. Etc. etc. etc. And veg*n mistakes or at least behaviors that don’t match intent.
Rating: 4It´s clear who the killer is early one, but nionetheless an enjoyable read. The 15-year old´s narration didn´t ring true, & I almost wished that the entire book had been narrated by the detective.
Rating: 4
Just good enough to captivate you into reading more so
Rating: 3I've been a passionate Elly Griffiths fan since her first Dr. Ruth Galloway mystery, The Crossing Roads. I also have a long-lived fondness for Gothic novels with their creepy old houses and stalwart heroines defying the odds to uncover old secrets. When I discovered that Griffiths had written a Gothic novel, there was practically singing and dancing in the street. Once I'd turned the last page of The Stranger Diaries, I almost went outside for an encore jig.The story is told in three distinct and compelling voices: the voice of Clare herself, the voice of her teenage daughter Georgie, and the voice of Detective Sergeant Harbinder Kaur. Woven throughout the chapters are portions of Holland's short story, "The Stranger" and passages from Clare's diaries. The differing viewpoints work together extremely well, due in part to the fact that you get to see what each one thinks of the other. For example, Georgie is much more aware than her mother Clare realizes, and Harbinder is packed to the gunnels with pre-conceived notions... and anger.In fact, Harbinder could be considered the most fascinating character in the book; she certainly received the strongest reaction from me. Her prejudice and her anger made me want to slap her a time or two, but it also made me want to know what had happened to make her so bitter. Yes, Harbinder's evolution throughout The Stranger Diaries is one of its greatest pleasures. Although there is often humor due to the differing viewpoints, Griffiths skillfully keeps building the suspense. There is more than one mystery to The Stranger Diaries. Yes, we have a murderer on the loose, but there is also the century-old mystery of the identity of R.M. Holland's Mariana. Holland keeps mentioning her in his letters, but... who is she? The solutions to both mysteries are excellent. I didn't deduce the identity of the killer until mere nanoseconds before the official reveal, and the unveiling of the mysterious Mariana made me laugh and smile.If you're in the mood to spend a few hours thoroughly enjoying yourself, I know just what you can do-- pick up a copy of Elly Griffiths' The Stranger Diaries. I sincerely hope there's another Gothic novel in this talented writer's future.
Rating: 5I would like to thank the publisher, Houghton Mifflin and Harcourt and NetGalley for a free copy of this book for an honest review.Clare Cassidy is a high school English teacher at Talgarth High School which used to be the Holland House. R.M. Holland was a Gothic writer and Clare teaches a course from his famous story, "The Stranger." When Clare's fellow teacher, Ella, is found dead with a quote from "The Stranger" Clare realizes the killer is using the story as a guide to murder. Another colleague, Rick Lewis, is next found murdered similar to a character in Holland's story also with the same quote from "The Stranger" nearby. Since Clare's divorce she has written daily in her diary. She notices one day that the killer has left her a message in her dairy. DS Harbinder Kaur requests to read Clare's diaries and comes to the conclusion that Clare is the one that connects to the victims and that Clare and her daughter, Georgia, may be in danger. In the past, I have read Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series and her Stephens & Mephisto Mystery series. This new standalone Gothic mystery is one that will not disappoint. The first-person narration switches between three characters, Clare, DS Kaur, and Georgia, Clare's daughter. I found the characters, especially DS Kaur, to be very interesting. The plot was one that kept the pages turning until the very end. Hopefully, Griffiths will turn this standalone into another series. I would highly recommend this book to those who love Gothic Mysteries and I look forward to reading more of Griffiths' books in the future.
Rating: 5The narration in this story is from several different voices:Clare Cassidy herself;Harbinder, a former student at the school and is the detective sergeant carrying out the investigation into the death of Clare's friend and colleague Ella;Georgia (Georgie), Clare's daughter and a student at the school;The short story The Stranger written decades before by R.M. Holland in whose house the school is established;Excerpts from the story are featured throughout the main story and the narrators change often.This is a story about obsession. The murder victims appear to be linked by the fact they are teachers in the English faculty at the school.This I think is the first stand-alone that I have read by Elly Griffiths who in 2016 was the recipient of the CWA Dagger in the Library for services to crime fiction.Very readable.
Rating: 5"The Stranger Diaries," a stand-alone mystery by Elly Griffiths, is set in the English countryside. Clare Cassidy, a divorced English teacher, lives in West Sussex with her fifteen-year-old daughter, Georgie, and their cherished dog, Herbert. When one of Clare's colleagues is found stabbed to death, the staff and students at Talgarth Comprehensive School are stunned. Who would want to harm this popular educator? Adding to the atmosphere of gloom is a subplot involving the long-deceased R. M. Holland. He was a Gothic writer who wrote a horror story, "The Stranger,” excerpts of which appear in italicized passages throughout the book. The perpetrator of the current crimes (yes, the killer strikes again) appears to be imitating aspects of Holland's chilling tale.
One of the book's most interesting characters is DS Harbinder Kaur, a tough and astute homicide detective who is unrelenting in her search for the culprit. This feisty and independent woman chooses to live at home with her Indian parents, who have no idea that their daughter is gay. Kaur and her partner, DS Neil Winston, interview staff and students who were acquainted with the victims, but even after the investigators unearth tantalizing bits of evidence, they are slow to figure out who targeted these particular victims and why.
Griffiths shifts between Clare, Georgie, and DS Kaur, who take turns commenting on events as they unfold. In addition, there are plentiful red herrings that point to various men, women, and teens as possible suspects. The author amuses us with comic and satirical dialogue, and charms us with tender scenes that demonstrate the strong bond between Clare, Georgie, and their spoiled pooch. "The Stranger Diaries" is a treat for enthusiasts of classic plays, poems, and works of fiction, who will enjoy the literary allusions that are sprinkled throughout the narrative. The implausible solution to the puzzle comes out of left field and is not particularly satisfying. Still, this novel is an engrossing and entertaining blend of humor, romance, madness, and a touch of the supernatural.
Rating: 4One of the book's most interesting characters is DS Harbinder Kaur, a tough and astute homicide detective who is unrelenting in her search for the culprit. This feisty and independent woman chooses to live at home with her Indian parents, who have no idea that their daughter is gay. Kaur and her partner, DS Neil Winston, interview staff and students who were acquainted with the victims, but even after the investigators unearth tantalizing bits of evidence, they are slow to figure out who targeted these particular victims and why.
Griffiths shifts between Clare, Georgie, and DS Kaur, who take turns commenting on events as they unfold. In addition, there are plentiful red herrings that point to various men, women, and teens as possible suspects. The author amuses us with comic and satirical dialogue, and charms us with tender scenes that demonstrate the strong bond between Clare, Georgie, and their spoiled pooch. "The Stranger Diaries" is a treat for enthusiasts of classic plays, poems, and works of fiction, who will enjoy the literary allusions that are sprinkled throughout the narrative. The implausible solution to the puzzle comes out of left field and is not particularly satisfying. Still, this novel is an engrossing and entertaining blend of humor, romance, madness, and a touch of the supernatural.
Griffiths brings her skill with characters and crimes to bear in this standalone “book-within-a-book” that is not associated with any of her ongoing series.The main protagonist (although narration alters in the book) is Clare Cassidy, 45, who teaches English at Talgarth High in West Sussex, England. One of the buildings of the school is the very same Gothic mansion where, in the upstairs rooms, R. M. Holland, a (fictional) horror writer, once lived. This fact is especially meaningful to Clare because she is working on a biography of Holland. The story about Clare and her life as she navigates the tricky shoals of being a divorced mother of a 15-year-old teen is interspersed with excerpts from Holland’s most famous work, a chilling ghost story called “The Stranger.” As the novel opens, Clare’s close colleague has just been gruesomely murdered. Furthermore, a note left by the corpse ties the murder to Holland’s tale. This potentially could implicate Clare, the resident expert on Holland and his work. She is more worried however that she herself may be in danger, since she recently found a stranger's writing addressed to her in one of her private diaries.DS Harbinder Kaur, a member of the Sussez Murder Squad, is in charge of investigating the case. Harbinder still lives at home with her Punjabi parents, where she tries to maintain a balance between her mom’s worries about her daughter's dangerous job with her own need to be out at all hours investigating. Harbinder is peppery, witty, and very clever, although she likes to hide the latter fact from others; it serves her better for them to underestimate her.Another body soon appears, again tied to “The Stranger,” along with another ominous note. It is clear the killer knows the victims, and vice versa, and there is a great deal of panic as additional attacks occur. Harbinder in particular understands she doesn’t have much time to prevent the conclusion of Holland’s story from being reenacted in “real life” [that is, in the story about the story] and she struggles frantically to connect the dots before it is too late.Discussion: Griffiths does an excellent job replicating a Gothic tone for the ghost story she crafts for this book. In addition, despite writing in the crime genre, Griffiths’s main protagonists always manage to come across as wryly funny and even adorable. As spooky as this story often was, I also found myself laughing out loud.
Rating: 4An English teacher at a British high school is murdered, and her murder mimics some details from a Victorian Gothic short story written by a man who used to live at the school. One of the teacher's close friends and co-workers keeps a diary, and mysterious writing starts to appear in her diary. This is an engaging murder mystery, spiced up with lots of details from Gothic literature. Interspersed throughout the book is the Victorian short story that inspires the murders. The school is haunted by ghosts, and the supernatural element deepens the mystery. The book is narrated from multiple points of view: the diary-keeping English teacher, her daughter, and the detective investigating the case. It's an unusual twist to see the same scenes from different characters' perspectives. This is a very engaging and satisfying mystery.
Rating: 4Murders are happening in the small town of Sussex all related to the old home of R.M. Holland long turned Talgarth High School. Detective Sergent Harbinder Kaur is called in to solve the case revolving around Clare Cassidy.
In The Stranger Diaries, we meet a whole cast of students, teachers and others who enrich this masterful telling of a murder tale fit for a fireside ghost story. The characters are well fleshed out, the communication is effortless and the not knowing who could be hanging around the corner of the wall was an anticipatory chilling feeling. I found the story of The Stranger by R.M. Holland told within The Stranger Diaries as a genius move by Ms. Griffiths. You never really knew if the story being told was prevalent to the book or not. You will have to read it to find out.
I couldn't put this book down. I found it swerving and curving on who the murderer could be and never suspected who it turned out to be at the end. That is the sign of a good book.
A who-done-it story within a twisted thriller how could you not like The Stranger Diaries written by Elly Griffiths?
I give Stranger Diaries 5 stars for just a good old fashioned murder mystery. :)
Rating: 4In The Stranger Diaries, we meet a whole cast of students, teachers and others who enrich this masterful telling of a murder tale fit for a fireside ghost story. The characters are well fleshed out, the communication is effortless and the not knowing who could be hanging around the corner of the wall was an anticipatory chilling feeling. I found the story of The Stranger by R.M. Holland told within The Stranger Diaries as a genius move by Ms. Griffiths. You never really knew if the story being told was prevalent to the book or not. You will have to read it to find out.
I couldn't put this book down. I found it swerving and curving on who the murderer could be and never suspected who it turned out to be at the end. That is the sign of a good book.
A who-done-it story within a twisted thriller how could you not like The Stranger Diaries written by Elly Griffiths?
I give Stranger Diaries 5 stars for just a good old fashioned murder mystery. :)
A teacher of creative writing at a British middle school begins experiencing disturbing events that mirror those from a short story in Elly Griffiths’ The Stranger Diaries. Clare is a respected and well-established instructor and researcher at Talgarth, hired during a restructuring effort after the school had experienced a downturn. She lives with her teenage daughter, Georgie, and her beloved dog Herbert. The novel opens as Clare is teaching her adult ed course, using as an example a ghost story that was written by the man whose house they are using for their class. She is interrupted by her department head with the news that Clare’s close friend and colleague has been found murdered on the grounds. Griffiths interposes sections from the short story within her narrative, along with alternating points-of-view between three women: Clare, Georgie, and Harbinder, the lead detective assigned to investigate the homicide. When more murders occur, it becomes increasingly apparent that Clare is at the center of the mystery. Someone close to her must be responsible, leaving her messages and quotes in her personal diary- or could it be Clare herself committing the crimes? The book contains many unexpected twists and turns, some of which are a bit contrived. There are also some plot elements that are also somewhat far-fetched and very convenient in retrospect. Some of Griffiths’ references and allusions may not be familiar to audiences outside of Great Britain, but nothing pivotal is lost in terms of the story. The Stranger Diaries provides a decent mystery, and the character of Harbinder is especially well-drawn and provides a unique perspective. If this standalone novel were to be developed into a series, her character would be one that would be interesting to follow.Thanks to Edelweiss and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for an Early Review copy of this book.
Rating: 3As a huge fan of the author's Ruth Galloway series, I was delighted to get the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Stranger Diaries. This standalone book did not disappoint; I loved it. The style of the book is completely different than the RG series; I think she did a masterful job having the story told from 3 points of view, probably better than I've seen in other books with the same technique. I think it enhanced the telling of the tale. As with her other books, she had great characters who are brought to life. I would be happy to have the book turn into the beginning of a series. Unlike her other books, this one had creepiness added to the suspense, but it wasn't more than I could tolerate. Once I started the book, I hated to put it down wanting to see what happens. It was very atmospheric and very cleverly written. I highly recommend the book and look forward to the next.
Rating: 5Stranger DiariesByElly GriffithsWhat it's all about...Clare teaches at a high school in the UK. A fellow teacher and good friend of Clare’s is murdered. It just so happens that this school is the former home of a mysterious author...R.M. Holland. This story is shaded by bits and pieces of the writings and rumors of R.M. Holland...his study is still intact within the school.. Clare also hopes to write a book about R. M. Holland...someday. Clare has a daughter attending school at Clare’s school...with typical teen secrets and issues. However...once the murder...the first murder occurs...strange things begin to happen. My thoughts after reading this book...So...there is more than one murder within this book and Clare seems to be at the fringes of these murders and attacks. Clare develops an interesting relationship with the DI on this case. Clare’s daughter is involved, too, and even her beloved dog Herbert is a part of this mystery. What I loved best...The book is fascinating and relatively fast paced. Chapters focused on the lives of different characters. There are entries about R.M. Holland’s life, too. Clare keeps extensive diaries and these play an important part in this book. What potential readers might want to know...This is my first Elly Griffiths book but I already know that I want to read more. I loved the pace and the writing and the characters. Readers who love mysteries with interesting characters should enjoy this book. I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. It was my choice to read and review it.
Rating: 5I thought this was excellent. I'm not a huge "Gothic novel" fan, but this was realistic enough to suit me. It was told from the perspectives of teacher Clare, her daughter Georgie and Harbinder, the investigating DS, and the three voices were very clearly differentiated. The tone was dryly humorous in places and the identity of the murderer satisfactory. My only quibbles would be that at the point where the narrative switched perspectives sometimes events were repeated unnecessarily, and also I don't understand what Venetia and Patrick were unto at the end.
Rating: 5The Stranger Diaries is a good enough story, though it's not one I'll remember a month from now.The atmosphere is fun. I enjoyed the literary aspect, with the teachers and the ghostly presence of R.M. Holland. That being said, I didn't find it at all spooky, largely because I was never sold on the possibility of the dead writer haunting the school.The characters do their job moving the story around, though I never connected well with any of them.The pace is slow. We have three narrating characters, and too often we relive scenes from each of their perspectives. This is interesting, in moderation, as we get varying viewpoints of the same event. But, for me, there was too much repetition. I figured out the whodunit it early on. I thought it was kind of obvious. The tone feels oddly historical, despite this being a modern story. I actually liked that weird aspect. That and the setting kept me moderately entertained throughout.*I received a review copy from the publisher, via Amazon Vine.*
Rating: 3The story had potential, but its execution was poor. The novel, told through multiple voices, relates a Gothic story from the past and murders from the present, all linked to a building which now houses a school where Clare teaches English but where the author R. M. Holland once lived. The narrative centers on his story The Stranger which seems to be linked to the present-day murders. The book's biggest failure may be in the narration. I only connected with the detective's narration. The other parts and the diary entries failed to command my attention. The Gothic element failed as well. Others enjoyed this book, but I struggled to keep reading it. I will forget most of its non-memorable text in a week.
Rating: 2This story - billed as the author’s first stand-alone novel - caught my eye earlier this year as a number of Librarything members were reading and commenting on it. Having never read any of Griffiths previous works, I was happy when I finally got my hands on a copy and settled in for what I was hoping would be an atmospheric Gothic read. What I discovered instead was a modern day police procedural, more along the lines of Tana French’s The Secret Place, the weakest book in French’s Dublin Murder Squad series, IMO, and not just because of the school setting similarities. With three narrators – Clare, her 15 year-old daughter “Georgie” and D.S. (Detective Sergeant) Harbindar Kaur – Griffiths manages to juggle the varying perspectives, with some success. The end result is a mixed bag of tidbits for readers to analyze, red herrings and all. Griffiths does a decent job ramping up the suspense but suspense only carries a story so far. This one tends to falter, largely in part to my reaction to the characters. I like D.S. Kaur, but I found Clare to be a bit of a cold fish and even Georgie came across a bit “off” for me. I am also not a fan of the added white witch stuff, either. As for the ending, that was pushing things a bit for me on the believe-ability scale. Thankfully, Griffiths did provide a wonderfully atmospheric Gothic horror story, but in the form of “the Stranger”, a short story revealed as excepts throughout the book (and repeated in its entirety at the end of the book). Now that was fabulous writing! Everything I expect in a first rate Gothic horror story. Too bad the whole story wasn’t written in that vein. *sighs* Overall, I get the feeling from reading some other reviews that this book is very different from Griffiths Ruth Galloway series, which is good to know. For rating this one, I would give the Gothic horror short story full marks (or at least 4.5 stars) but I struggle to give the main story more than a 3.2 stars.
Rating: 3The Stranger Diaries – Wonderfully DarkPopular crime writer, Elly Griffths has written a stand alone thriller that is different to the other series that she writes but is still good enough to be recommended by BBC Radio 2 Book Club, The Sunday Times Crime Club and the Times Crime Book of the Year. So highly recommended from others who have considerable credit in the book recommendation game.What is clear from the beginning is that we are in for a treat, that nothing is as it seems. Clare Cassidy, an English teacher, an adult educator mother and divorcee, is researching and writing a biography of fictional author RM Holland. A man who could inspire many conspiracy theories in his own right, a writer of The Stranger and other fictional stories. Clare also happens to teach in what was RM Holland’s house.During half-term, her friend and departmental colleague, Ella is found murdered and the beginning of where her work life starts to clash with her personal interests. Brings her in to contact with the police and in particular Harbinder Kaur, a detective on a mission. Kaur suspects that Clare knows the killer, whereas she does not have a clue. Even if she does have her suspicions. My favourite character in the book is Herbert, and how he got his name, but then I am a big softie where dogs are concerned. What I do like is how Griffths manages to overlap the various perspectives, different narrators and the timeline. So yes, you do have to stop and think, and make sure you remember who the narrator is at the time. While this is a dark thriller it produces dark humour, so it does not become heavy going.Elly Griffths is a skilled story teller who can weave many threads together to make a truly engrossing thriller that grips you from beginning to end.
Rating: 5My thanks to the publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for providing a review copy of this eBook. The comments written below are my own.The story arises from the murder of a popular English teacher at a public secondary school in present day England. It's told by several narrators: a female colleague of the victim, her daughter, and a thirty-something female police detective investigating the murder. Each of these narrators brings a unique point of view to each other and the events of the investigation. Noteworthy is that any males are relegated to supporting roles, not always in a favourable light.The police detective, who comes from a Sikh family, lives at home with her parents. She is gay, out to almost everyone but her family. Her parents keep hoping she'll find a husband and settle down to have a family. At the beginning she is antagonistic toward the victim's colleague, but as the story develops this falls away. Their interaction is an interesting highlight of the story.It's a suspenseful story, with numerous red herrings to make the story-telling more interesting without being distracting. There's an exciting chase scene at the end of the story before the surprise identity of the killer is revealed.A good read, an excellent blend of mystery, suspense and characterization.
Rating: 5A goose-bump raising...sleep with all the lights on story. Clare Cassidy is a high school English teacher and aspiring biographer whose life is thrown into turmoil when her colleague and friend, Ella, is stabbed to death. The police are investigating but have no clear idea of who did this. Everyone at the school is suspect. The creep factor is further escalated by the knowledge that Ella’s killing appears to mirror elements of “The Stranger,” a favorite ghost story written by Victorian author R. M. Holland who is also Clare’s biographical subject To make matters more complicated he and his wife and daughter once resided in the building that is now the school where she teaches. It is said to be haunted by either the wife or the daughter. There is a side mystery told by a character that isn't really seen but leaves notes saying "Hell is empty...all the devils are here." The characters had some flaws. Clare's daughter is 15 years old but no one seems to think there is anything wrong with her boyfriend being a 21 year old bartender. Part of the police team that is investigating seems to have taken an instant dislike to Clare...but the dog is cute and we know he is innocent. I love Elly Griffiths writings and have have read all of her Ruth Galloway series thus far. This little standalone is equally as inciting. I highly recommend it.
Rating: 5Well, she's three for three, or I should say that this author, Elly Griffiths has not ever let me down. Her Ruth Galloway series is in my top ten, her newer Magic Men series is growing on me more and more, now this a standalone. All are in my view, terrific. She just is a master of atmosphere, but I think characters too. She makes the reader care.In this outing an English teacher Clair, who also teaches a writing class, is involved in a mystery. One of the books she uses as an example in her class, is a gothic, and very strange tale. The school where she teaches has been rebuilt, though the original place this mysterious author wrote, still remains. A ghost is said to inhabit this section, so that sets the outwordly tone. Then the bodies begin to pile up, and everyone seems to be a suspect. The truth though may be closer than she thinks. The chapters alternate between Clair, her teenage daughter and a young police detective Harbinger, who once attended the school. In between there are chapters written by we know not who, but they had to the suspense. Scene builds upon scene, and as we read, are privy to the latest revelations, the suspense grows. A terrific read, just scary enough, without much blood and gore. My perfect kind of mystery.
Rating: 4I absolutely adore Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series. The eleventh book is due out next month. But! Griffiths has penned a stand alone that is an absolutely wonderful read! The Stranger Diaries.....think modern Gothic......Clare teaches English at Talgarth High. Talgarth is also where Gothic author R.M. Holland wrote his most famous story - The Stranger. Past and present collide when a school colleague is found dead - with a line from The Stranger by the body.Griffiths opens the book with an excerpt from The Stranger - and I was hooked. Initially Clare is the lead character, but the narrative switches to DS Harbinder Kaur who is in charge of the case. And I was surprised when the narrative switched again to a character I hadn't considered playing a larger part. These switches happen numerous times, giving the reader numerous viewpoints to draw on. We are also given many suspects to choose from. (I must admit, I was surprised by the final whodunit) And then there's the option of there being something more, shall we say, otherworldly, involved.Excerpts of The Stranger continue throughout the book in addition to excerpts from Clare's diary, giving the reader more fuel for speculation.Every character is well drawn and fleshed out. DS Kaur was my favourite - I hope she might make an appearance in a future novel."It can be a dangerous thing, reading too much." Griffiths' writing makes for addictive reading. The only danger is staying up too late reading 'just one more chapter'.
Rating: 5Clare Cassidy and her daughter Georgia move to West Sussex after her divorve. Clare is a teacher at Talgarth High which used to be the home of R M Holland, writer of ghost stories. The wife of Holland is supposed to haunt the building. That however is not Clare's biggest problem right now, her colleagues are been murdered.This is the first book that I have read by Elly Griffiths and I have to say I really enjoyed it. The story has lots of elements that I enjoy in a book. It's a ghost story, a murder mystery, richly gothic at times and has a hint of witchcraft. What more really could I ask for.The story is told from the point of views of Clare, Georgia and the detective Harbinder. All accounts are very chatty, easy and very engrossing. The story for me was entertaining and I was invested right up to the end. At no point did I get bored. I didn't work out or guess who was doing the crimes but for that was just a small part in the story. What I enjoyed were the character's and their narrative. I loved the gothic undertones and the ghost stories. I really enjoyed this book and would read more by Elly Griffiths in the future. I liked her writing, the chatty down to earth narrative and the gothic themes.
Rating: 4A wonderful atmospheric, gothic tale about literature and murder! What more could you want?Clare Cassidy is a high school English teacher and she is writing a book about a gothic writer, R.M. Holland. The school where Clare teaches was once the home of R.M. Holland. One day, Clare gets a call about her colleague and friend that has been murdered. The strange thing is there was a note with lines from “The Stranger,” a story by R.M. Holland, left next to the body. Full of small twists and turns, this book will leave you surprised at the end. Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for allowing me to read an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5I was so excited that The Stranger Diaries did indeed have a Victorian gothic feel to it, as promised. I definitely liked the use of a book within a book, especially when similarities are drawn between the gothic story and the main plot. Very interesting. While the pacing of the story is rather on the slower end, it still packs its punches with the creepy factor. There was a great mystery to be unpacked that, at times, had a very haunted feel where I found myself considering if there was a paranormal element. Also, using a diary as a means of communication from the antagonist was rather chilling. The story itself is told from three different female view points and surprisingly the one character who rubbed me wrong at the start turned out to become one of my favorite characters. I wish I could say that I enjoyed all the voices but there was one that I just didn’t really care for. If you are looking for more from your mystery, there was also a nice dose of police procedural as well as psychological thriller woven throughout. I know that there were a few times that I felt that I was at the edge of my seat in suspense and I found it rather exciting. Overall, The Stranger Diaries was a light read that had plenty of twists and turns.This review is based on a complimentary book I received from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.
Rating: 4Elly Griffiths takes a break from her popular series to bring us a spooky stand alone. And you get 2 stories for the price of one.Clare Cassidy is a recently divorced english teacher who moved to the Sussex coast with her daughter for a fresh start. She’s working on a book about author R.M. Holland whose chilling story “The Stranger” was a one hit wonder. Teaching at Talgarth Academy is a big plus as it was once Holland’s home & his study has been perfectly preserved. Daughter Georgie has settled in & Clare quickly found a kindred spirit in Ella, a colleague at the academy. Another bonus is she doesn’t have to worry about bumping into her ex-husband & wife 2.0. Good times, right? Well….it was. Right up until Ella was murdered. What follows is a spooky story with a decidedly gothic feel. This is partly due to alternate chapters where we listen in as a stranger tells an unsettling story to a fellow traveller as their train hurtles through the night. In the present, things are equally creepy as Clare’s quiet life begins to unravel. Another body with connections to the academy is found. Frightened for herself & Georgie, Clare seeks refuge in the diary she’s been keeping for years. But it’s not long before even her private thoughts are invaded. She opens her journal one night to find someone has left her a message. “Hallo, Clare. You don’t know me.”Just so you know, at this point I’d be packing bags & making tracks as I’d be officially freaked waaay the hell out. Clare doesn’t have that luxury & soon finds herself the focus of an investigation led by local cops DS Harbinder Kaur & partner Neil Winston. As it all unfolds we get versions of events through multiple narrators. This didn’t always work for me as in some cases we get the same scene twice & having it retold by a different character didn’t necessarily impart any new information. However it was very effective when each character told their own story. As they reveal personal thoughts & secrets, we begin to realize some of them have hidden depths. I particularly enjoyed spending time with Georgie. She’s a smart, intuitive young woman with more on her mind than typical teenage concerns.I enjoyed the book-within-a-book format. The stranger’s story becomes more disturbing with every chapter & this is nicely mirrored by mounting tension in Clare’s situation in the present. As you try to suss out who’s responsible, you’ll first have to decide if the killer is of the flesh & bones variety or someone a little more spectral. Happy haunting…er…hunting.
Rating: 4This is a great read for a dark and stormy night! Elly Griffiths newest novel has all the elements of a creepy gothic mystery.Set on an old school campus, the story at times reminded me of Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers. The story wasn’t the same, but the author managed to capture that same atmosphere of the school and the secrets to be uncovered.Clare Cassidy, the main character, is obsessed with the life of Gothic writer RM Holland, who just happened to have a study on the top floor of one of the school buildings. Clare also teaches English with a focus on Gothic literature and is in the process of writing a book about RM Holland.Strangely enough, about the time Clare hits a roadblock in completing the book, her good friend and colleague is murdered. Harbinder Kaur, a former student turned detective, is called in to investigate. As the investigation proceeds, things escalate to a frightening level.Clare, her daughter Georgia and their faithful dog Herbert seem to be unwittingly holding the clues to the murderer. This was an engaging “whodunnit” and one that I think mystery readers will enjoy.Many thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
Rating: 4I have only read one of the author's previous works and felt very neutral about it. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. So when I went into this one I didn't have particularly high expectations but was excited because of the great reviews. I was not disappointed. This is a really, really enjoyable book. Although I will say I didn't find it to be a modern day Gothic story as many readers are. When I hear Gothic I think I am expecting a very creepy read that is a bit of a slow building burn. This one was decidedly creepy - it was set in the UK, fall/winter, many parts set in the home of a Gothic writer subsequently turned into a school, and there is a ghost. But this is not a slow burn. It starts out strong and continues that pace throughout the book with murders, police investigations, gossip, affairs, and plenty of misdirection. In my mind this made the read very modern for me. But regardless, if you like a good mystery with lots of creepy goodness, read this book!! Many thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Rating: 5I know I'm in the minority opinion here, but this was just an ok read for me. There wasn't anything especially memorable or remarkable about the writing or story. The only character that I actually liked was Harbinder and it took a long while for her to grow on me. I think what bothered me most was that the gothic elements (i.e. the mysteries surrounding R.M. Holland, The Stranger story, the white witch Mrs. Hughes & the summoning of ghosts) had nothing to do with the actual killer. I kept waiting for all of the many sub-plots to come together in some brilliantly woven, mind-blowing way and then nothing. No connection. I was very disappointed.I received a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 2