With thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

I have been a fan of Elly Griffiths for years and have read all her Ruth Galloway and Mephisto and Stephen mysteries. I was excited when I found this would be a new mystery.

English teacher Clare Cassidy worked at Talgarth High, her 15 year old daughter Georgia was also a pupil at the school. In her spare time Clare was writing a novel about the Famous writer R M Holland who used to own Telgarth. Holland was well known for writing The Stranger, it was said his wife Alice Avery fell to her death and now haunted the school. It became a legend that the ghost of Alice foreshadowed a death.

During the half term break Clare was told that her best friend and colleague Ella Elphick had been murdered. Bedside her body was a note with a quote from The Stranger `hell is empty`.

DS Harbinder Kaur who was a ex pupil at Talgarth High and DS Neil Winston investigated the murder. Harbinder immediately distrusted Clare because she was glamorous and attractive. When Harbinder found that Ella had an affair with Rick Lewis who also worked at Telgarth he became their prime suspect.

However days later Clare found Rick`s dead body in the room where RM Holland wrote The Stranger. Like Ella there was a note beside his body with the same quote `he'll is empty`.

Clare had written several entries in her diary criticising Ella and her affair with Rick`s. One night she was reading her diary about the days following Ella`s murder, she found someone had written in her diary I have already disposed of one of these creatures. I will fall on the others like a ravening beast.

I really enjoyed the two storylines within the book. It was easy reading and I devoured more then half the book in one day. The book was told from the POV of Clare, Georgie and Harbinder. I liked Clare but I enjoyed reading the POV of Georgie and Harbinder. I liked Georgie who liked to pretend she was a typical teenager but like her mother had a love of creative writing and dabbled in white magic. My favourite character was Harbinder who lived at home with her parents, her mother sounded lovely and constantly had a twenty four hour buffet going in the house.

There were plenty of twists and turns in the story. Elly provided many suspects for the murder to keep you on your toes. I suspected one person and then another. I was shocked when they killer was revealed because I had not suspected them.

The Stranger Diaries was excellent and I hope DS Harbinder Kaur and Neil Winston get their own series.

This is a very enjoyable modern whodunit with a creepy old fashioned feel about it. The ending is perhaps a little rushed but overall it is a very good, atmospheric story, and Herbert is adorable. Recommended reading, especially for dark Autumn evenings.

I preferred the first part of this book as I think that was where my interest was peaked. I found part two a little repetitive as it was similar scenes but from a different perspective. I can understand why this might have been done but I didn't enjoy reading this. I also found it less enjoyable having chapters from different characters and sometimes the voices of the characters were perhaps not as strong so I forgot whose voice the chapter was in. However, the booked picked up pace again towards the end and although I was suspicious of this character I was unsure of the motives until it was revealed.

I really enjoyed this book. It is dark and atmospheric and a really good page turner. The story is put together really well. I liked the characters and the build up of suspense. Every page is very cleverly written and had me gripped from the start. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

When you have enjoyed books by an author previously the idea of a standalone can sometimes bring trepidation. However no such feelings are required for this well crafted story, perfect for an autumnal chill read.

The story weaves a past short story with a present day narrative where it appear that history is repeating itself. The novel is told from different viewpoints and each really does have a distinctive voice so this is very successful. The solution to the murders comes as a bit of a surprise as I thought I had guessed the person earlier, but then went on to discount them later, so thanks for that Elly Griffiths!!


Whilst this is a standalone the main detective in this book is such a strong character it is tempting to hope that they reappear in a future novel.


For anyone unfamiliar with Elly Griffiths this book will introduce you to a writer who easily draws you into a plot and creates interesting characters though you will find it completely different from the other series that she writes so go on have a go at some more!

#TheStrangerDiaries #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this book and loved the mix of Elly Griffiths’ narrative along with that of R M Holland’s story.
This book is best described as a gothic thriller but as a crime thriller fan there was plenty to keep me interested.
The story starts with a murder and Clare is shocked to find it was her best friend.
She’s left reeling by the news and then discovers someone has been leaving ‘messages’ in her diary.
I must admit that I did guess who the killer was but enjoyed reading to the end to see if I’d guessed correctly!
When another body is found Clare works closely with the Police as both victims were close to her.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.
Thanks to Quercus books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

So very refreshing to read a crime novel that's full of intelligence, humour and full characterisation. Elly Griffiths is right up there with the great British novelists in both her 'Ruth Galloway' series and this new stand-alone murder mystery (or at least it is stand-alone for now; we can only hope that there will be more to come!)

Clare Cassidy teaches English lit at secondary school Talgarth High, where Victorian Gothic novelist RM Holland lived and wrote. Clare is attempting to write his biography and is teaching his famous short story The Stranger to an adult group in the half-term holidays, but her work and writing are tragically interrupted by the murder of her friend and colleague Ella - with a line from The Stranger written on a note next to her body! Investigating detective Harbinder Kaur becomes convinced the writer's works somehow hold the key to the case.

Clare confides her thoughts and fears about the case and her colleagues to her diary, which she keeps hidden away, but somehow another gains access as one day she finds a note in the diary written to her by someone else ... and this someone could be the murderer and could be very close to home.

The story is told from the perspective of the three main female characters of Clare, her teenage daughter Georgie and DS Karu, all interwoven around the original story of The Stranger. Some authors that try to jump through different perspectives in this way fall flat on their faces - but not so Ellie Griffiths, who skilfully whisks us from the thoughts and actions of one person to the next, keeping us on the edge of our seats, eager to pick up the next thread. As well as keeping the tension high, the author also uses this technique brilliantly to build a rounder picture of each person as their thoughts and actions are revealed in their own 'bit' but then interpreted differently as they are viewed and commented upon by another character.

Beautifully written, high in tension, and additionally a tribute to English literature, showing the author's great skill and love of literature. Highly recommended.

What's not to like about The Stranger Diaries? Well-written and perfectly paced, you're in the capable hands of a confident, experienced author who wont let you down. The multiple-perspective trope is handled with care and the ending is chillingly effective. A haunting tale that you wont forget in a hurry - makes other books on the shelf look distinctly amateurish! Read the other reviews for the plot or just pick up a copy and start reading: you wont be disappointed. Fantastic.

This is a first for me by this author... but won't be my last.

Clare Cassidy is no stranger to tales of murder. As a literature teacher specialising in the Gothic writer R.M. Holland, she teaches a short course on them every year. Then Clare's life and work collide tragically when one of her colleagues is found dead, a line from an R.M. Holland story by her body. The investigating police detective is convinced the writer's works somehow hold the key to the case.

Not knowing who to trust, and afraid that the killer is someone she knows, Clare confides her darkest suspicions and fears about the case to her journal. Then one day she notices some other writing in the diary. Writing that isn't hers...

I thoroughly enjoyed this story... something different to my recent reads... and I was not disappointed.
Once I started reading I didn't want to stop... It's a compelling mystery with well-drawn characters and a good plot that keeps you guessing until the end.
I haven't read any of the authors previous books so didn't know what to expect... I loved it and will be adding more of the authors works to my TBR pile.

Thank-You Netgalley for my ARC.

A glorious spine chiller for the dark nights, and I didn't guess whodunit which makes it even better!

Clare an avid diary writer is working on a novel about RM Holland, the man who used to own the house she now teaches in. He is famed for a short ghost story he wrote. Then a colleague is murdered and strange writing appears in Clares diary. Is there a link to RM Holland and just how does Clare fit into all this.

I'm a huge Elly Griffiths fan and was really looking forward to reading this and I was not disappointed. I loved the whole story especially the way the ghost story is interspersed in the text. The plot was clever and I had no clue who the killer was until the end which I really like. The ending was good too. I loved the story told from different perspectives as it adds more depth. This was quite chilling itself in many ways along with the ghost story. A really great read.

The characters are well written and developed into this making it difficult to predict just who might be the killer. It could easily be anyone and I really like that.

Part murder mystery, part Victorian ghost story, The Stranger Diaries makes for the perfect autumnal read.

Clare Cassidy is no stranger to tales of murder. As a literature teacher specialising in the Gothic writer R.M. Holland, she teaches a short course on them every year. Then Clare's life and work collide tragically when one of her colleagues is found dead, a line from an R.M. Holland story by her body. The investigating police detective is convinced the writer's works somehow hold the key to the case.

Clare keeps a diary and has done ever since high school. Diaries are a source of escape, a place to offload our innermost thoughts and off-limits to everyone but ourselves. However, she is left unsettled when she discovers someone else’s writing beneath her recent entry. She is forced to hand them over to the police, who find them revealing of Clare’s personal life.

Gothic horrors have become an instant must-read for me, and after reading the premise I couldn’t wait to see where this story would take me. I found it to be a slow-burning novel, but one in which Griffiths meticulously builds an atmosphere for the old school whodunit, perfect for those dark autumnal nights. One thing I do wish there was more of; supernatural elements. It was only the menacing echoes of The Stranger found within the murders of the present which brought these spookier elements to life. The ending also fell flat for me, the reveal somewhat underwhelming, especially after the growing sense of dread built up by the author.

“I could hear my breathing, jagged and stertorous. It was my only companion as I inched towards the staircase.”

This book offers us three alternating female perspectives; Clare, DS Harbinder Kaur and Clare’s daughter, Georgia. Throughout the interweaving P.O.Vs, beneath the surface interestingly lies an exploration of how we often have preconceived notions of others. For instance, we initially perceiving Clare as an innocent, likeable character. Harbinder on the other hand sees her as nothing but a stuck-up, over-privileged woman. The same goes for Clare’s perception of her daughter who chides her for behaving like the typical teenager, but through Georgia’s narration, we learn that she’s anything but. Looks can be deceiving, and this is fitting for the spooky murder mystery.

One other thing I enjoyed was the abundance of British allusions which is sure to entertain any fellow Brit:

“E often used to come here and they’d drink wine and watch Strictly (the opium of the middle-aged.”

Overall, despite the underwhelming ending, this Gothic murder mystery makes for the perfect autumnal read and ideal for anyone who loves an old school whodunit.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for providing me with an eARC to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book, there was suspense, murder and anonymous diary entries! Yes, something a little different, easy to read, which is something I like in a book.

My thanks to Quercus Books for an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first time reading one of Elly Griffiths’ novels and I loved it. It ticked all the boxes for me for a murder mystery with Gothic overtones. The interweaving of the Halloween-themed tale by fictional Victorian writer R.M Holland was excellent and I was pleased that the complete story was included at the end of the novel. I also appreciated the many literary references throughout.

The story is told by three narrators: English teacher Clare Cassidy, her daughter Georgia, and DS Harbinder Kaur. Through them the reader is given the opportunity to experience the unfolding events including the police investigation. Each narrative voice was strong and brought new details to light of the complex mystery.

I will admit that at first Harbinder irritated me a bit with her abrasive manner and internal judgements about Clare and others. Yet I soon warmed to her and it was clear she was very dedicated to her job and intent on solving the crimes.

I started this novel last evening and was so caught up in the story and characters that I barely took refreshment breaks today. Very enjoyable and I certainly plan to read more of her books.

The Stranger Diaries is the first book I have read by the author Elly Griffiths and I loved the way it was written - Its part murder mystery and part ghost story with a touch of gothic. A very different book for me to pick up and read but, I enjoyed how the book came together and it won't be the last I will read from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the ARC

If you are looking for the perfect book to give you the chills and make you check that all doors and windows are closed before getting into bed at night, then THE STRANGER DIARIES is the right book.

The story is told from three points of views, from three women I really liked. The first one is Clare Cassidy. She is an English teacher who, after her divorce, left London and moved to a small town in Sussex with her daughter. She took a job at the local comprehensive school, Talgarth High, that, in the early 1900s, was the home of R. M. Holland, a reclusive Victorian writer who is the subject of a biography Clare is writing. He wrote The Stranger, a Gothic short story that it’s at the centre of this novel. Clare’s life focuses on her daughter, her job, and the book she is writing, but it’s turned upside down when her colleague and close friend, Ella Elphick, is found murdered. That’s how she meets DS Harbinder Kaur, the second protagonist of the novel. Harbinder is in her middle-thirties, single, and she still lives with her parents. She is in charge of Ella’s case and she works relentlessly to find out the killer, especially as Clare becomes more and more involved in the case. Clare and Harbinder are completely different women, from different backgrounds and culture, and, even though at the beginning they don’t really like each other, a friendship begins between the two women as the case progresses. The third protagonist of the novel is Georgia, Clare’s fifteen-year-old daughter. Like all teenagers, she is moody, annoyed by her mother, and angry to the world, but she is also clever, intuitive, and a gifted writer.

I am a big fan of Elly Griffiths’s series featuring Dr Ruth Galloway so I was really looking forward to her stand-alone novel and I am happy to say that it went above my expectations because I was hooked from the first to the last page. Between the surprising twists and a cast of suspicious characters the suspense is always high and there are ghosts, magic, spirits, and séances that agree perfectly with the spooky and dark atmosphere that fills the pages. The plot is often interrupted by passages from Holland’s short story, The Stranger, which I found captivating, and snippets from Clare’s diaries that made the novel more gripping and sinister.

Unsurprisingly, Elly Griffiths wrote a compelling and captivating novel with a ghostly atmosphere and engaging characters and I’d like to thank Quercus for providing me with an early copy of the book.

Two books for the price of one.
Elly Griffiths has a new crime mystery that has no direct link with her two established series. One of the things it does have in common is that is very good. Full of her delightful humour and investable characters but lacking the security of the familiar. It strays into uncharted territory moreover as there is a cap doffed to horror and ghostly terror.
Interspersed with the modern day fiction is the frightening tale of a Stranger on a train who recounts a horror story while the journey is delayed, fittingly he narrates his story this 31st October, as it concerned events that happened on a previous Halloween nights.
The mantra “Hell is empty” ties this story into the modern murder mystery as an English teacher is found dead. With the body is a note which is a quote from The Stranger which also relates to a quotation from The Tempest.
Set in part within a school English department which in itself shares part of Holland House where the author of the Stranger lived and where is wife is a noted ghostly apparition. Elly blends the fiction of the narrated tale on the lonely train with her modern murder mystery. The detective team in the police investigation are as lost as we readers are. The book tells its story through the perspective of three characters which spins the narration around like a fairground ride and disorientate one’s own focus on who is perhaps less open and truthful.
It is almost a play within a play full of drama and high pitched tension. It is a genuine stand-alone by a well respected author who does not need to enhance her reputation but this novel clearly does that in the originality and self-belief The Stranger Diaries reflects on her story telling and writing prowess.
I loved his homage to English Literature and thought it a fitting tale to grow for an accomplished author at ease in her work and in love with literature.
I can imagine the plot has moved across the waters of Elly’s subconscious since her own student days, like some sea fret rolling ashore.
It is always a pleasure to meet Elly at book events and signings. Behind bright, intelligent eyes you know that there is talent with so much more to give. I am delighted to say that twinkle in her eyes just got brighter as this new novel is a tour de force.
Other authors look away now. She is also one of my favourite modern writers as a person and as a exponent of her art.
And the reading audience shout. “More..........”

So I requested this one mainly because it has been ages since I’ve read a contemporary thriller – and this one spoke to me, with the synopsis and the slightly literary angle. This time of year always makes me want to read murder mystery and thriller, but most of my TBR is Fantasy at the moment. I’m happy to say this book did not disappoint!

We follow multiple perspectives in this book. First off is Clare, a teacher at the local school who is obsessed with RM Holland, and is writing a book about him, when there’s a murder among the faculty. Her struggle as she mourns her friend, tries to keep work going, care for her daughter (and argue with her ex-husband) is made that much worse when she suddenly notices strange writing in her personal diary. I don’t think there’s many things scarier than someone not only reading your most private thoughts, but also leaving some creepy writing on the page.

We also follow Harbinder, one of the police detectives assigned to solve her colleagues’ murder. It was really interesting not only to see how two such very different people react to the events and suspects, as well as it being nice in general to see the investigator angle. Oftentimes we just follow someone connected to the murder, and it helps to get the less emotional, more analytical angle. The funny thing is, even with a look inside the head of someone investigating the murder and having all the resources and information the police have, I still wasn’t sure who the murderer was going to end up being!

The writing was fast paced and kept me wanting to keep on reading the whole time. The different point of views had very distinct tones, and while I may have gotten annoyed with some of them (their opinions, mostly) it is only because they were such believable and realistic thoughts for the characters.

The story and world is very atmospheric, with the simple English town, abandoned factory and old country manor turned school. The inclusion of the Gothic writer RM Holland, his history, as well as his famous story The Stranger created a supernatural edge to this thriller. Many a time I was wondering if in the end they would have to arrest a ghost for the murder! The Stranger is a very simple story, but very ominous, with its enigmatic narrator and train carriage setting. No stranger is ever allowed to talk to me on a train again!

This was the first book written by the author I had read and I will certainly be trying another. The cover and description appealed to me very much, gothic and spooky, what more could I ask for !
It was creepy without being too scary, a real page turner and flowed so easily. The book is written from the viewpoint of multiple narrators which I don't usually get on with but somehow it worked and kept me gripped from start to finish. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this.

This is quite a departure from the two wonderful detective series of books written by this author (Ruth Galloway and Stephens & Mephisto) and I was a little unsure what to expect from the gothic spooky story. It was excellent - very well written and planned out, and it drew me in right from the start. It is a tale of murder, centred around English teacher Claire Cassidy who has a passion for the Victorian mystery short story "The Stranger" and its author who just happens to have lived and worked at her present school. There are deaths and strange goings-on around Claire's friends, family and colleagues, and suspicion falls on several people in turn as DS Harbinder Kaur and her partner DS Neil Winston try to put all the pieces together before anyone else dies. The story is narrated by Claire, her daughter Georgia and Harbinder (who would make a great book lead character in her own right!) in turn. Quite often this style doesn't work, but all credit to the author it really works well here as each character relates several chapters in succession and is able to overlap the story and fill in the gaps. The unveiling of the culprit probably won't come as a surprise to many readers and the story is comfortably silly in places but overall highly enjoyable.