Clare Cassidy is an English teacher at Targeth High School in West Sussex. The campus includes the house of gothic writer R.M. Holland.
Clare is writing a book about the author, and also keeps a diary that chronicles her life. She lives nearby with her teenage daughter Georgia and beloved terrier Herbert.
Her good friend and colleague Ella is murdered, and a note is found near the body with a line from Holland's famous short story, The Stranger.
When Clare begins to write in her diary, she discovers a note there, in the same handwriting!
DS Harbinder Kaur is the police woman investigating the murder. She is also an alumna of Targeth High.
The story alternates points of view between Clare, Georgia and Harbinder.
This modern gothic British mystery is mesmerizing! I loved the creepy, eerie tone and the humorous touches that lightened the story at times. The characters were engaging and interesting, and the mystery was intriguing.
Highly recommend reading this one! I also love this author's atmospheric Ruth Galloway series about an archeologist.
Thank you to HMH Books and Netgalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I have one thing to say.

HERBERT!

Okay, I have more to say. This book is delightful. It’s everything I didn’t know I needed or wanted in a mystery novel, complete with biting wit, atmospheric tension, a crackerjack sense-of-place, three extremely unreliable and captivating narrators, and one of the most adorable dogs to ever exist on paper – Herbert, he of the woolly white fur and love of crisps.

Clare Cassidy – who I would argue is the main character of this piece – is an English teacher at Halgarth High in Sussex, which she believed would be a quiet place to recover from her divorce and continue raising her teenage daughter Georgia. Even more appropriately, Halgarth High was once the home of Clare’s favourite Gothic writer, R.M. Holland, and holds its own mysteries (and ghosts) within its hallowed halls.

Fiction bleeds into reality when Clare’s good friend, and fellow teacher, Ella Ephwick is found murdered in her home, and it seems as though Holland’s morbid tale, The Stranger, is coming to startling life. When a police detective named Harbinder Kaur is put on the case, Clare turns to her diary to sort out her muddled fears, and finds something new within the pages – a message. Hallo Clare, you don’t know me.

The novel switches between Clare, Harbinder and Clare’s daughter Georgia. Each woman has her own secrets, and all are equally worthy of spending time with. I’m not usually a fan of authors flipping back and forth between narrators, because I often find I’ve fallen in love with one person’s voice and then they’re gone, or worse yet, the voices don’t sound at all dissimilar, and I can’t remember who is supposed to be speaking. Thank goodness Griffiths doesn’t have that problem. Clare, Harbinder and Georgia are distinct, clearly delineated characters, and all offer their own foibles and strengths, their own hopes and selfish desires.

Although I could have gladly spent days (months!) with these women (in the unlikely event that Elly Griffiths is reading this – please make it a series, I’m begging you from my soul), I was also desperate to know the answer to the central question: who is the killer re-creating Holland’s stories of horror?

I didn’t guess for one moment who it was (if you read my reviews, you’ll know I normally do – even once from the synopsis) – and the ending was pitch-perfect and electrifying – from the shock of the killer’s true identity, to finally getting to read R.M Holland’s short story, The Stranger, in full.

The star of the story though – is Herbert. Herbert, Clare’s dog, who she loves with a fierce simplicity that I recognized immediately. My dog is my familiar, my companion, “my soul in animal form”. This quote – I love him so much that sometimes, when I look at him, I’m quite surprised to find he’s covered in hair. It made me laugh, it made my eyes sting with tears. Yes, this is how it is, loving these helpless, funny, greedy, loyal and endlessly affectionate beings – who ask for almost nothing, but take your entire heart.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I appreciate it!

Oh man, does Elly Griffiths know about atmosphere.

I am giving this 3.5 stars and rounding to 4!

Griffiths begins this novel with a small taste of the writer R.M. Holland's most famous short story The Stranger. This certainly sets the scene for the story that unfolds. From there, we get introduced to Clare Cassidy. She is an English teacher with an intense interest in Holland. All seems to be going okay until her friend and co-worker, Ella, is murdered. The police believe that the murder suspect is close to home leaving no room for comfort. The case evolves and becomes much more dangerous than anyone could expect especially Clare.

There were things I adored about this book. And there were things that could have been done differently. I really love the atmosphere. We have Clare working in the potentially haunted home of deceased writer, R.M. Holland. If that isn't creepy enough, his late wife may or may not have killed herself. Worse yet, she may haunt the halls. And a sighting of her could be deadly. I love the incorporation of the Gothic author. It really does give an average murder mystery novel that extra oomph. Had that not been included, I am not sure I would have received this novel as well.

Sorry but we have to talk about the issues. Griffiths clearly is not in her domain when writing from a teenage point of view. Which is totally okay. Those twisted young minds are hard to break through. BUT she didn't have to put emphasis on her discomfort. Every time we read from Georgia's point of view, she would include something like "normal teenage stuff" or "as teens are meant to do." Furthermore, she would single it out, like so: (normal teenage stuff). Now I am not talking like here or there. I began to notice the frequency enough that I began counting. For the record, teenagers don't often insist they are teenagers after every angsty response or eye roll. It became a bit cumbersome. Another plot point I was curious about was the ghost of Holland's wife. One more to the list of complaints, why do authors reach the climax and skip right over it? Here is the moment you've been waiting for! Oh, they are face to face! And end of chapter, it's all been resolved, closing up shop......like it's cool I didn't just wait 300+ pages for this altercation. But my last and greatest issue, I guessed the killer a little too quickly. Not to toot my own horn, but pretty much from being introduced to said character I knew. That isn't the fault of Griffiths, I am going to blame it on being born a genius....

Overall, I thought it was a fairly likable murder mystery. I loved the creepy author element. Griffiths played into her strengths being all atmospheric. But she has to try and convince the readers less that she can write from a teenage point of view. Stating through out "teenage this and teenage that" isn't convincing anyone.

Thank you NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the read!

Some interesting new characters—I’d like to know more about the detective, Harbinder, and her partner. The mystery itself had an interesting connection/structure: a tie-in with a mysterious, deceased author, his house (now part of the school) and the spooky short stories he’s best known for—but the connection wasn’t developed particularly well or in a way that added much dimension to the story. I never quite connected with the protagonist.
The author writes well, and I’d probably read another.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I particularly enjoyed the way that the story was told through the perspectives of multiple key characters. Giving the reader multiple perspectives really made the characters that much more tangible and multi-dimensional (and at the same time making it more difficult to decide if we like or dislike the characters, who to believe, and which secrets are crucial).

Thanks NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for a review copy.

I’m a huge Elly Griffiths fan. I’ve read all of her books bar one (which I’m getting to next). I find I really connect with her writing, despite it sometimes not being literary perfect. The Stranger Diaries was no exception.

The Stranger Diaries is a modern day gothic mystery told in the first person point of view of three characters: Clare, Harbinder and Georgia.

Clare is a school teacher who often features the famous (fictional) horror short story The Stranger in her classes. When a fellow teacher is murdered, she immediately recognises the killer used elements of the story when carrying out their crime.

Harbinder is the detective assigned to the case. There’s no end of potential suspects, including Clare and Georgia. Out of the three narrators, I liked Harbinder the most. Even though The Stranger Diaries is supposedly standalone, I wouldn’t be averse to Harbinder getting her own series

Georgia is Clare’s daughter who is part of a creative writing group which doubles as a, wait for it, witches’ coven. Georgia’s pov and inner thoughts were pretty unnecessary and annoying most of the time. I’m never a fan of teenagers getting involved with Wicca in books, for starters.

If I was Griffiths’ editor, I would have advised her to have written the book from perhaps only one point of view, or at least only Clare and Harbinder’s. The three narrators also led to Griffiths repeating scenes; giving the reader the same scene from the alternate point of view. This bugged me. I didn't feel like I needed to read them twice.

The main mystery plot was quite good. I had no idea who the murderer was but I didn’t find it implausible when revealed.

Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway and Mephisto/Stephens series both have a hefty helping of love affairs but The Stranger Diaries has only the slightest hints. I quite liked it but the romantic side of me hankered for a little more.

Making a modern day mystery have a gothic feel is no mean feat and Griffiths really excelled here. The Stranger story itself was wonderfully creepy. Parts of it feature throughout and for an extra treat, it’s told in full at the end of the novel. Actually, I must admit, The Stranger was maybe my favourite part of the book. Griffiths should think about writing for the horror genre next!

Again, maybe The Stranger Diaries wasn’t literary perfect but it was, as usual with Griffiths, perfect for me.

5 out of 5

The Stranger Diaries is an homage to classic gothic fiction.  Clare Cassidy is teaches English at Talgrath High - a school located at the former estate of R.M. Holland, author of the gothic short story, The Stranger.  When Clare's best friend is murdered, a quote from The Stranger is left next to the body.  Clare has become a suspect and doesn't know who to trust.  

This book is a homage to the classic gothic fiction novel. Snippets of The Stranger are scattered throughout the book to add to the suspense and the reader will be kept guessing until the end.  This is the first Elly Griffiths novel that I have picked up, but I will be on the lookout for her stuff.

(NetGalley ebook -  I received a complimentary advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

First line: ‘If you’ll permit me,’ said the Stranger, ‘I’d like to tell you a story. After all, it’s a long journey and, by the look of those skies, we’re not going to be leaving this carriage for some time. So, why not pass the hours with some story-telling? The perfect thing for a late October evening.’

Summary: Clare Cassidy is an English teacher at a local high school. She has spent years teaching her students about Gothic literature including R. M. Holland’s short story, The Stranger. When her close friend and fellow teacher is murdered and a line from Holland’s story is found next to her body, Clare turns to her diary as a way to console herself. However, one night she finds a strange entry in a different handwriting. Who is writing in her diary? Is it the killer?

My Thoughts: I was a little disappointed in this novel. I liked the premise. I really loved that little pieces of The Stranger were scattered throughout the novel. It was eerie. But I felt that it wrapped up all rather fast. There was a lot of building and it came down quickly. And half way through I had two ideas of who was behind everything. I was right. And the motives I imagined were correct too. It was all a little too predictable.

FYI: Very dark themes and creepy.

Murder mysteries aren't my usual favorite reading genre, but because of its gothic flavor and setting in England and Scotland, I took the plunge. Decades ago when Stephen King first hit the scene, I faithfully read everything he put out. I was on a horror kick for awhile there. Today my go to genres are biographies and historical fiction. Yet, this has been getting many favorable reviews on Goodreads, prompting me to see what all the bugaboo was about. Sadly, for me it didn't quite live up to the hype. However, I did enjoy this book- it just didn't wow me.

The story takes place in a school that used to be on a "needs improvement" level, but has managed to elevate its rating of late. The original part of the school is old and gothic in architecture, with a new building annexed onto it. The old section of the school is legendary for its attic office belonging to the late R.M. Holland, famous for writing a horror piece called "The Stranger". The room has been maintained as it was when the celebrated author was alive. Divorced English teacher Clare Cassidy works there, but she's also writing a book about R.M. Holland. As the book begins, "The Stranger" by R.M. Holland is read, its creepy flavor accentuated by its italicized text. Indeed, this short story is sprinkled evenly throughout the book in parallel with the murders that occur.

Clare has kept a diary for decades, but after a teacher friend is murdered she notices someone has written a message in her diary. This is a frightening occurrence that repeats itself after every murder. In addition, the murderer leaves post-it notes behind near its victims, their blurbs echoing a line from notable literary tomes such as "The Stranger", "The Woman in White", or Shakespeare's "The Tempest".

The supporting cast of characters include Clare's teenage daughter Georgia, policewoman Harbinder Kaur, and Clare's ex-husband Simon, to name a few. I never guessed the culprit of the murders for a second...total surprise!

2.5 stars for me, this one... I had a hard time to jump into the story, but when the action kept coming, I was there, wanting to know more and more... until the end, that left me bleh.

The multiple narrators are useful to know different perspectives and parts of the story, but the writing felt weird to me. The parts of Georgie and Clare looked like diaries. Maybe it was intentional, but then Harbinder's part felt foreign.

Thanks to the publisher for my e-copy of the book.

Stranger Diaries
By
Elly Griffiths

What 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.

A 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.

I received a free e-copy of The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths from NetGalley for my honest review.

Something strange is happening at Talgarth High School in England. English teachers are being murdered.

Claire Cassidy is an English teacher at Talgarth High School. She is writing a book on R.M. Holland, the author of a short story called "The Stranger". She is having writer's block and hunting for information on Holland.

Claire's best friend and colleague ends up being murdered. A hand written note with a line from Holland's short story is found next to the body. The police start their investigation. Clare, Georgie and Herbert are suddenly entangled in the murder mystery which seems to revolve around Clare. Then she discovers writing in her diary. Writing that is not hers. The writing does, however, match the handwriting on the note that was found by her friend's body. Is Claire going to be the next victim? Now, everyone is a suspect. Everyone except for Herbert. The police are trying to solve the mystery before someone else gets murdered.

A very enjoyable read told by each of the main characters. Each character has their own perspective and they give insight into what each is seeing and thinking. A wonderfully, eerie kind of ghost story with lost of twists.

THE STRANGER DIARIES, by Elly Griffiths, is story within a story, which is a gothic mystery, set at a rural English school; a classic who-done-it! Absolutely loved this spooky and very thrilling story! Thanks so much to NetGalley, Elly Griffiths and Houghton Mifflin Harcout, for the e-ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

I am always on the lookout for a good gothic mystery. This was a real page turner, a gripping combination of a detective and a ghost story. It was a bit slow at the beginning, but the atmospheric writing added to the intrigue.

I love the various elements: a revealing diary, a creepy witch coven, the love for animals, and the fiction within a fiction. The plot twist and reveal was satisfying, too. Definitely worth the read for all gothic mystery fans out there.

I have read several of Elly Griffiths Dr Ruth Galloway and Magic Men books so am already a fan. But this is a stand alone story (a pity because I really like DS Harbinder Kaur). It has a gothic element with The Stranger story playing an important part and also has ghosts and witchcraft.
The ending was totally unexpected but felt a little rushed; probably because although I wanted to know "whodunit" I didn't want the book to end.

This was a great contemporary/ gothic thriller. Reading this story through the different points of views was an aspect I really enjoyed because you are seeing the timeline through different pairs of eyes and I felt like it made it easier for me to like all the of the characters that much more by following their individual stories. Next three was the plot. This was not your norman murder mystery. At first it may seem that way but it definitely took on a creepy vibe when you find out that someone wrote in Clares diary and the mystery just keeps building from that point on. All in all I can honestly say that this was one of the few books that I have read where I had no clue whatsoever who the murderer was, which for a psychological suspension, that's exactly what you are looking for the most! I look forward to reading more from Elly Griffiths. Very well done.

As a former English teacher, I was immediately drawn to the premise of the story, since the main character, Clare, is an English teacher. I love stories that take place in the school setting. Clare teaches a course on Gothic literature, and pretty soon, her life begins to resemble the story lines of her favorite literature. From the beginning, this thriller caught my attention and kept it all the way until the very last page. It is no secret that I love a good thriller, and The Stranger Diaries had everything I want in a thriller. It was an addictive page-turner, and one that I could not put down! Not only does the story take place in a school, but there is also a haunted house and ghostly activity. When I was reading, I would imagine myself in Clare's shoes, and the hair on the back of my neck would stand up. Griffiths definitely has a knack for vivid imagery and descriptions that make you feel like you are a part of the story. At times, the tension was palpable, and my heart was racing as I read through the story. I really liked that the author chose the Gothic style as an undertone to this story. I think the incorporation of Gothicism created the perfect atmosphere for the story. The Stranger Diaries would make a great movie; I would be very curious to see it turned into one. If you like a heart-pumping thriller, I would definitely recommend this one! 4/5.

A great gothic style stand alone. Griffiths' is one of my favorite authors and I loved this almost as much as the Galloway books.

Another entertaining and engaging story by Elly Griffiths. This story seems a bit dark because it deals in the world and stories of Gothic nature. Don't let that sway you from picking this one up.

I was hooked from the moment that I opened the first page.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for this advanced readers copy. Release date for this was March 2019.