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.

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.

I have recently noticed a trend in crime fiction. The trend has been coined Gothic Suspense. These stories often feature an old or abandoned home with mystic elements and of course a murder. I have read quite a few stories of Gothic Suspense, so far Griffiths has done it best. In The Stranger Diaries Griffiths takes an interlude from the much loved Ruth Galloway series ; and makes her mark on the sub-genre of Gothic Suspense.

When Ella, Clare Cassidy’s best friend and colleague is brutally murdered, Clare is shocked and devastated. Ella was a beloved and admired teacher at the high school where she and Clare both taught English Literature. Even more disturbing is what was found alongside Ella’s body ; a quote from an author Clare admires immensely. As the police scramble to find the murderer and mysterious entries appear in Clare’s diary, Clare begins to fear that fiction has become reality. 

For Clare Cassidy her diary is her safe place. A place where she can unload all her fears and insecurities without judgement. Writing in her diary is a part of her routine, just as much as going to work or walking her dog. After the death of her close friend Ella, Clare finds entries in her diary which are not her own. The idea of a person reading someone else’s diary is atrocious in my opinion. I have never kept a diary for fear that someone may read it. The thought of someone knowing my deepest thoughts and emotions (without my permission) terrifies me. There is nothing creepier. This is what makes The Stranger Diaries so inthralling. In addition to Clare’s home and security being violated, Griffiths also shows how Clare’s sense of self has been violated; a violation far more damaging than ransacking a home. Whenever Clare discovered a new passage from her intruder, I literally felt chills. Griffiths uses a very small object to project a huge amount of unease. 

The Stranger Diaries is told from three perspectives Clare, her teenage daughter Georgia, and the Detective Sergeant investigating Ella’s murder, Harbinder Kaur. I thoroughly enjoyed each character, so much that I could not pick a favorite. They are all intelligent and share of a love of literature each with very strong personalities. Clare, the capable and independent single mother, Georgia the moody yet incredibly insightful fifteen year old. Lastly Harbinder, the tough no nonsense detective battling with her own insecurities. Griffiths displays the strengths of each woman as well as their weaknesses. I relished reading about these strong yet flawed women. It was wonderful to read how their personalities complemented each other and how the plot became even more thrilling once they realized they were allies not enemies. 

In addition to teaching high school English Literature, Clare also teaches a Creative Writing course for adults. In the Creative Writing course Clare uses fictional writer R.M. Holland as a point of reference. Holland’s most famous work The Stranger features heavily in Clare’s adult classes. I absolutely loved The Stranger and I found it hard to believe R.M. Holland is a fictional writer. The Stranger is mentioned throughout the book but the entire story can be found at the end of the book. The Stranger is twisted and chilling, adding an extra layer of creepy to The Stranger Diaries.

With a wonderfully eerie setting in the world of academia, three strong-willed female lead characters, and tons of suspense; The Stranger Diaries is the kind of book you want to binge yet savor. Fans of Ruth Ware’s The Death of Mrs. Westaway and Michael Malone’s House Of Spines should add The Stranger Diaries to their list of must reads.

*Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for my free review copy of The Stranger Diaries*

Murder and Moore Rating : 

5 out of 5 Stars

“The Stranger Diaries” by Elly Griffiths is a literary thriller, a book with in a book. The main character is a professor drawn into a murder mystery when her colleague is found dead with a quote from her favorite author beside the body.
The writing was stellar and it kept me on edge of my seat. I plan on reading more of Elly Griffiths.

Four and a half stars for this absorbing and witty gothic mystery.

Clare Cassidy reads a lot of novels, many of which feature ghosts and tragedy. She's even writing a biography about an enigmatic horror author she admires, who happened to live at the very school she teaches. She's also a mother of a teenager and a divorcee. Happiest spending her nights with a good book and cup of tea (or a glass or two of wine) her life has little drama, and she likes it that way. Everything changes when her good friend is found dead under very suspicious circumstances. Now she's starring in her very own murder mystery, as more bodies turn up and she starts to look more and more suspicious.

This book features multiple points of view, which was one of my favorite parts of the story. We hear from not only Clare, but her daughter, and a detective investigating the increasingly terrifying happenings at the school. We get to look at the same events from each of their perspectives, getting to know how they feel and how they see each other. There's not a weak main character in the bunch, and each perspective is as riveting as the next.

This was my first experience with this well-known author, and I'm sure it won't be the last. If her other books are as atmospheric and hard to put down as this one, I'm in for a treat. The one weak spot for me was I felt the ending was a bit rushed, but it wasn't enough to affect my enjoyment of the book too much. I'm also a sucker for a story featuring a pet with personality!

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, thank you! This in no way affects my opinion. I read it with the lovely Traveling Sisters.