I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, Netgalley.com and the publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

This can be added to the best books of the year lists! Imaginative and original while simultaneously being a love letter to the classic mystery writers before her, Ms. Griffiths was created a novel with not only a twist but with an original short story that is the basis of the main novel.

Ms. Griffiths hits all the right notes: suspense, spookiness and a dose of humor. All the makings of a future classic of her own.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

This book is a carefully and cleverly woven combination of an old ghost story, called The Stranger, and the story of Clare Cassidy, an English teacher who is trying to write a biography of R. M. Holland, the author of the Stranger. The current story has chapters written from the point of view of Clare, her daughter, Georgia, who are both diary writers, as well as DS Kaur, the police woman involved in the modern story. Besides The Stranger, there are also references to Wilkie Collins novels and the Tempest.

The story begins with the beginning of The Stranger, which Clare is reading in her adult creative writing class. Her class meets in the former Holland home which is now part of Talgarth High. The top floor of the building is R. M. Holland's preserved study. In The Stranger story, the narrator has been initiated (on Halloween) into the Hell Club at university, which was a prestigious club including politicians, scientists, lawyers, and business men. They must be blindfolded, go into a ruined house, climb the stairs, light a candle in the window, and shout "Hell is empty". After the students leave, Clare receives a phone call from Rick Lewis, the head of her department. A colleague, who is also Clare's best friend, Ella, has been murdered. Her murder looks a lot like the first murder in The Stranger.

Clare goes back to her diary to read a part when Ella and Clare were at a conference together, and Clare finds someone has added a sentence to her diary. Soon, another person is murdered and Clare is the one to find him. He was murdered the same way as the second murder in The Stranger. As we read more about The Stranger, we find that there is a new murder of one the participants at the initiation every Halloween, until the narrator is the only one left. Meanwhile, DS Kaur is trying to protect Clare and Georgia, and sends them to Scotland to stay with Clare's grandmother. DS. Kaur decides to sleep in Clare's apartment, and there she finds a clue to the current murderer. Can she reach him before he gets to Clare and Georgia?

I couldn't put the book down as it neared the end with both stories very exciting.

Clare Cassidy is an English teacher specializing in Gothic writer R.M. Holland and his short story, The Stranger . Clare is working on a book based on the mysterious life of R.M. Holland, who once lived in the school where she now works.

One evening one of Clare's closest friends and colleagues, Ella, is murdered with a line from R. M. Holland’s story left by her body. Clare's life eerily begins to collide with some of her favorite pieces of literature. Confused and concerned about what is happening around her, Clare turns to her trusty diary only to find that someone has been to it first and left her a note. Who is this stranger writing in her diary? Could the killer ultimately be out for Clare?

The gothic vibe of the story definitely added to its sense of eeriness. I will confess that I had the killer figured out - I just wasn't sure on the why. The motive actually left me a bit underwhelmed but overall, it fit within the context of the story and it was definitely plausible. Griffiths did a thorough job of leading us with a trail of breadcrumbs throughout and throwing in a few red herrings here and there. Personally, I was just hoping for a bit more - some of the red herrings would have actually been quite an interesting route to take.

The cast of characters here was ecclectic and wonderful though I admit that Clare was actually my least favorite. I thoroughly enjoyed her daughter Georgie, their adorable and pampered dog Herbert and DS Harbinder Kaur. I can actually see DS Kaur in her own series. She is witty, critical and has quite an interesting backstory. Dare I hope we might see more of her in the future from Griffiths?

Overall, if you enjoy gothic mysteries with that classic "whodunit" vibe - this one's for you.

THE STRANGER DIARIES by Elly Griffiths is a "modern gothic mystery" which I picked up because it was recommended for fans of Magpie Murders and The Lake House. Good suggestion! In this suspenseful standalone work, multiple narrators describe the happenings at Talgarth High in West Sussex, near Chichester, where a young teacher, Ella Elphick, has been murdered. Clare Cassidy also teaches English there – in fact, one of her favorite short stories is called "The Stranger" and she is trying to write a book about the author who had lived at the school. Clare is an avid writer, keeping a diary and recording thoughts (which provide some flashback details) about her co-workers, her teenage daughter, Georgie, and ex-husband, Simon. Soon, there is more than one death and Clare, other teachers, and even students are falling under suspicion of the local police, especially Harbinder Kaur (another narrator and well-developed character). THE STRANGER DIARIES is a melodramatic, almost creepy story with some surprising twists and several literary allusions. Tempting to read and enjoy in one sitting! Definitely recommended. There is plenty of agreement: Booklist (which recommended it for teens, too) and Library Journal gave THE STRANGER DIARIES starred reviews, plus it was chosen as a LibraryReads selection for March 2019 and named Best Crime Book of the Year by the London Times.

I was excited to read this book but was ultimately kind of disappointed. The author was very ambitious and it just was kind of all over the place. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

3.5/5 stars

Clare Cassidy is a teacher at an English upper level school where her daughter attends. They live on the outskirts of their small town, near an abandoned factory with their dog Herbert. Clare spends her free time researching for a biography about the mysterious R. M. Holland, who once lived in the oldest building, where she teaches some of her classes. His fictional story The Stranger is now beginning to coincide with the murder of a fellow teacher and friend of Clare’s. Then, someone else begins writing in her personal diary, and she looks suspiciously connected to all the strange, frightening things that are happening.

DS Harbinder Kaur is investigating the murder case with her partner Neil. She is highly suspicious of everyone surrounding it. Kaur attended the same school herself many years ago, when she thinks she might have encountered the spirit of Holland’s late wife, who died there and is said to roam the staircase. She also knows someone who works at the school, who could give her insight into finding the killer.

The Stranger Diaries is a fast-paced mystery that is difficult to put down, even when weaving among the three narratives of Clare, Harbinder, and Clare’s daughter Georgia. Each character gives a unique perspective into the case, and unveils details the others don’t know, driving the reader to solve it faster than any of them could alone. The mysterious stories by the fictional author R.M. Holland also add a creepy, almost supernatural element to this novel that increase the suspense and curiosity—what did happen to Holland’s wife, and did he have a daughter? And how are they connected to Clare and the murder? This book will keep you riveted til the end.

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths is a gothic cozy murder mystery with literary leanings and I really enjoyed it.

The story is told from the perspective of three main characters, teacher Clare, daughter Georgie and DS Kaur. Clare is a literature teacher with a passion for the work of gothic writer R.M. Holland. Clare teaches at Holland House, Talgarth High School, the building where the reclusive R.M. Holland lived and wrote The Stranger.

When Clare's friend and colleague Ella is found dead, clues seem to point to the well known ghost story by R.M. Holland, The Stranger.

Set in rural England, this is a classic whodunnit with plenty of literary references. I enjoyed the alternate perspectives of daughter Georgie and DS Kaur's investigative process.

The Stranger Diaries is an enjoyable cozy murder mystery with plenty of potential suspects and I enjoyed the gothic undertones and satisfying conclusion. The inclusion of the short story The Stranger at the end was a bonus.

This was a great mystery and kept me guessing to the end - will be recommending it to library patrons!

Clare is an english teacher at a high school. She has been working on a book about the author R.M. Holland that has the author's study in the upstairs of one of the school buildings. Another teacher is killed in the english department and everyone questions who the killer could be. DS Harbinder Kaur is on the case searching for the killer and suspecting that is one of the teachers at the school. Clare's daughter Georgia is a student at the school and she suspects teachers as well, but which one? The story is broken up into the three women's view of the case. Some how the killings are involving the author Holland but how?
A really good mystery, and you will not figure out the killer.

Clare is a divorced mother living with her daughter Georgia and dog Herbert. Clare teaches English at the Talgarth School and is particularly intrigued by the author R.M. Holland who used to live on the current school property. She not only teaches a class about his writing but is also working on a biography of his life. Seems pretty straightforward except Holland's deceased wife Alice is supposed to haunt the property where she once lived and died. Also, a close friend of Clare’s and fellow teacher Ella is murdered with a note from Holland's book found at the scene that states, ”hell is empty.” Oh, and if that isn't enough someone( or something )is writing in Clare’s personal and private diary and somehow she seems to be intricately involved with the murder(actually murders) and the mystery.

This was a story that just kept me turning pages. Are there really ghosts or spirits and if so could they be responsible for the current tragedies? I loved the gothic atmosphere and the book within a book. R.M. Holland's The Stranger weaves in and out of the narrative and I can truly say that I didn't figure out whodunit or why until the author clued me in. This is the first book I have read by Elly Griffiths and the characters were so well-written and the story kept me guessing (incorrectly) what was really happening that I can only say more, please!
I received a DRC from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt through NetGalley.

This was a really pleasant surprise! I'd never heard of Elly Griffiths before receiving this book in the mail, but it ended up being so much more than your typical boilerplate thriller.

Set at a British secondary school, many of the adult characters are members of the English department, so there's several literary references sprinkled throughout. The apparent murder of a faculty member is intercut with passages from a short story, The Stranger, who's author had resided at the school, shrouded in intrigue many years prior. The Victorian gothic style of the story mirrors the events of the novel and does an excellent job of keeping the hair on your arms raised in tension.

Told from the perspectives of Clare, Ella's colleague/friend; Georgia, Clare's daughter; and Harbinder, one of the investigators into Ella's death, Griffiths is skilled at switching between three distinct voices. The danger of obsession is played with and throws suspicion onto several possible suspects. Even though every person who becomes obsessed isn't a killer, the threat and excuses we use to dismiss these tendencies are contrasted with the eventual worst-case scenario.

There's a lot of story worked into this mystery. I was jumping from conclusion to conclusion before the guilty party was revealed. After this one, I think I'll be checking out other Elly Griffiths books--possibly the Ruth Galloway series?

This book consumed me and I literally couldn't put it down! Though I'm not usually a fan of gothic novels, this had just the right "creep factor" for me including a story within the story, ghost tales, and grisly murders--all set in a school (my personal favorite setting for mysteries). Clare is an English teacher when her fellow teacher and friend, Ella is brutally murdered. There are many suspects as she'd had an affair with a married teacher and a student with a crush on her sent her a card and was later removed from her class. Many quirky and likable characters, narration from three perspectives, a little witchcraft, and a lot of suspense! I will certainly read more of her novels as this one captivated me!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This is a very uniquely done mystery which revolves around a gothic horror story called The Stranger by the Victorian author R. M. Holland. Clare Cassidy teaches at the Talgarth school in Sussex, the old section of which was originally the home of Mr Holland, which is said to be haunted by the ghost of his wife who died from a fall from the staircase. The woman in white.

Now someone is killing teachers at the school and using the same modus operandi as the killer in Holland's story. Will Clare be next?

The horror story itself is presented in small sections and is bookended by the current mystery which is told in the first person pov of three characters: Clare herself, with some sections from her personal diary; her fifteen-year-old daughter, Georgia; and the police detective DS Harbinder Kaur.

I thought the pacing was well done; the mystery kept me guessing almost to the end. It's always a challenge to figure out the whodunit before the detective! The setting was quite atmospheric, with the talk of ghosts and witchcraft. 'Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.'

Of the characters, I found Harbinder to be the most interesting: she's still living at home with mum and dad at 35, avoiding their talk of marriage, not confessing that she's gay. She's sarcastic and smart, very likable.

I will look forward to reading more from this author. Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an arc of this new thriller via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I'm very glad I accepted the opportunity.

"Hell is empty and all the devils are here."

An atmospheric Gothic setting in an old school building that is rumoured to house a ghost? A literary inception (book within a book) element? Some gruesome murders with cryptic notes that have the police puzzled?

Yes, yes, YES! *clapping my hands together in excitement and jumping up and down*

It’s true – this book has it all – but wait, there is more! I am incredulous that I have never read any books by Elly Griffiths before, because this one had all the elements I enjoy in a good thriller. It starts with an excerpt of The Stranger, a novella by classical author R.M. Holland, featuring a stranger telling a story to another passenger on a train as they ride through the dark night. It’s creepy, and it’s menacing, and it had me hooked immediately like a hapless little fish flapping around on the end of the line. This story may not be the main plot, but its theme flavoured the rest of the story and cast its dark shadow over it. Just the way I like it!

The rest of the book is being told through three POVs: Clare, an English teacher at Talgarth High School whose best friend Ella gets murdered very early in the story; her daughter Georgie; and DS Harbinder Kaur, the detective investigating Ella’s death. Each of the three women are well-rounded and intriguing characters with complex backstories and secrets to hide that may – or may not – make them unreliable narrators. I especially enjoyed the character of DS Kaur, whose different cultural background added a lot more depth to the storyline than in many other police procedurals.

Another favourite of mine was the setting, which was so atmospheric and creepy that it almost featured as another character in the story. Talgarth High, the setting of much of the story, is an old brownstone building that was once home to R.M Holland, the author of the famous story The Stranger and its infamous quote: “hell is empty”, which featured prominently in the spate of murders to follow. The building also has its own resident ghost, the White Lady, who has been spotted by many townsfolk and is believed to herald an imminent death. This particular ghost will soon have her work cut out for her, when the bodies mount up!

All in all, this was just such a delicious read for me. Murders inspired by a classical gothic novel, an old English schoolhouse setting with its own resident ghost, a white witch, ghostly scribbles in a diary and a detective who must solve the puzzle before more lives are lost. My highlight was to be able to read R.M. Holland’s novella The Stranger in its entirety at the end of the book, which left me duly spooked and thoroughly satisfied. THE STRANGER DIARIES was a perfect blend of Gothic, suspense and police procedural with a touch of the supernatural, based on a (fictional) classical tale. It was clever, engrossing and thoroughly enjoyable. I can’t wait to read more from this author in future.

Really enjoyed the gothic feel of the book.

I thought I figured it out but......no I was surprised s few times.

back cover--From the author of the beloved Ruth Galloway series, a modern gothic mystery for fans of Magpie Murders and The Lake House.


Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school English teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she teaches a course on it every year. But when one of Clare’s colleagues and closest friends is found dead, with a line from R. M. Holland’s most famous story, “The Stranger,” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with the storylines of her favourite literature.
To make matters worse, the police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her closest confidant, her diary, the only outlet she has for her darkest suspicions and fears about the case. 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


#Strangerdiaries #NetGalley

First Sentence: 'If you'll permit me,' said the Stranger, 'I'd like to tell you a story.'

Clare Cassidy not only teaches a course on the late Gothic writer R.M. Holland, but has the keys to his study at Cambridge wherein she finds the body of a colleague with a note containing a line from Holland's work, "The Stranger." Clare usually finds solace writing in her diary. Finding an entry written by an unknown hand puts Clare in the middle of the investigation.

The beginning of a story within the story, a possibly haunted school, a death, and a diary. These things set one off into a well-done, atmospheric and captivating book filled with literary references, quotations, and the occasional injection of wry humor—"I can't find St. Jude's and the sat-nav gives up, muttering 'turn around where possible' to itself."—along with lines which may make one smile—"It can be a dangerous thing, reading too much.'—and the occasional small truth—"Nothing in the world is hidden forever."

Well-drawn, dimensional characters make all the difference, as does conflict. Griffiths creates a relationship which begins with the lesson--one should never make a promise one might not be able to keep and that one should never lie to the police--and allows it to develop in a natural, logical manner.

Having multiple points of view can be awkward or effective. Here, it is the latter with the story being told by Clare, her daughter Georgie, and DS Kaur (Harbinder), as well as excerpts from Clare's diary, both written by Clare and the anonymous stranger. The different voices permit us to know more about the characters than even each character knows about the others. However, the interjections of Holland's story can be a bit confusing.

What works particularly well is Griffiths' ability to make one feel the emotions of the characters, particularly Clare. And there are a lot of characters, many of whom become suspects. While the plot can keep one guessing, some may identify the killer before the end reveal.

"The Stranger Diaries" has good Gothic overtones with well-done suspense and an excellent epilogue. It is nice when an author steps out and does something new.

THE STRANGER DIARIES (Susp-Clare Cassidy/DS Harbinder Kaur-England-Contemp) - Good
Griffiths, Elly (aka Domenica de Rosa) - Standalone
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt – March 2019

I LOVED this new stand alone book by Elly Griffiths. It had everything I want in a book – interesting quirky characters, witty writing and enough creepy atmosphere to make she shiver. And I usually struggle with books written from more than one POV but all three voices were strong and the different perspectives really worked for me. I truly did not want it to end and am a little sad there will not be more. 5 stars!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

5 Gothic Stars

Clare is an English teacher at Talgarth High School which was the home of an author named R.M. Holland. R.M. Holland's wife, Alice died and she roams and haunts the school. Clare was a fan of his book, The Stranger. She specializes in the gothic writer, R.M. Holland. She teaches a course in it every year. She decides to write a biography about him. Then one of Clare's colleague's Ella, who is a very close friend of hers dies and is murdered. There is also a note left by her body which is a line from R.M. Holland's novel, The Stranger which says, "Hell is Empty.

Clare lives with her teenage daughter, Georgia and her dog, Herbert. Someone is leaving creepy notes in her diary. "Gallo Clare, You don't know me." Clare is in the center of the crime and the mystery seems to revolve around her. Ella isn 't the only one who is murdered and everyone is a suspect. The Police suspects the killer is someone that Clare knows.

I am a big fan of The Ruth Galloway series and was so happy when I got the copy of this book. I loved this book more than I thought I would. I especially loved this one because I love a thrilling gothic novel after a reading slump. I just loved the gothic atmosphere and it was so creepy. It was fantastic. It's a book within a book. Gothic novels are always my favorite genre.

I was so surprised who the killer was and I never suspected the killer. I didn't think the killer has a strong motive. It just wasn't good enough. I thought the plot was great and loved everything else about this book. There were so many things that I loved about this book.

I just loved the characters. I loved Clare and her teenage daughter, Georgia who was very mature for her age. I loved the dog Herbert and thought he was adorable. My favorite character was Byrony Hughes. I thought her character was done so well.
i loved DS Harbinder Kaur.

This was a Traveling Sister Read and it was a fun discussion.

I want to thank, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Elly Griffiths for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. (less)

Elly Griffiths is well known for her Ruth Galloway series. The Stranger Diaries is a stand-alone and my first book by Elly Griffiths. I read it in our Traveling Sisters reading group.

A gothic murder mystery with a modern twist, a whodunnit, and a ghost story.

The Stranger Diaries has a unique and interesting format to the story that we all loved. The story is told from different overlapping POVs, and timelines, passages from a book, a story within the story method and diary entries from one of the main characters.

We all were intrigued right from the start with this entertaining and fun story that takes place on the grounds of a school where a famous author R.M. Holland once lived. We loved the gothic tone and setting to the story and were drawn in the murder mystery and ghost story right from the start. There were some things here in this story that just didn’t work for me and a few of us just didn’t buy into. This lead to some discussion within the group and it was interesting to see how everyone reacted to these things.

The ending also left us with a few things to discuss. Some of us were shocked by whodunnit and of course even though I was questioning a few things I didn’t figure out who it was. You would think after so many thrillers my detective skills would be better. But no! The ending wrapped up quite quickly and a bit neat and we were questioning a few things about that. Leaving a few of us not buying into it and the rest not really bothered by it because of the well down gothic elements to the story. I highly recommend this one for group reads. There is plenty to talk about!

Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for my copy to read and review.

You can find more thoughts from The Traveling Sisters on our blog

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Clare Cassidy is an English teacher at Talgarth High. She's also writing a book on Gothic writer R.M. Holland, known for his famous ghost story, "The Stranger." Clare is horrified when she's told that her close friend in the English department, Ella, has been murdered. Even worse, it seems like Ella's death has linkages to Clare and "The Stranger"--with a line from the story left at the crime scene. Clare turns to her diary, her one safe place. Then one day she finds writing in her diary that isn't hers. Is a murderer writing directly to Clare? And is she next on the list?

Oh I love Elly Griffiths so much, and I was incredibly excited to win this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. It was so good! It's told in various points of view, including Clare's and that of Harbinder, an incredibly awesome Sikh lesbian Detective Constable. I mean... so cool. Harbinder attended Talgarth High in the past, so her former schooling memories are aligned with the current case.

The book gets off to an engaging start from the beginning. It's creepy and interesting from page one and never stops. We get pieces of R.M. Holland's story "The Stranger" interwoven in our story, too, and have to figure out how it aligns to the tale unfolding before our eyes. In fact, the book is very literary, which is really fun, especially if you're a book nerd like me. Lots of little Easter eggs thrown in, almost: bits of Shakespeare and more throughout.

Griffiths is just so darn good at writing her characters. Clare and Harbinder are both so uniquely "them" and different from each other from the get-go. I was completely engrossed in the story and caught up in their lives, even Clare's and honestly, she can be a little self-absorbed at times. It's hard not to appear that way when you're reading excerpts from someone's journals. Clare has a daughter, too, and we also learn about others in the English department who worked with Clare. Truly, the British education system is its own mystery to me, though I'm slowly learning about it through many English novels!

This novel is an excellent mystery and incorporates creepy Gothic undertones. I couldn't help but get a little spooked when Clare was discovering writing that wasn't hers in her journal. Even better, it's just so good and well-written! It kept me guessing the entire time, and putting all the pieces together down the finish line was fun. I literally had no idea who had done it--it was incredibly well-done!

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. The characters are great, the plot is befuddling and exciting--it's a wonderful mystery! Highly recommend. 4.5 stars.