Much like her previous novels, this book's attention to detail and characterization is astounding. From the first page I was hooked and I especially appreciate her use of multiple voices in terms of narration and characters experiences. Griffiths continues to show with each new endeavor why she is a major voice in the mystery genre but also how mysteries can indeed be literary.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I was totally enthralled by this one. I've read all of Ms. Griffiths' other books and enjoyed them, so I was a little wary - "what, I'm not going to read about the characters that I have come to enjoy so much?" - but this one was terrific.

Obviously, don't want to include spoilers here. But one of the things that I thought worked beautifully was the shifting perspectives. In this book, the shift definitely worked to provide more insight into the characters. Since the book begins with Clare's perspective, the reader is set up to be "on her side," and when we shift to the detective's perspective, we get an entirely different view of Clare. While I was very defensive at first - "how can she be so biased against Clare?" - it all works in the long run.

I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the writing. I was a bit unsure after reading the description, because I am not a huge fan of ghost stories, but it's all good! This book kept me up way too late last night, because I just didn't want to stop reading.

I know this is marketed as a standalone, but I really wonder if more books might not come along with the characters here. DS Harbinder Kaur is a fascinating character, and I would certainly enjoy reading more about her.

A very big thanks to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the opportunity to review The Stranger Diaries.

Do you like creepy Gothic mysteries? Then you picked up the right book as The Stranger Diaries has a very creepy, cozy mystery to keep you indoors with the lights on during these winter months. The story opens with Clare Cassidy teaching ghost stories for an adult creative writing class when she finds out that a fellow teacher was murdered last night with a line of a story she was teaching was left at the murder scene. Then she discovers that someone has been reading her diaries and has started commenting in them. It is very disconcerting for Clare when her studies of R. M. Holland's The Stranger ghost story starts to impact her public and private life.

To add to the fun and the impact, Elly Griffiths also provides a view of some events in the voices of Clare's daughter and a police officer which allows an accumulation of details to create a fuller picture in the reader's mind. The tale builds to a very nasty climax followed by an epilogue that allows the reader to put together the final pieces of all the mysteries in the story. And then Elly Griffiths finishes the book by the complete text of "The Stranger" short story she has been excerpting throughout the book. Very nice touch!

The perfect blend of gothic horror, psychological suspense, and police procedural!

‘"If you’ll permit me,” said the Stranger, “I’d like to tell you a story.”’

As much as I love spooky old houses with a dark history, and possible ghosts sightings, a thought-to-be haunted house turned into a secondary school had me even more excited. The Old Building of Talgarth High, was once home to Victorian Horror writer R.M. Holland, best remembered for his horror-themed, scary short story, The Stranger. The top floor still houses his study, out-of-bounds to students, and eerily preserved just as he left it. The ghost of Holland’s wife, Alice, rumoured to have died tragically from a fall down the stairs, is said to haunt the corridors and classrooms of the lower floor, the belief being that if you see her, someone will die shortly thereafter…

Not only is the school creepy, but so was the location of the protagonist, Clare’s, house – one of a row of townhouses in the middle of nowhere, initially built to house workers of the nearby cement factory – which now sits abandoned and derelict.

As scary as I’ve made it out to be, this is neither gory, nor a horror story, but is largely modern day crime, mystery, psychological suspense, with a side of gothic foreboding, meaning that even those who don’t do horror would enjoy this.

We were given three first person narrations;

Clare Cassidy – An English teacher at Talgarth, single mum to Georgie, friend and fellow co-worker of Ella, currently working on a biography of R.M. Holland.

DS Harbinder Kaur – The detective investigating the murder of one of the school’s English teachers, Ella Elphick, who was stabbed to death in her own home. Harbinder attended Talgarth as a student.

Georgie Cassidy – Clare’s teenage daughter, current student at Talgarth.

The POV’s were split into parts, with Clare voicing Part 1, Harbinder Part 2, you get the picture. Excerpts from The Stranger were included throughout, as well as pages from Clare’s diary. I warmed to all three characters early on, even though right from their introduction all of them came across as secretive, and not entirely trustworthy. I enjoyed the contrasting perspectives – teacher, student, detective/former student – and how they all had a connection to Talgarth.

I alternated between the book and the audio version, and have to mention that Andrew Wincott’s over-the-top, dramatic reading of the gothic tale, The Stranger, is a must listen.

Side Note: I was thrilled to bits when Claire’s dog, Herbert, was described as a white Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy, the first in a series of children’s picture books penned by New Zealand author, Lynley Dodd.

Elly Griffiths totally killed it – every element fitted together seamlessly. One of my favourite reads for this year, and will undoubtedly make my top ten. Perfect for next Halloween, but why wait that long, cosy up by the fire with it this winter, or if like me, you are heading into summer, prioritise it as your next beach read. Move it to the top, or add it to your tbr, today! You won’t be sorry!

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Elly Griffiths for the e-ARC.

Review posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, and Auckland Libraries by NZLisaM.

So many books, so little time! The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths is another novel that I have on my must-read list. I am eager to start it. The cover reminds me of an Agatha Christie novel, something creepy and gothic.

Here’s what you need to know:

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?

The setting is England so already I am hooked. There is something I adore about novels set in England and British writers seem to write amazing thrillers. The combination of horror and history promises to deliver a book that I will read in one day.

Put this on your MUST-READ list immediately!

Elly Griffiths is already well known for her 2 superb mystery series’: Ruth Galloway, and The Magic Men/Stephens and Mephisto. The Stranger Diaries is her first standalone mystery book, and has all the engaging traits of her other books (interesting characters, conversational writing), while exploring a contemporary gothic themed plot. The narrative is split between characters, which makes the story disjointed to reflect the confusion and multi-layered nature of the tale. After the murder of a school teacher in West Sussex, colleagues, their families, and police are involved in an investigation that twists and turns, and which has it’s foundations in a short story written by a Victorian novelist: snippets of which used throughout the book. This was a very well-written, entertaining, and smooth piece of writing which urges the reader to keep on reading. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Thanks for the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/NetGalley.

Imagine you keep a diary. And you open it. And you find handwriting that isn’t yours. I don’t know about you but that would creep me the hell out! Especially if my best friend had just been found murdered. Especially if the police were convinced I knew the killer and that they’re the one writing in my diary. But who has access? Who has motive? It goes without saying that diaries are used for ventilating, for working through feelings, for getting over the things and people that peeved you during the day. So what happens when someone reads your deepest darkest feelings and decides to act on them?
This is an intricately woven and very atmospheric psychological thriller with a gothic undertone. It drops hints but they are so subtle you don’t notice them (well I didn’t anyway). The story is told from the viewpoint of Clare, her daughter Georgia and Detective Sergeant Harbinder Kaur, all three of them strong and interesting women, and well-developed characters: the divorced English teacher dipping her toe in the dating pool water, the spiritual teenager who’s wise before her years, the gay Indian women with the snarky sense of humour, I loved them all. And Herbert, the dog, I mean who could not love heroic Herbert?! Interlacing with current events is the story of The Stranger.
The statement most often made about thrillers must be: it keeps you guessing until the end. Well guess what? This one did keep me guessing until the end! I made my final guess at 93% in, right before the big reveal, and nailed it, and I’ve never been so happy to be right! Okay, admittedly, I think we’ve established before that my sleuthing skills might be somewhat lacking, but regardless of your getting the perp right, The Stranger Diaries is not to be missed!

Highly recommended, especially if you like a gothic vibe to your psychological thrillers

The Stranger Diaries is a modern gothic mystery. It's an interesting read with twists and turns and a surprise ending. The characters are likeable and believable. The premise is a little far fetched but solid enough for a good read.

For readers familiar with Ms. Griffiths' "Ruth Galloway" series, you'll recognize the same strong, cohesive writing style with engaging plots and twists in this stand-alone about Clare Cassidy and what ought to be, but isn't, the quiet academic life and a peaceful home.

The plot is intriguingly woven around an almost gothic ghost story embedded in the writings that form Clare's research interest. This set-up brings the past to the present, and the frightening to today and tonight -- along with a murder.

"The Stranger Diaries" provide a steady pace for the reader, with a strong selection of characters and careful-or-you'll-miss clues about the solution to the crime. The delicious play on words in stranger diaries is rich.

This is a worth-while read for a lovely evening at home. Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley for a Kindle ARC of The Stranger Diaries.

This is the first book I've read by this author and it was not a good introduction to her work.

The Stranger Diaries is a boring, chick lit-y mystery that had a decent premise, which is why I chose to read it.

The setting is a haunted school in which a renowned and reclusive horror author used to reside.

One of the teachers, Clare Cassidy, is writing a book about the author, and is not ashamed to admit she is obsessed with his life. When a fellow teacher is brutally murdered, Clare fears for her and her daughter's life as more murders occur.

That sounds pretty decent, doesn't it?

Wrong.

There is nothing scary or intriguing about the story, unless you enjoy constant name alliteration, which there are plenty here. And no one is as cool as Peter Parker.

If you enjoy a female detective making snarky and callous comments inside her head about Clare and the women she interviews, then you'll like DS Kaur.

DS Kaur spends almost as much time envying Clare and the deceased woman's beauty as she does investigating, you wonder if she has any other thoughts left in her brain to figure out whodunit.

If filler POV viewpoints float your boat, then you'll enjoy the tedious multiple viewpoints of Clare, her daughter Georgia, and Kaur, though much of their inner thoughts and details could have been edited down.

I didn't like anyone, except the dog. No surprise there, but animals are awesome, especially dogs.

The women are all stereotypical archetypes; described as either haughty and beautiful, or dowdy and pathetic, or hippie dippy with long, flowing hair and spouting New Age-y wisdom.

Forget about the men; no one is worth mentioning, not even the professor who contacts Clare when he has personal letters regarding the author Clare is interested in writing about.

Nearly all the men are creepy and schlubby and adultering.

There is a male teacher, obviously a sexual predator but Clare does not think so, which bothers me so so much.

She lets his behavior to slide and chalks it up to the fact that he was drunk. That's not an excuse. Nothing excuses sexual assault. Nothing.

Naturally, Clare and the murdered woman are gorgeous, stunning creatures, a physical detail all the characters, including Kaur constantly bring up or mention in their inner monologues.

There is a lack of character development, and there are many characters, most of whom do not move the story forward in any way.

When the bad guy is revealed, I said "Huh" even though I had guessed right but there was no exposition or background to explain this person's motivation and behavior (the reason he or she gives is quite lame.)

I like stories within a story; the inclusion of the reclusive author's famous short story is found at the end of the book and adds to the atmospheric element of the setting, but it does not help a plodding mystery that is not much of a mystery.

The premise had potential but third-rate one dimensional characters and a boring story makes this read not one I would recommend.

A stand alone outing for Griffiths, and a sort of Gothic mystery about a literature teacher whose real life collides with that of characters within a book by RM Holland, that she teaches a short course on.

It is a fun little jaunt, that whilst not Griffiths at her best is still a fun read.

The book also reminded slightly of Catherine Lowell's superior The Madwoman Upstairs

As a librarian and former English teacher, I really enjoyed this novel. I also particularly enjoyed the segmented way in which Griffiths inserted The Stranger into the larger text, only allowing the reader to take it in fully once the story had ended. I wasn't entirely convinced by the characters or the resolution of the mystery (teenagers who employ 'teenage language' strategically always feel a bit false to me), but I wanted to know who the killer was nonetheless.

This was gothic but set in modern times with very modern characters. The characters portrayed were teachers, their present day normal teenagers, single mothers trying to do their best (in their opinion!!) for their children, and like countless families actually knowing very little of what their children are upto.

Clare is writing a book on R M Holland and the mystery behind him. She also teaches at Talgarth High which is where Holland lived and his wife had a tragic end. The mystery surrounding his daughter Mariana survives to the day. When one of her dearest friends are found murdered on similar lines to the Holland stories with tag lines from his writings, Clare knows she is in some danger. When Rick another fellow teacher is found stabbed to death in Holland's study Clare has to figure out who and most importantly why people surrounding her are being targeted. The danger spirals when Herbert her pet goes missing and then her ex husband is stabbed in London in a seemingly random attack.

Are these attacks as random as they seem, what is the significance of the notes that appear in Clare's diary which is secured in her house, her daughters random reaches into the spirits - all happening at the same time, all either connected to the Holland book or is it something else entirely. The detectives in charge have to put random clues by a clever murderer together before he strikes again. Both the final almost victim and the murderer were surprises to me.

A book I couldn't put down combining murder, the spirit world, a bit of Gothic and 21st century schooling with touches of romance put together well

I enjoy reading Elly Griffiths' work. I find her' style enjoyable, and her characters always ring true to me. I like the inclusion of characters with unique viewpoints, such as the modern witch. Griffiths always creates full characters that are believable and sympathetic. The setting of this novel--a small school community housed in the estate of a famous author is rife with spooky possibilities too! I enjoyed it!

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths is everything a gothic ghost/murder story should be! Clare is an English teacher at Talgarth School. She is divorced and has a teenage daughter, Georgia, who attends the school. The old building of Talgarth was previously the home of famed author R.M. Holland, who wrote a story called The Stranger. When Clare’s co-workers start getting murdered in ways similar to the story she doesn’t know what to think. Then somebody starts writing in Clare’s diary, letting her know the killings are all because of her. It seems the killer is reading Clare’s diary and getting rid of people who have wronged her. This story is told in alternating viewpoints of Clare, Georgia, and Harbinder—the female detective in charge of the case. I didn’t even come close to figuring this one out. I have never read Elly Griffiths’ books before but I definitely will now! Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance copy of The Stranger Diaries from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I will start off by saying that I am a big fan of Elly Griffith’s writing. I imagine the I would enjoy reading anything she chooses to publish. I have read all of the Ruth Galloway series and half of the Magic Men series. This is a stand alone novel, but I can’t help but think that Claire Cassidy (who seems to be a more attractive older sister to Ruth—but nowhere near as witty) and DS Kaur have at least a couple more mysteries in them. I hope that they do.

It must be difficult in some ways to create a character like Ruth Galloway because she is so popular. I think it is great that Ms. Griffiths changes it up every now and then. The Stranger Diaries, very different from her two other series, is drenched in all things gothic—a story where characters write diaries that are surprisingly (and at times inconveniently) candid and where ghostly apparitions haunt the halls of old buildings and dark events of the past bleed into the present. I really enjoyed it. The format also was different from Ms. Griffith’s other books in that the chapters switched points of view instead of relying on a single narrative voice. I found that this added to the tension in the story as we saw a single event from the viewpoint of several characters and at different points in time--and allowed for a more complete story to develop.

If you are a fan of M. R. James, Stoker, Stevenson, or LeFanu you will find much to love in this novel. In fact when I finished it I was left with a desire to revisit the old classics—which is a testament to how compelling the story was.

Again I will say that I hope that this is just a first novel with these characters. After all, Agatha Christie (and I consider Ms. Griffiths to be a worthy successor) had her Poirot, Inspector Battle, Miss Marple, and Tommy and Tuppence—all with a different feel and atmosphere to their respective stories. So why not?

4 stars. Check it out.

Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC.

As always, Elly Griffith's book rocks. This is a stand-alone murder mystery that plays at a haunted secondary school where Clare teaches. As the police investigate, strange goings - on come to the surface and I was kept in the dark until the very end about who the murderer was. Well done, has that English boarding school feel.

**Note: I received a free ebook copy of The Stranger Diaries from NetGalley in exchange for a review.**

I'm a huge fan of Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series. This novel, her first standalone (completely unconnected to that series) had me wondering...what will the novel be like without Ruth? The answer is -- I ended up loving the novel! As a reader of many mysteries, I'm not often completely surprised by the ending, but The Stranger Diaries had me guessing until the end -- and then I guessed wrong, which was fun anyway. :)

Elly Griffiths always does a wonderful job of creating relatable characters, particularly women. One thing that I particularly enjoyed about The Stranger Diaries was that she created several women that I connected with in different ways, even though they did not always have the most clear-cut, positive relationships with each other. The stylish but hardworking single mother; the teen daughter who feels the need to hide her real self; the tough policewoman with a multifaceted identity, only parts of which she reveals to different people in her life. I finished the book loving them all.

Others have written about the great modern Gothic atmosphere of The Stranger Diaries. I absolutely agree.

Well worth a read!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* I must start by saying that I am a huge fan of Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series, so when I found out that she had a new standalone novel being published... and the protagonist was a teacher... I was excited, to say the least. . The novel is based around Clare Cassidy, who teaches English at the local comprehensive school. She is also an expert in the gothic writer, RM Holland, who has a historical connection to the school. All is not as it seems, however. As people around Clare start to be killed, the tension builds in a deliciously creepy manner. 'The Stranger Diaries' did not disappoint and was of the high standard that readers have come to expect from Griffiths' novels

A fun, slightly creepy tale with a Gothic feel, just in time for Halloween! 🎃💀

From the bestselling author of the Ruth Galloway mysteries comes a new standalone novel.

Clare Cassidy teaches at a British local comprehensive highschool. Stalled in writing a biography of Victorian author R.M. Holland, best known for his short story The Stranger, Clare finds herself caught up in the investigation of the murder of her friend and colleague, Ella Elphick.

Elly Griffiths' first standalone novel hosts quirky characters and an eerie setting, both aspects her followers have come to expect and adore in her writing.

Whether you're already a fan of Elly Griffiths or are reading her for the first time, you're bound to be enthralled! #TheStrangerDiaries #NetGalley