Publication Date: 2 March 2023
Rating: 5/5
So, so unsettling! I am new to Liz Nugent's work, and now I want to read it all. Strange Sally Diamond follows Sally, a socially awkward outsider, in her quest to understand who she is. It begins with her adopted father's death. She decides to put his corpse out with the bins, and once discovered, her life turns on its head. She discovers gravely unsettling facts about her true parentage and past, and I promise that you will want to read it all in one sitting. Without ruining it, think of Room meets Kiss the Girls. It is an absolutely brutal tale of one woman's quest for answers, and a deranged pedophile's desire for control. The pace is spot-on too. Someone needs to turn this into a TV series.

I'd be very surprised if this doesn't end up being one of the most popular books of 2023. Dark, sad, moving and occasionally funny... it has all the hallmarks of a bestseller.

I had my reservations about Strange Sally Diamond at first. Over the last few years, I've become increasingly aware of and exasperated by books where neurodivergence is not acknowledged-- instead there is a "quirky" character, used for comedic value, allowed to have social struggles without really confronting the spectre of mental health. The description had me worrying this could be another one.

But this is not that kind of book at all. Nugent engages fiercely with Sally's mental illness. In fact, understanding it, and the trauma it grew out of, is at the centre of this story.

Strange Sally Diamond is a much bigger scale story than it first appears. The story moves back and forth in time, between two perspectives, from Ireland to New Zealand and back again, painting a dark, horrific picture of abuse and trauma, testing our limits on how forgiving we can be of a victim when they themselves cross the line.

I really enjoyed Sally's perspective, cared for her, wanted to discover her past and found humour in her inner commentary:

I hung up shortly after we had done the goodbye thing that annoys me: 'Goodbye,' 'Bye,' 'Goodbye,' 'See you later,' 'Yes, goodbye,' 'Bye, then.' So tedious.


She is definitely a bit of an Eleanor Oliphant kind of character. She finds social situations very difficult and doesn't always react emotionally like people think she should, but being inside her head is often entertaining. Neurotypical human socialization through her eyes seems absolutely ludicrous a lot of the time.

Despite this, however, I actually think Sally is only the second most interesting character in this book. The other is less likable, sometimes intensely unlikable, but far more complex. Nugent has explored two different forms of trauma and abuse here; Sally's was the more straightforward of the two.

I would like to reiterate that this is a very dark book that contains physical and sexual abuse, on-page violence, paedophilia and all manner of gross emotional manipulation. I don't recommend it for readers especially sensitive to these subjects.

This book is an absolute must-read.
I’ve never gone through so many emotions reading one book.
I laughed, I was horrified, I was sad… I was eager to finish it.

Sally Diamond, socially deficient as she describes herself, has grown up in rural farmland with her adoptive parents. A proficient pianist but elective loner, Sally lives in a very literal world.

After committing a crime, unbeknown to herself - Sally is thrown under the spotlight and her world changes. Sally uncovers the truths in her past, and the story truly begins.

Sally starts to discover who her birth parents are, and the horrors that surround that.. and we follow in her journey of discovery, and self improvement.

A fantastically written book, which made me laugh out loud but also sickened by a storyline which can be so true, that is the harrowing reality.

This is definitely going to be a recommendation to others

Thank you Netgalley for my free Arc, in return for an honest review :-)

Liz Nugent excels at punchy openers and dark, dark stories and fortunately for us, backs her usp with a strong plotting and exceptional characters. Strange Sally Diamond is no exception.

Sally Diamond's father told her he was happy to be put out with the rubbish when his time came, but it did raise concerns with the police and residents of the small Irish town where she lived. Far worse was that long-buried stories about Sally's past become front-page news.

There are many twists and turns to Sally Diamond's story and the characters are somewhat unconventional and is guaranteed to capture your attention.

Liz Nugent smashes it out of the park again. A dark, twisted and gripping masterpiece starring the unique and unforgettable Sally Diamond. An Irish treasure we should all be reading.

I was so excited to see a new book from the great Liz Nugent and it didn't dissapoint.
I loved the character Sally and the way the story unfolded.keeps your gripped throughout and the twists made it a well written engrossing story I didn't want it to end.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin General UK for the ARC

Sally Diamond cannot understand why what she did was so strange. She was only doing what her father told her to do, to put him out with the rubbish when he died.

Now Sally is the centre of attention, not only from the hungry media and worried police, but also a sinister voice from a past she has no memory of. As she begins to discover the horrors of her childhood, recluse Sally steps into the world for the first time, making new friends, finding independence, and learning that people don't always mean what they say.

But when messages start arriving from a stranger who knows far more about her past than she knows herself, Sally's life will be thrown into chaos once again

There are very some strong characters here, with real depth to them, some of whom are quite horrific, so obviously the storyline is quite dark, shocking even, although it has to be said the writing is sharp and clever. Even though it’s dark, there is plenty of humour thanks to Sally’s inability to hold back her thoughts and feelings. It’s completely gripping for sure, and Sally Diamond will be hard to leave behind, such is the strength of her character.

This is a book that will take you through a whole gamut of emotions, it’ll make you gasp at times yet warm your heart too. In my opinion this is an author at the top of her game and she’s a must read writer for me. The writing flows and rises and falls as it twists and turns to an excellent ending. An outstanding read and I’ll never forget Sally.

This book is due to be released in March 2023

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for an advance copy in return for a fair and honest review

Unsurprisingly, given that it was written by Liz Nugent, this is a hugely compelling book. It's incredibly dark - I think it merits just about every trigger warning there is - and so it's not easy to read, at times. That darkness, though, is balanced by a great humanity and warmth, and a treatment of complex and flawed characters with intelligence and sympathy. This book will stay with me.

I really enjoyed this book. Sally is an incredibly interesting character and her approach to life being so literal is incredibly relevant as we champion neuro diversity.

I enjoyed the story as Sally begins to build a life and make friends but did find the ending incredibly disappointing. I'm not usually 'a happily ever after ' person but wasn't sure about the endings purpose.

Absolutely loved this! It’s gripping, shocking and tense with an unforgettable quirky main character Sally Diamond. The themes will take you through a rollercoaster of emotions as you root for Sally along the way. It’s heartbreaking, bone chilling horror and there’s joy and laughter too. The writing is just brilliant as it twists and turns until and excellent ending. I couldn’t put it down. Great characterisation and a very well thought out plot. Highly recommend this dark, shocking psychological thriller.
Thanks to #NetGallery #PenguinGeneralUK #LizNugent for an arc of #StrangeSallyDiamond in exchange for an honest review.

A great narrative….well written and quite relevant with real life abductions in the press over the last few years. Interesting story which keeps one page turning to the end

When a book opens with a character putting her dad's body out with the bins you kinda can’t help but be pulled in.

Though the locals in the small Irish town of Carricksheedy think Sally is a bit odd (particularly after she puts her dad out with the bins) they don’t know her real story and neither does Sally. Raised by adoptive parents she only learns the truth after her father dies. Sally's biological mother was kidnapped by a paedophile and kept for years in his home. Repeatedly raped by her captor, Sally was the result and she was kept with her mother until the age of 6.

Marked down as strange or neurodivergent, Sally never knew about her history but it has understandably left its mark. Now in her 40s Sally has to adjust to the truth and life on her own. I loved how strong and resilient Sally is. I certainly thought her unique way of viewing the world was an asset in helping her to recalibrate . However just as she is getting on her feet and making new friends and a life for herself more secrets and trauma surface. Will she ever be able to escape her past and have a ‘normal’ life?

I couldn’t get enough of this one and read it in just a couple of sittings. Liz Nugent is a new author for me and I’ll now need to seek out her other works. The writing was so skillful allowing us to really get to know Sally and empathise with her strange situation. There is a great cast of supporting characters too - some you’ll love, some you’ll hate.

It is evidently quite a dark story but it also has its moments of humour not least from Sally herself with her brutal honesty and blunt questions. Tense, psychological and wonderfully observed you’ll be cheering Sally on the whole way.

Thanks to Penguin & Netgalley for the chance to read an early copy - I’ll be shouting long and loud about this one!

The story of the daughter of a kidnapped girl - her life, her family and friends, and a kind of ‘coming of age’ scenario as her past meets the present.
Reminiscent of ‘Room’ - but with more layers, and spanning several generations.
An absolutely compelling read - I finished it within 24 hours

A story spanning decades of abuse. A very upsetting and disturbing story, but at the same time, very readable.
Thanks to Netgalley for this copy.

Wow wow wow! This is the third book by this author that I have read and like the others I have loved it. Her books are dark and unsettling and just so engaging that it’s easy to read them in one sitting as you don’t want to put them down.
This one deals with abduction, rape, isolation, mind manipulation and so much more. If this isn’t to your liking don’t read it as it has all that in spades.
So, Sally Diamond is indeed strange. Her mother was taken from her front garden when she was 11 years old and kept a captive and sex slave by the man who would become her father. Unbeknownst to Sally (then Mary) she has a brother who is living in the next room to them., given birth to by her mother not long after she had been taken, so just 11 years old. Her brother Peter, was taken off their mother not long after his birth and her mother is so fearful the same will happen to Mary/Sally that she never lets her go. When they are eventually discovered (father and brother have taken off) Sally’s mother is beyond help and eventually kills herself. Sally goes to live with the husband and wife Dr team that were in charge of looking after her.
It’s really hard to not too give too much away as it is a story with many threads. At the start of the book we see Sally incinerating her (adoptive) father after he died because he always said to her “when I die just put me out with the rubbish” This is a great way to start as it lets the reader see how Sally’s mind operates.
The books sounds depressing and the subject matter will be horrific to some, but I loved it!

#StrangeSallyDiamond. #NetGalley

Strange Sally Diamond. Wow what a story. When I first began reading, I felt as though I was back in the world of Eleanor Oliphant, but Sally's story is far more twisted and disturbing.

When we first meet Sally, she is dealing with the death of her father. From the outset we know that something is amiss with this woman. Liz Nugent's characters are usually terrible people who it's impossible to have empathy for. Sally is a different kettle of fish altogether. She lives with her elderly father and it's clear that she is socially awkward and isolated. You can't help but feel sorry for Sally from the first chapter. Your empathy for her will only grow throughout the harrowing, dark tale of her early life. Strange Sally Diamond is remarkably well-adjusted given her life experience.

This book kept awake far past my bedtime. A proper honest-to-god page turner.

Thanks to @netgalley for providing me with a copy of this to read and review.

Through the awkward, and at times uncomfortably comedic, Eleanor-Oliphant-esq voice of her protagonist, Liz Nugent explores the grim realities, traumas and outcomes of abduction and its aftermath. A thought-provoking approach to the captivity novel. With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

My favourite read of 2022 so far, “Strange Sally Diamond” is an absolute triumph.

Read it if: you loved “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine”.

Don’t read it if: you’re avoiding child abuse and sexual assault triggers.

“Strange Sally Diamond” is quite a traumatic story, but its very humorous too. We follow Sally’s journey navigating the world as a 40-something neurodivergent woman in rural Ireland, finding her living suddenly alone after the death of her father. As she navigates life without the guiding force of her parents, we learn about Sally’s past lives, uncover secrets about her parents intentions and get to know the local villagers as they step in to provide support.

Most of the novel is from Sally’s point of view, and the first person narration is really glorious. As someone who grew up with an autistic family member, I could really resonate with some of Sally’s habits. She is straightforward, unknowingly witty and painfully honest, and it’s easy to completely fall in love with her as a character

My only criticism is the ending. For me, it has some lovely symbolism and neatness about it, but I wanted more justice for those who deserved it.

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

Marvellous read…not just another story about abduction but more about survival and what comes after… I loved it!

Put me out with the bins, There she is Liz Nugent, the Queen of opening lines. By the end of the first paragraph I was in, hook line and sinker.
There is about 3 authors who can write the type of characters that I love, and Liz is one of them. Sally is so incredibly well written that I felt what she felt, I was there with her through it all, totally absorbed.
I didn't want this book to end, one of my favourites this year.