Another triumph for Liz Nugent.

Sally Diamond is a character that you can’t imagine reading about in many authors work but Nugent always brings the best.

Clever, complicated, compelling and thrilling.

A true master class in writing.

I adored this book and totally fell in love with Sally. I really wanted her to develop and grow as she started to come to terms with her past

Not only did history repeat itself but it’s unimaginable how, after all she’d been through, Sally still ended up in a goldfish bowl. Humanity and dignity can be so lacking at times

I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this book. It’s a wonderful read.

With thanks to Simon & Schuster, Liz Nugent & Netgalley for ARC in return for an honest review

I think it’s safe to say that Liz Nugent never disappoints. Having been a huge fan of Nugent’s writing for years now, I have been eagerly awaiting the chance to read her 5th and newest book, Strange Sally Diamond. Wow, just wow. The story of Sally Diamond is that of heartbreak, disaster, trauma and vengeance whilst still being light, airy and funny in places too. I can certainly say without a shadow of doubt that this was THE book of 2022 for me. Fantastic.

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent is a twisty turny, emotive thriller that is so perfectly and vividly executed I found myself casting the Netflix miniseries in my head. Sally Diamond is in her 40s when her adoptive dad dies. Isolated and socially deficient, Sally draws attention to herself - and her birth history - when she innocently disposes of her fathers remains herself. Sally's story unfolds for us in real time as she learns of the sordid circumstances that saw her brought into this world and the absolute horrors that transpired thereafter. Emotive, creepy and gripping from the off.

Absolutely fantastic novel - great, three dimensional characters and a story that slowly unfolds to become something you cannot put down. One of the best of 2022.

Strange sally diamond is a gripping read. When her father dies, sally follows his instructions and takes him out with the bins. As news of her fathers death travels through the town, Sally’s strange actions are put into the spotlight.

After reading a series of letters left by her father, sally discovers that her past is not what she thought it was. Sally is soon brought back into her past when a stranger makes contact who knows more about her life than she does.

I adored this book and was gripped from the get go. Sally is not necessarily a likeable character but she is a compelling one and the twists of this book kept me hooked until the end

Thank you publishers and net tally for an ARC of strange sally diamond

I couldn’t put it down, a dark, spine chilling, suspenseful and shocking psychological thriller are the words that come to mind on finishing this one.

I really enjoy Liz Nugent novels and was thrilled to be given early access to her latest book as I just knew I wouldn’t be disappointed. Imagine my surprise when I realized that the setting of this novel was only 30 km from my home.

Strange Sally Diamond has led a sheltered life and with her adoptive parents in the midlands of Ireland and when her father passes away she takes her request literally to put him out with the bins. She tries to incinerate him in the barn thinking that she has fulfilled his last request as he did say “ sur when I die just put me out with the bins” until she finds an envelope in his study that advises her to read after his passing. Sally’s life and what she believed she knew of her past and family brings horrors into her life that she could never have imagined.

This was a heart stopping , heart-breaking read and had me on the edge of my seat. A difficult subject but expertly executed in the hands of this experienced author. While it’s dark and disturbing it is never graphic. This is an author that doesn’t shy away from tough subjects and A story that certainly made my skin crawl, but I couldn’t put it down. Great characterization, a very well thought out plot with lots of twists and turns to keep the reader on the edge of their seats.
I think readers who enjoy authors like Will Dean or Michael Robotham or Lisa Jewell should add this one to their reading lists.

My thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel.

I have waited and waited for another Liz book to come along… but it was definitely worth it. Meet Sally Diamond, a woman who’s spent much of her life sheltered from her community, who has no friends bar her father – her mother is deceased, and who has never had a job. In her early forties, she does what her father asks her to do – put him out with the rubbish when he died – but little does she know how her actions have consequences that will change her life forever. Now the centre of unwanted attention, not only do strangers come out of the woodwork, but family, all too willing to tell her the story of her existence, a past about which she has no memory (and possibly for good reason). Sally does her best to resist the media, police, and loved ones, but someone is keen to get in touch and share with her everything she thinks she’s forgotten. Chilling in parts, bittersweet in others, this is a big read that will have you thinking and urging Sally on long after the novel has ended.

I am such a Liz Nugent fan, Skin Deep is probably my favourite thriller, so I was very excited to read this. And it was just as wild as I expected!

We are introduced to Sally just as her father dies and she decides it best to incinerate him in the barn since he did just tell her to put him out with the bins. From there things unravel quite rapidly and intensely. It's not all bad, Sally makes some friends and forges some true connections with the people in her village. However the horrors of her childhood are coming to light.

Some of the content in this book is genuinely very upsetting and difficult to read, there was a few times I had to set it down and take a little break.

I truly loved it though, I've read enough Liz Nugent books to know what kind of time I'm getting myself in for!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Sandycove for the opportunity to review this book!

What a brilliant book. Another amazing story by Liz Nugent. I loved Sally and every minute of her story. Of course there are some shocking twists and moments, some laugh out loud ones too. It wouldn't be a liz nugent story without. Highly recommended xx

Liz Nugent has a unique voice, an extraordinary imagination and a pared-down writing style that only serves to enhance her stories. After finishing this book I immediately read two more of her stories back-to-back, staying up late to finish them. So refreshing to find an Irish writer who doesn't allow the 'Irishness' of her characters to take centre front of the work, but weaves it almost unobtrusively into every action and word. Strange Sally Diamond was a great introduction to (for me) a new author and I thank Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the ARC in return for an honest opinion.

I love Liz Nugent’s books and right from the first paragraph I knew this one would have me hooked - I was not wrong! Absolutely devoured it and was bereft when it ended - incredibly dark and sad but just a fantastic read. Highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this fantastic book!!

WOW!!! Liz Nugent, you really have pulled it out of the bag with this book - I absolutely LOVED it!!

I thought Sally was amazing and with all her "quirks" she was a perfect character.

You never knew what twist was going to happen next, so this book definitely kept me on my toes!

A wonderful, fantastic and gripping read!!

Liz Nugent is my go to author for the dark, twisted and macabre, she never fails to disappoint me and in Strange Sally Diamond, she has proven once again, that she really is the queen of twisted noir.
The cover and the blurb of this book drew me in immediately (although it is fair to say that I would pick up any book written by this author and read it without seeing either cover or blurb!) and once I stepped inside the pages, I was immediately immersed into the world of this amazingly quirky, complicated and compelling young woman.
As the title suggests, Sally really is rather strange, in fact some might think she is completely off the wall bizarre. Yet, if you care to just step inside her world and her mind, then it quickly becomes understandable why she is this way, and once her backstory is uncovered, you can’t help but be drawn even further into her way of thinking. At times I wanted to reach in and pull her out of that story and protect her from the world around her.
Without giving away any of the plot, this is a dark and haunting tale; it touches upon themes that some readers might find upsetting, yet it is never gratuitous nor shocking for the sake of it. Each reveal is heartbreaking but for me, it simply drew me closer to Sally. I had all the emotions reading this, I was angry, I was heartbroken, I was vengeful but even within all this darkness, there was light, hope and resilience. Sally’s straightforward way of speaking and looking at the world brought humour into the story; it was a demonstration of how communities can fall apart yet come together when needed, how the simple act of speaking up for someone and supporting can make a difference and of how much human beings can take, yet still continue on their journey.
The pacing was perfect, Liz Nugent always manages to weave some pretty outstanding twists and turns into her writing and she does so seamlessly. Every time I thought about putting down the book and doing some adulting, I was compelled to return to the story. Sally and her world burrowed their way under my skin and I’ve got a feeling they will be there for a very long time!
Sally Diamond stepped out of the pages and invited me to step into her world. It’s dark, it’s disturbing and it’s totally unsettling. I urge you to go out and buy this now.

This is Liz Nugent's best book yet (and that's saying something) and one of the best books I've ever read. It's magnificent. Sally is a fantastic character. Everything she does, no matter how unusual we find it, is completely understandable as we learn how she thinks and why she reacts as she does. She's so self-aware and it's really interesting watching things from her POV but also seeing how other characters respond to her and at times explain her own reactions to her. The story itself is very dark and one that will get under your skin, going from uncomfortable to horrifying across the book. But the characters keep you reading. All of them, from the main characters to the smaller roles are well-rounded and believable. Peter's story is really gripping. The progression of both his and Sally's stories as they grow and then revert is so believable and so heart-wrenching at times that you won't forget this book in a hurry. I'll be recommending it to everyone. Brilliant.

Strange Sally Diamondis a wonderful book ,utterly compelling .I really liked Sally although strange she overcomes a difficult past because she is different .The story has lots of twists and turns ,some very unexpected .Set in the quiet village of Carricksheedy in Ireland it is a great read ,a well written story of such a harrowing and difficult subject .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read Strange Sally Diamond!
I was absolutely hooked on this book from the first page and couldn’t put it down!
The story will be one I won’t forget and will haunt me for a long time - in the best way haha.

Brilliantly written, so easy to feel like you’re in the story, and race through the pages.
A new favourite I’ll be recommending!

Thanks to Liz and NetGalley for allowing me to read Strange Sally Diamond prior to the publication date.
At the heart of the story is a monster.

Sally Diamond has no memory of her life before she was 7 years old. When she was found neglected and malnourished,it was decided that Dr. Jean Diamond and her psychiatrist husband would adopt Sally.
She has spent her life in their rural home where she has developed coping strategies to avoid interaction with anyone else.
After her adoptive father’s death, Sally discovers that she has an uncle and a brother that she did not know about. Gradually her background is revealed and the reader will be left to ponder the question of nature versus nurture.

Brilliant, as always. Dark, twisted and sinister with morsels of hope that are quickly snatched away. A tragic beginning, an unusual upbringing and the fight to be more than your parents in a world that doesn’t understand you. Liz Nugent brings Sally Diamond through the ringer of life in this gripping story of abduction, rescue and control. I loved it so thank you to Netgalley for the advance reader copy.

Liz Nugent is one of my favourite authors and I am always excited to read her books as they guaranteed to be well-written, original and gripping. What I also find gratifying is that each book is completely different (whilst so many books this days seem to be almost following a template) and you never know what to expect. Strange Sally Dimond didn’t disappoint in any way - expertly drawn out characters, intriguing and unpredictable plot, satisfying ending, excellent writing… It’s a treat of a book and I’ll be recommending it to all fans of the genre.