Sally Diamond does what her father said to do when he dies. Unfortunately she took him literally when he said to put him out with the rubbish.. When the furore dies down things about Sally's past come out and she faces challenges while she finds out about herself. Quirky and funny.

Over her first four psychological thrillers, Irish author Liz Nugent has shown she’s a master at taking readers into some dark, twisted corners of family relationships. She’s particularly been a magician with hard-to-like protagonists, igniting our curiosity, fascination, even empathy through her rich characterisation, superb prose, and sublime storytelling.

Nugent may have raised the bar even higher with her new novel, Strange Sally Diamond. I devoured this unique tale in a few hours over a single day. It’s page-whirrer, with depth, and a truly unforgettable main character.

Sally Diamond is a ‘socially deficient’ lady in her 40s whose neurodivergence and occasional extreme outbursts may be more nurture rather than nature. Or not. While she’s led a perhaps too-sheltered teenage and adulthood thanks to her adopted parents - particularly her ex-psychiatrist father, her early years were about as grossly traumatic as they could be.

Though Sally can’t remember them.

So when her fellow villagers and the police are horrified by what Sally did, she can’t understand why. She was just doing what her father asked. When he dies, no fuss, just “put him out with the bins”. You burn rubbish, right? Public notoriety brings extra pressure on a woman struggling to find her place, but as Sally comes into herself and starts connecting with others, even starting to make a few friends in her her own way, her terrible past comes back too. Letters, and more.

Nugent takes readers on quite a ride, using a full palette of emotions. STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND is dark, and funny. It's got hope, and despair. It traverses some of the worst that humanity can offer (TW for pedophilia, sexual abuse, etc) - though we're usually not 'in the room' for that, just knowing it has happened - while smoothly telling a fascinating story about an unforgettable character. And casting rays of light among the shadows. Can we feel empathy for victims turned violent? For good intentions perhaps tainted by ego that maybe led to bad outcomes?

Nugent and Sally make readers FEEL. Not always comfortable things, but lots of things.

Exquisite storytelling from a masterful author.

[This is an extended version of a shorter review written for the April 2023 issue of Good Reading magazine]

You can rely on Irish author Liz Nugent to deliver on a strong psychological thriller with a sinister undertone. And with Strange Sally Diamond she absolutely does not let us down. It covers some pretty serious themes while giving us the highly memorable character of Sally Diamond.

Sally Diamond lives in a small Irish village, Carricksheedy with her adoptive parents. She’s in her 40s but still lives at home, a creature of habit you could say, but with Sally there’s a far deeper reason. The characterisation of Sally is the heart of this book and when her nuances are first revealed – she doesn’t like being touched, she pretends she’s deaf so she doesn’t have to make conversation with people, she has issues controlling her temper – you do wonder why, but I don’t think you’ll guess at the reason.

Sally is child-like in a lot of her interactions, learning how she should respond in social situations and high-fiving herself when she navigates interacting with other people. She also has no natural filter – although she is getting better at not saying everything that comes to her mind. This leads to some chuckle-moments when you see her holding back on what she wanted to say.

These lighter moments are great for balancing out the darker themes that Strange Sally Diamond goes on to explore.

When her father dies, Sally takes him literally when he tells her to ‘put him out with the bins’ – so she does. This causes quite a stir in the local community and the police come knocking. This is the trigger for Sally’s past to be unearthed. Her father left her letters telling her the truth about how he came to adopt her. We then discover, along with Sally just what happened.

To go too much into that would take away from the impact of the story but I will say there are some very serious and potentially triggering topics that come into play, including abduction and abuse. These were not easy to read about but as Sally had already been so strongly established as a character, your heart just goes out to her and you want to find out more.

The story is so well written and perfectly paced, you just can’t help but be drawn in.

The ending of Strange Sally Diamond wasn’t what I was expecting in one way, but when I remind myself this is a Liz Nugent novel, it is the only way the ending could be. Sorry for that ambiguous note to finish this review on but there’s no ambiguity in how much I loved this book. A compelling look at the darkest side of human nature and how good can blossom from even those situations.

Sally Diamond’s father told her to burn him with the rubbish when he died, so she literally did just that. This act brought her to the attention of people outside of her remote village and when a teddy bear from her childhood arrives in the post it seems her past is starting to catch up with her.

A beautiful book, funny and absolutely fascinating but heartbreaking too. Read it.

I’d like to thank Penguin General UK, Sandycove and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Strange Sally Diamond’ by Liz Nugent in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

When her adoptive father Tom Diamond died Sally puts his body in a black sack and heaves it into the domestic incinerator as that’s what he told her to do. He leaves her three letters to read telling details of her birth and Sally soon becomes renowned for being the child of Denise Norton who was held captive for fourteen years and her abductor Conor Geary. As Sally attempts to combat her anger issues she receives a parcel from New Zealand containing a teddy that she recognised from her childhood, and becomes terrified that her birth father is searching for her.

‘Strange Sally Diamond’ is the brilliantly written story of Sally who I was so entranced by that I didn’t want it to stop. It charts the history of Sally who works hard to rise above her traumatic start in life to when she finds out about an uncle and a brother Peter who she didn’t know existed. I feel emotionally drained after reading about the fantastic character of Sally and didn’t want to stop. The story is harrowing, haunting, funny and is absolutely unforgettable, and if you read just one book this year make sure it’s ‘Strange Sally Diamond’.

This is the first book that I've read by Liz Nugent but I will certainly be seeking out more of her books after enjoying this one as much as I did.
It takes a dark subject matter but makes it moving and fully engrossing.
Sally was definitely a special character that I won't forget for some time.
My only issue was the ending, which I won't spoil but it left me feeling a bit disheartened, especially after everything that Sally and we had been through as readers.
All I can say is that this is truly a must read, especially if you like a twisty and dark kind of story.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly don’t know how to start reviewing this book. From the first page I was gripped and intrigued, wanting to find out more about Sally Diamond. .

As a story unfolds, my initial perception of Sally was turned on his head . The behaviours she displayed, are not purely characteristic traits, but they are symptoms of her deeply entrenched, traumatic childhood experiences.

I will not go onto the storyline as a feel readers should come into this book blind, enjoying the story as an each revelation is slowly and expertly revealed.

Sally Diamond stole a piece of my heart,. First class writing by Liz Nugent who takes a dark, bleak story and makes it page turning, moving and thought provoking.

Strange Sally Diamond might end up being one of my best reads of 2023. I think it will certainly be a very popular book these next few years.

We meet Sally, just at the point where she has possibly committed a criminal act. She’s a neurodivergent character and suddenly, everything she has known her 40 odd years on earth has been turned up side down and we go on a journey with her trying to figure out how to navigate her new life.

As the story unfolds we learn more about her past and how she came to be Sally. Her past trauma is disturbing and at times upsetting. However, as well as having some grim, heartbreaking moments this book is also heartwarming and at times laugh out loud! That scene in the coffee shop with the racist Texaco worker had me in stitches! The subtle comedy was brilliantly written.

This book is fantastic and will be very popular this year! It was well on its way to being 5 star plus right up until 98% of the book but that ending wasn’t for me. It felt rushed and a little pointless.

This book is still a cracker though and I’ll shout about it all year, a definite must read?!

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent is my favourite book of the year to date, and I have a strong suspicion that it will still be high in my rankings come year end. Sally Diamond is a wonderful creation, vividly brought to life on the page by Nugent's excellent characterisation. From the very first paragraphs it is clear that there is something different about Sally, and as her story unfolds and the reasons for these differences are revealed , she becomes more understandable and more loveable despite being as blunt and socially awkward as ever. Being a Liz Nugent book, I knew to expect darkness and bite along with the humour, and I was not disappointed. It is difficult to write this review without giving too much away, but this is definitely a case where the reader will benefit by going in almost blind.
Sally has had a lonely and isolated upbringing in rural Ireland, and even more so since her mother died leaving her to be raised by her reclusive and over protective father. She has always been regarded as a little strange, probably because she is bluntly honest to a fault, takes everything literally and gets upset if her routines are challenged in any way. Now in her forties she is contentedly taking care of her father, and doesn't understand why people are shocked when she did what he told her to do, and put his body out with the bins following his death. Unable to understand that he was joking, she thinks she was honouring his last wishes and is surprised at the legal and media interest in her actions. As she makes headlines someone from her long forgotten past reaches out and opens a rather large can of worms .
Seeing Sally's growth over the course of the book was such a joy, as were the many wonderful characters that Nugent surrounded her with. The second narrative voice, who will remain unnamed in this review was an inspired choice and really added another dimension to the story. The pacing of the book is excellent, I could hardly bear to put it down as both narratives unfolded, each with their own surprises , and I have already been raving about it to friends and colleagues.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher ,all opinions are my own.

Strange Sally Diamond. I remember when I first saw the cover and heard the title, it was not what I was expecting. Then again I don't know what I was expecting. But quite honestly there couldn't have been a better title for this book.
Sally Diamond...I wonder will that name be forever etched on my mind.
What a brilliant story from author Liz Nugent. I am in awe of her mind, her words and her stories.
Strange Sally Diamond is so dark, it's harrowing and quite quite disturbing.
The talent the author has shines through the pages in her story telling.
It really is quite a creepy story but ultimately a devastating one...
I feel I will be recommending this one forever.

An incredibly absorbing and quirky read. Sally Diamond is such a likable, incredibly well crafted character that you can’t help being sucked into her life - and what a muddle she’s made!
Her difficulties as she struggles through her mistaken interpretation of her Dad’s instructions after death are so poignant and believable.
This story gripped me from the beginning and I read it in two sittings. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Strange Sally Diamond was fairly different from the book I expected, but I hugely enjoyed it. It’s a dark story which is emotionally challenging at times – there are some serious topics addressed including violence, sexual and physical abuse, and more – but well rewarding because Sally is such a great character.

She has been described as ‘socially deficient’ and is well aware that people in her community and around her think she’s different and perhaps a little odd, but she is who she is. She takes things literally, doesn’t always behave as people would expect in social situations, and very much tells it like it is, and I thought she was brilliant. There is quite an array of people in this novel, some of whom are definitely not likeable, but Sally shines through.

I really enjoyed reading about Sally’s development as she deals with her father’s death and finds out more about her shocking start to life. As more threads are pulled and we discover more and more clues, we realise that Sally’s life started in a truly appalling way.

Strange Sally Diamond effortlessly blends an emotional, character-focused plot with hints of humour, darkness and mystery, making a complex and absorbing novel. Definitely recommended.

This is absolutely Liz‘s best book yet. I’ve read it in one day and the storyline is extremely clever if somewhat (well very to be honest) dark. I’m going to need a couple of days book mourning for this one I think!

I was recommended this book by a friend, and I'm so glad I picked it up!
WOW!
It was a slow burn, but it really gripped me in the end, and I was totally absorbed with the characters and plot. I loved it all!
The book felt so real, and I was right there with the characters - especially the central character of 'Sally' - she is so complex, and you completely understand why. She is difficult, yet still likeable.
The writing of Liz Nugent is phenomenal - this book spans different genres, and is very special!

Loved this reading experience! This book will stay with me for a long time!

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 . . .

Everyone has seen on the news the very sad and unbelievable cases of a girl snatched and held in captivity for many years and finally escapes – but then what happens next?! This is that story of what happens after and oh my goodness what a rollercoaster, powerful, inciteful, emotional dramatic ride it is. I was hooked straight away thinking what on earth has happened previously to make Sally Diamond how she is and what is going to happen or be discovered now.
This was the first Liz Nugent book that I have read and it definitely won’t be the last. Amazing concept for a book and so well written.

Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I really appreciate the opportunity to review the ARCs.
#NetGalley #StrangeSallyDiamond

A great read, very compelling and the sort that you get completely lost in and just have to finish, very well written. I was intrigued by the blurb and at first wanted to know more about why Sally was labelled as strange, odd or weird by those around her. She was presenting at first as neurodivergent, then her Dad refers to her behaviours as possibly autistic and I wondered how cliched this might become. However, as the story continues we learn more about her early life and see that her behaviour in adulthood is down to childhood trauma followed by a very socially restricted young adult life. It is very dark and can be quite graphic but there is also humour and glimpses of hope for healing. It's not all tied up in a pretty bow at the end, neither is life after such horrific events, we see the damage families can inflict upon one another and the power of friendships. A clever storyline told from different perspectives and across different timelines. Highly recommend.
With thanks to the author and publisher for an advance proof read in exchange for an honest review.

Just by reading the first paragraph of this book you will be completely and utterly hooked and will instantly want to know more about the person that is "Strange Sally Diamond". Sally has always been very different from the other children, bullied at school with no ability to make friends she lives on a remote farm with her elderly father. When she does have to go into the village, she pretends to be deaf so that she doesn’t have to interact with anyone. Sally leads a very literal life, and so when someone asks her to do something, she’ll carry out their wishes, to the letter. She does not have the ability to read between the lines, and at the start of the story she doesn’t possess a lot of emotions, but this is something she works through. Bought up by her adoptive parents, we learn more about Sally’s upbringing and what happened to her previously with her back story.

This book will send shivers down your spine and make the hairs on your arms stand up, which is what we have learnt to expect from Liz Nugent and she certainly delivers that again in this book. She has always been one of my go-to favourite authors and I find myself waiting rather impatiently for her next offering because you know it’s going to be brilliant! I would personally say that this is her best book to date.

You are going to love this, and there’s no doubt that this will be one of the most popular books of 2023 which will fly off the shelves. You will race through this story, so when you buy it you’ll need to clear the decks and make sure you allow yourself 24-48 hours completely void of any distractions or disturbances. I am desperate to talk to people about this book there are many things I want to talk about!!

If I could have one wish, it would be that I could go back and read it again for the first time.

This book caught my eye on Netgalley and I was really pleased to be given the opportunity to read and review it.

Liz Nugent is a new author to me and I thought she created a wonderful character in Sally Diamond. I have quite a few neurodivergent family members and I find that sometimes in books authors can cast these characters as completely stereotypical and have them tarred with the same brush - Sally Diamond, however, felt authentic and not just a ‘quirky’ character. I was very much invested in the story of Sally and found her history and the revelations of how she came to be the way she is fascinating, as well as disturbing.

There are so many positives about this book: the characters are interesting, the writing is good, there is a balance of deeply unsettling and heartwarming moments and I was really enjoying the story until the last few pages - it just felt like something was missing in my opinion, the ending felt rushed and fizzled out.

Thank you to Penguin General & Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An Irish woman who decides to cremate her own father in the garden incinerator is certainly strange - and her actions lead to all sorts of repercussions when the world's media focus on her and discover who Sally Diamond really is. She herself didn't know the tragic story of how she came to be adopted by an eminent psychiatrist, but it explains why at 42 she is a loner with severe anger management issues.
As the story explores how Sally, with the help of sympathetic neighbours and family, comes to terms with her past and grows as a person, another person is brought in to the narrative; a little boy called Peter brought up by a single father who isolates him from the world to "keep him safe".
As the two threads of the book draw together, a story emerges that is horrifying, yet so very engrossing. It's harrowing to read at times, but Sally is such an appealing character - so vulnerable and yet so strong, she's a reminder that it's possible to overcome the vicissitudes life throws at us,
Peter elicits sympathy, too - but he is never as strong as Sally, who carries this emotive story beautifully from beginning to end.
For fans of books like Room, Sally's story will touch your heart - though be warned, it's darker and probably reflects the reality of the tragic repercussions a kidnapped child will carry forward throughout their life.

Strange Sally Diamond focuses on 'socially deficient' Sally as she uncovers her dark past and the reasons she finds it difficult to interact with others. She has lived a quiet life in a remote village, but when she is thrust into the limelight after a tragic event, she could never have known how significantly her life was going to change.

It is a dark tale covering some tough subjects around physical and emotional abuse, but there are pockets of humour and Sally is a unique and special character that you can't help but warm to.