Given how much I’ve loved meeting and interviewing Elly Griffiths in the past and how much I enjoy her writing, I really have read far too few of her books. Today I’m rectifying that slightly by sharing my review of The Stranger Diaries which is the choice of my U3A book group this month. It’s almost five years since Hannah Robinson from Quercus sent me a surprise copy of The Stranger Diaries and I’d like to extend my apologies that it has taken so long to review!

The Stranger Diaries is published by Quercus and is available for purchase here. 

The Stranger Diaries

Clare Cassidy is no stranger to tales of murder. As a literature teacher specialising in the Gothic writer R.M. Holland, she teaches a short course on them every year. Then Clare’s life and work collide tragically when one of her colleagues is found dead, a line from an R.M. Holland story by her body. The investigating police detective is convinced the writer’s works somehow hold the key to the case.

Not knowing who to trust, and afraid that the killer is someone she knows, Clare confides her darkest suspicions and fears about the case to her journal. Then one day she notices some other writing in the diary. Writing that isn’t hers…

My Review of The Stranger Diaries

Teacher Ella has been murdered.

I so enjoyed The Stranger Diaries. It’s a fast paced, entertaining read with a touch of the supernatural and smashing smatterings of overt and subtle literary references that are a real pleasure to identify. It’s that frisson of otherworldliness created by the tales of the woman in white at the school and Bryony’s white witch persona that gets under the reader’s skin and makes them wonder ‘What if?’ so that even the most sceptical amongst them is hooked. There’s just the right level of creepiness and tension. 

I thought the way the present day story of Clare et al echoed the story told by the stranger in R.M. Holland’s tale was cleverly and entertainingly crafted. The Stranger Diaries fits the concept of spooky Halloween tales brilliantly and would make a fabulous television series for winter nights. This is a murder mystery, a police procedural, a ghost story and it has touches of a quest as Clare is researching R.M. Holland so that not only can The Stranger Diaries be read and enjoyed on many levels, it has something for every reader. 

The characters are great. We don’t get huge psychological depth for any of them, but each is distinct and, more importantly, has the possibility to be the murderer. I confess I suspected (wrongly) every one of them, including even the investigating policeman Neil, because Elly Griffiths does sleight of hand so brilliantly. I actually exclaimed aloud when the perpetrator was revealed. I loved the potential for Detective Harbinder Kaur to develop too.

As well as being absorbed by the story I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s take on creative writing and teaching, given her own background. It felt as if I were being a little glimpse behind the curtain of who she is. Add in themes of marriage and relationships, obsession and rivalry, and ethnicity and sexuality and I found The Stranger Diaries an all round satisfying, engaging and entertaining read. Once I started it, I was totally rapt and I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it – even if it did make me rather glad I don’t write a diary of my own! It’s a cracking read.

About Elly Griffiths

Elly Griffiths is the bestselling author of the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries and the Brighton Mysteries. She has won the CWA Dagger in the Library, has been shortlisted five times for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger for The Lantern Men. Her new series featuring Detective Harbinder Kaur began with The Stranger Diaries, which was a Richard and Judy book club pick and won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in the USA. It was followed by The Postscript Murders, shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and Bleeding Heart Yard. Elly has two grown-up children and lives near Brighton with her archaeologist husband.

You can follow Elly on Twitter/X @ellygriffiths, find her on Instagram and Facebook or visit her website for more information.