The mystery of ‘whodunit’ should be a surprise to most readers. Take note, Clare has a beloved pet dog named Herbert.

Elly Griffiths (who also teaches creative writing) cleverly uses the opportunity of having a writer main character to reference tropes of the gothic mystery, for example, things happen in threes, and animals often play a significant role because they can sense danger (but are also expendable). DS Kaur is particularly readable still living at home with her parents at thirty-five and spending her spare time scrolling through Facebook and playing Panda Pop. There’s also a story within the story – the novel opens with the first pages of The Stranger, setting a mysterious and ominous tone from the outset, continuing in sections throughout the novel before being repeated in full at the conclusion to great dramatic effect.Ĭlare, Harbinder and Georgia are nuanced, authentic characters with voices that come to life on the page. These alternating viewpoints provide an often amusing insight into what Clare and DS Kaur really think of each other and, quite humorously, how wise-beyond-her-years Georgia is playing her mother by telling her what she thinks she wants to hear. The story is told from the points of view of Clare, DS Kaur and Georgia, Clare’s fifteen-year-old daughter who, unbeknownst to her mother, is part of a secret group who write online journals. When Clare finds a message from a stranger in her private diary, astute detective Harbinder Kaur realises the handwriting matches the note found next to Ella and believes the killer has a connection with Clare. Clare learns her colleague and friend, Ella Elphick has been murdered, and is disturbed to hear there was a note found with Ella’s body with a quote from The Stranger, a short ghost story written by Holland – and one that Clare teaches in her class. Holland, who used to reside in the very same building and whose study has been left eerily untouched since his death. She is also writing a biography of Victorian author R.M. This is one of many creepy moments in The Stranger Diaries, the first standalone novel from British novelist Elly Griffiths, who is better known for her long-running Ruth Galloway mystery series.Įnglish teacher Clare Cassidy runs a creative writing class in a spooky old building at Talgarth High. What if you found a secret message in your diary, only you hadn’t written it?

The stranger diaries review