top of page

The Stranger Diaries

Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school English teacher specialising in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she teaches a course on it every year. But when one of Clare’s colleagues and closest friends is found dead, with a line from R. M. Holland’s most famous story, “The Stranger,” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with the storylines of her favourite literature.

To make matters worse, the police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her closest confidant, her diary, the only outlet she has for her darkest suspicions and fears about the case. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary: "Hallo, Clare. You don’t know me."

Clare becomes more certain than ever: “The Stranger” has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?

Author
Author
Imprint
Quercus
ISBN
Publishing date
RRP (paperback)
Pages
1786487411
16 May 2019
£7.37
416
Caroline says of the book: I loved this novel, in which the author cleverly entwines the thread of a Victorian gothic novel with a contemporary detective mystery adding a chilling thrill…
The pacy story is told through the narrative of several of the main characters, refreshingly of which the majority are female, including the compelling primary detective. Looking forward to reading the follow up novel…

Linda says of the book: Is it a gothic story? Is it a supernatural story? Is it a murder/mystery? Is it a detective story? This was the problem for me with The Stranger Diaries. I didn’t hate this but I thought that the writer was attempting to spin too many plates in this story.
Along with some glaring plot holes and too many red herrings, I was left thinking “Is that it?” by the end. I did like the police detective so I might investigate the sequel to find out more about her back story.

Catherine says of the book: A modern take on the classic gothic horror story. I absolutely loved this book and couldn’t put it down. I liked the strong female characters in the story and particularly liked DS Harbinder Kaur. I’ve purchased book #2 in this series (The Postscript Murders) in the hopes the author delves deeper into Harbinder’s character. The ending felt rushed and did let the book down a bit but all in all a good chilling read.
bottom of page