The Stranger Diaries

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths

Published by Quercus

November 2018

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...

This is a stand-alone novel from Elly Griffiths, following on from her two successful series featuring Ruth Galloway and Stephens & Mephisto.  I already love her books so was excited to see how this would pan out - clue: I wasn't disappointed.

Our central character is Clare Cassidy, single parent, teacher and would-be author.  She works at a school where a long-dead author, the mysterious R.M.Holland used to live (think M.R.James).  Clare likes to read some of his spooky stories to her classes to help them improve their writing.  The start of the book sees the death of one of Clare's colleagues and a tantalising link to the writing of Holland. The police think that the killer may have a link to the school.  

Clare has a habit of keeping a diary and the police ask her to recall her friendship with Ella and of a particular event in both of their lives.  Flicking back through the diaries, Clare discovers some writing at the bottom of one of the pages - only the handwriting isn't hers!  Who wrote it, how did they get hold of her diary, and what do they want with Clare?

A second death occurs and the link to Holland is now firmly in place, as is a second diary note left for Clare.  It would seem that the killer is reading her diaries and is trying to protect Clare from those who may have upset her.  Clare doesn't know what to do, should she leave the school and take her daughter Georgia with her to protect her from this situation or by remaining at Talgarth High will it draw the killer out?

Elly Griffiths holds the tension with her settings, and even when Clare and Georgia escape up to Scotland, she keeps the atmosphere going.  I didn't guess who the killer was, though with hindsight I probably could have, but for me that isn't what the story is about.  It is about relationships, and keeping secrets, and emotions and how real life is affected by all of these.

Happy Reading

Miss Chapters x