Title: Strange Sally Diamond

Author: Liz Nugent

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Publisher: Sandycove, Penguin

Publication Date: 2nd March 2023

Rating: 5/5

Cover:

Summary:

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 police detectives, but also a sinister voice from a past she cannot remember. As she begins to discover the horrors of her childhood, Sally steps into the world for the first time, making new friends and big decisions, and learning that people don’t always mean what they say.

But who is the man observing Sally from the other side of the world? And why does her neighbour seem to be obsessed with her? Sally’s trust issues are about to be severely challenged . . .

Review:

I was keen to read this book as soon as I heard about it. I read Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent a couple of years ago and it was one of my favourites of that year so I was excited to read Nugent’s latest and I am happy to say it more than met my high expectations! Strange Sally Diamond is a truly original and chilling read with a main character that is impossible to forget. I know Sally will stay in my mind for a very long time.

This is a dark and often deeply disturbing story, it takes the reader right up to the most cruel and inhuman ways people can cause damage to others. However, it is not a novel without humour and there is also a huge well of emotion and pathos present. It is undeniably chilling yet so completely moving at the same time. It is also a huge testament to the author that she has taken a character, like Sally, with her different way of seeing the world and the ‘quirks’, for want of a better word, that are part of her and has made her, never at any moment a gimmick or joke. Sally is a compelling and deftly considered character that I felt for immensely. Unique, gripping and powerful, I really couldn’t recommend Strange Sally Diamond any more highly!

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Huge thank you to Ellie Hudson and Penguin for having me on the tour and sending me a copy of the book. My review is entirely my own honest opinion.

Buy the book:

Waterstones | Blackwell’s | Amazon