The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths
The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths is another great page turner. This time she has turned her hand to a gothic thriller, in a contemporary setting. She cleverly includes gothic tropes such as: an eerie abandoned building where mysterious lights are seen at night, inexplicable notes appearing in a character’s diary, acknowledgement that ghosts do really exist (and you don’t have to be a flake to believe in them!), and murders emulating those that occur in…..a gothic short story, taught by one of the characters.
Who can resist a story within a story? Not me!
This is a very clever novel, told from multiple perspectives with well developed characters. Griffiths’ women are well drawn and nuanced. They are extremely capable, but riddled with self-doubt and -criticism – like most women I know!
This is a stand alone novel, however I think there is scope for Griffiths to write more books featuring DS Harbinder Kaur.
Find The Stranger Diaries in the SMSA Library Catalogue
Review by Gaby Meares
Murder on a Monday Reading Group
