The Stranger Diaries Elly Griffiths
2019
4/5 stars
It's difficult to explain this novel without giving away some of the surprises, so I'll be brief: When a colleague and close friend is murdered, Claire, a high school literature teacher, becomes involved in a nightmare.
Griffiths is a skilled story-teller, with prose that is both intelligent and down-to-earth. The Stranger Diaries alternates points-of-view between Claire, her daughter, and the detective in charge of the case; all three have distinct voices and are well-defined. The plot is complex, but not convoluted, and is atmospheric, gripping, and intriguing. The climax wasn't fully believable, thanks to a coincidence combined with an unexplained happening (the only thing keeping this from being a five star read), but the who and why were satisfying, and the overall experience a pleasant thrill.
On a personal note: I read it in the course of a few hours of non-stop reading: it's just that hard to put down.
you nailed it. Its funny how much I enjoy her Ruth Galloway series even when its predictable because her characters are so good and her storytelling draws you in. How can you not love Ruth and Nelson and Cathbad and all the rest of them.Such good people
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