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The Stranger Diaries  By  cover art

The Stranger Diaries

By: Elly Griffiths
Narrated by: Andrew Wincott, Esther Wane, Sarah Feathers, Anjana Vasan
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What Audible Listeners are saying about The Stranger Diaries

Editorial reviews

Elly Griffiths’s knockout novel begins with a story-within-a-story: a hair-raising reading from “The Stranger,” a ghost story by the mysterious author R. M. Holland. Cut to the present day, where English teacher Clare Cassidy works in a school set in Holland’s former house—and where the murder of Clare’s best friend appears to be a perplexing case of life imitating art. I don’t know what it is about books-about-books, but I always find them irresistible, even when they aren’t as brilliantly executed as this one! So it was a pleasure to find an exquisite homage to Wilkie Collins and M. R. James wrapped up in a twisty contemporary plot and told via alternating points of view. My favorite character might have been the queer Sikh detective Harbinder Kaur, but the expert narration from four different performers made each perspective a treat to hear, while the mystery kept me guessing throughout. Immersive and sure-footed, The Stranger Diaries, like all great ghost stories, delights in casting a spell—and listeners will be just as delighted.
Kat J., Audible Editor

Publisher's summary

From the author of the beloved Ruth Galloway series, a modern Gothic mystery for fans of The Magpie Murders and The Lake House.

Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school English teacher specializing 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 story lines of her favorite literature.

©2018 Elly Griffiths (P)2018 Recorded Books

Our favorite moments from The Stranger Diaries

A chilling apparition haunts the school
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An excerpt from R. M. Holland’s ghost story, The Stranger
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Clare receives some dreadful news
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We always fear what we don’t understand…
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  • The Stranger Diaries
  • A chilling apparition haunts the school
  • The Stranger Diaries
  • An excerpt from R. M. Holland’s ghost story, The Stranger
  • The Stranger Diaries
  • Clare receives some dreadful news
  • The Stranger Diaries
  • We always fear what we don’t understand…

What listeners say about The Stranger Diaries

Average customer ratings
Overall
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Story
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  • Overall
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Great read

One of Griffiths’s best books. This book was a real page-turner. It had both character development and suspense I loved the fact that they used 4 narrators. The typical one narrator format would have resulted in confusion.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Stranger Diaries

I really enjoyed this book it kept me wondering what was going to happen from one moment to the next.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Enthralling, Brilliant, Thrilling!!!

This story is captivating!! It keeps you in suspense! It is two stories in one, which is intriguing in itsself! This is a must read!! No complaints! The characters are intriguing and you get a great idea of each one, how they feel, their beliefs, and their growth towards one another!!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Nice stand alone

I enjoyed the book except for the repeated telling of The Stranger from its beginning. Did the writer think we had forgotten the story?

Narrator of The Stranger was perfect. I did think Harbinder was not as well defined as others.

Good plot, characters well developed and flow kept up interest. Love Elly Griffiths writing. I stayed interested with it even though I had figured out the end.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Hell is empty

Incredible reading and story! Loved every spine tingling moment! I anxiously hope and await sequels. 😊

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting and Unexpected

I bought this based on the recommendation form the Audible editor and I'm glad I did. It was an interesting story, a detective tale set at a high school in England, but with kind of a ghost story mixed in. The characters are interesting and well developed and the narration switches between a few main characters. I'm not a big murder mystery fan, but found this story entertaining.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not for me

The readers were all very good, it just wasn't my favorite effort by Elly Griffiths. I have enjoyed both of her other series very much, but not this book so much. I couldn't really connect with any of the characters enough.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing book

I am a Horowitz, Doyle, Christe fan. Most murder mystery books these days are crap. More shock and violence than talent. This book, by an author I never heard of, was a surprise. Outstanding book

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good 'Cozy' Mystery

This story is a cozy 'whodunnit' in the world of Academia. As long as you start the book with the patience to let little things in the story unfold here and there.. I think you will enjoy it. It kept me guessing, and there was a pregnant air of a haunting historical mystery intertwined which added to the feeling that you were sitting with an elderly person telling you about their amazing life (with things you never imagined) over a glass of wine. Heehee! Very cozy indeed.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!


The Stranger Diaries is one of those reads you put it off for a bit because you know it will either be an unputdownable/tear through book or a colossal disappointment. Happily, it was the former! I can hardly put in to words how much I truly enjoyed this story! I was captured from the first sentences, the opening lines of “The Stranger,” which set the tone perfectly for the rest of the mystery to unfold.

The interwoven telling of this ghost story and the unfurling of the mystery were seamless. “The Stranger” story in the story has a basis in the lives of a few of our main characters and set it’s Authors home in the school our characters teach at or attend. It was ingeniously done and made the ghost story seem grounded and not a distraction from the main read (as back and forth stories sometimes do). I found myself looking forward to every parceled out piece of its telling as the murders continued. The Stranger added a gothic spooky tone, but with a bit of wit and an “I’m looking at you” fourth wall breakdown that was shiver inducing. Andrew Wincott’s audio reading set the stage so well.

As for the main story and the murders, the red herrings were equally doled out, With plenty of murky suspicion being thrown around. I didn’t think there were any dead giveaways that would’ve nailed it down until the reveal. While reading mysteries, I mentally keep a running list and other than guessing a few people as probable- I did not figure it out. I want that though, I want to be surprised and along for the ride. To quote The Prestige- even though I’m watching closely, I want to be fooled.

Claire, Georgia, and Harpender were fully formed without being stereotypical. I particularly enjoyed their evolutions over the course of the novel and how they grew over their interactions. It was never boring to be in any of their heads, seeing the same events through a different perspective. I’m very keen to read more of Griffith’s books after how much I loved this!

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2 people found this helpful