The Stranger Diaries

by Elly Griffiths

[jesstheaudiobookworm]

4.25★⎮I started The Stranger Diaries on a whim after reading the synopsis. It wasn't something that was sitting on my TBR list or on my radar at all. In fact, I've never before heard of Author Elly Griffiths, but The Stranger Diaries has certainly made me take notice.

On the night I started The Stranger Diaries, I stayed up until around 3 AM listening to it. The Gothic atmosphere was absolutely entrancing. There's nothing better than atmospheric writing and I do love a Gothic setting. Griffiths sets the scene beautifully. The setting is somehow creepy and intriguing at the same time, as are many old places. The Stranger Diaries somewhat reminded me of something written by Ruth Ware, except better.

I adored the inclusion of R.M. Holland, a historical figure Griffiths created to provide a backstory for the setting in the plot. He was so realistic that I had to check to see if he actually existed (he didn't). I kept expecting Holland to play a bigger part in the contemporary plot (instead of just inspiring it) and I was disappointed when he didn't. There are a couple of unsolved mysteries surrounding Holland at the end of the book, but I suppose that just makes it more realistic. Holland wasn't meant to be the focus of the book, just a catalyst for it.

I liked Clare Cassidy as a protagonist. I related to her and felt for her. I especially appreciated her relationship with her rescue dog Herbert. On the other hand, Claire's daughter Georgie rather annoyed me, as teenage characters often do.

Unlike many other reviewers, I didn't have the "whodunit" figured out before hand. I'm not even sure I have it figured out now. It kind of feels like it came out of left field to me. The big reveal felt like a letdown. The first 3/4 of the book are building up this great mystery and there are several ways it could've played out, but the actual ending fell flat for me, which was especially disappointing considering how wonderfully Griffiths had set it up. But, then again, I can't complain too much about a book that had me listening until 3 AM. There's not much I would choose over sleep. I already have the first installment of Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series in my Audible basket.

Narration review: This book was beautifully narrated. It took me a while to figure out that there were three different narrators for the three different points-of-view. I was so consumed with the story that I assumed I was hearing one talented narrator voice Clare, Georgia, and Harbinder!

However, I did notice that the narrator for Georgie was sitting in a little too close to her microphone and it was picking up considerable "mouth sounds" (i.e. lipsmacking). I wouldn't rule out the possibility that it impacted my opinion of the character in some subconscious way. Other than that, this was a phenomenally produced audiobook and I wouldn't be surprised if it won an award or two. ♣︎