Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the digital ARC of ”Strange Sally Diamond” in exchange for my honest opinion. I really loved Sally from the very beginning. She starts off as a seemingly quirky character, but you learn that her behaviors are the result of a much darker past. One that she does not remember. Maybe it is because I already read a book this month about a man who kidnapped and tortured women, but I feel this novel would have been much better without the chapters from Peter. I don’t feel like those chapters were necessary and the story of both him and his father could have been revealed in less detail and in a different way, perhaps through those doing the research for the podcast. Personally I would have enjoyed just reading about Sally and her journey through life.

Strange Sally Diamond is a powerful book! No one can even imagine what it was to have the early childhood and life Sally had. The characters are well developed. The story is tightly and wondrously written and revealed. Highly recommend
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"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."

That first line sucked me in and I didn't even need to read any further into the description. This book was so much better than I thought it would be! Sally is a strange bird but is it from her past, is she just atypical, or what? I loved her logical straightforward thinking and audibly laughed several times at her train of thought. I enjoyed the different points of view and learning more about her and Peter's past.

Overall, fantastic book and a solid 5 stars.

4.5 stars rounded up-This book was so different than I expected it to be. Reading the summary you get the general plot, but what it really is about is the life of Sally Diamond. It is told in a first person perspective, and I commend the author for the way she made the character so real. She told of her emotional evolvement and why she is the way she is. Such a sad backstory, but really, it is ripped from the headlines. I am so honored to have received an arc from NetGalley and the publisher. After reading this one, I realized that there are still 2 Liz Nugent books I haven’t read, so I ordered those immediately. Highly recommend!

A wild ride of a tale. Crafted well and easy to read despite the disturbing subjects. The story moved fast and was satisfying to finish.

This was a rough one. Great book, but very heavy subject matter. It's disturbing. It's shocking. It's worth the read. Most definitely.

Reclusive Sally Diamond causes outrage by trying to incinerate her dead father. Now she’s the center of attention, not only from the hungry media and police detectives, but also a sinister voice from a past she does not remember. As she begins to discover the horrors of her early childhood, Sally steps into the world for the first time, making new friends, 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 he call her Mary? And why does her new neighbor seem to be obsessed with her? Sally’s trust issues are about to be severely challenged in this “inventive, addictive, and bold” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) thriller.

Loved Sally's journey. The author wrote her really well. Think along the lines of Eleanor Oliphant. Lots of secrets.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the advanced copy. You can read this when it comes out next week, July 18, 2023. Such a wild reading experience. Go for it!

Sally Diamond is different from others. She keeps to herself and has trouble relating to people. And for most of her life (she’s in her early-forties now) she’s been happy to live an isolated life with her adoptive father, a psychiatrist. But then, when her dad dies from an illness—and Sally takes his oft-repeated joke literally and throws his body out with the trash—it starts a spiraling chain of events. A police investigation ensues, and a media frenzy, and that leads the world (and Sally herself) to find out about her tragic and traumatic past. A past that Sally doesn’t remember, and which her adoptive parents kept hidden from her and the world to protect her. Now that everyone knows, she encounters odd strangers, mysterious packages, a new therapist, and far too much attention from people who had always previously avoided her in town.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this e-arc.*

What a story! I couldn't stop reading, even though this was a tough one at times. Might even make my top 10 of the year.... I haven't been this hooked on a book in a long time.

Strange Sally Diamond is a strangely wonderful novel, filled with secrets, deceptions, and lies. Author Nugent does a wonderful job of developing her characters, especially Sally and Peter/Steven, and keeping the story suspenseful right up until the end. This is the first book by Liz Nugent that I've read, but it won't be the last. Highly recommended.

I have loved Nugent's other books so was excited to be approved for this one and it did not disappoint! Sally is 42 when her dad dies and this begins her search for who she is and why she is so "strange" and odd. And what she discovers is a convoluted and absolutely wonderful tale of deception, secrets, lies, and so many twisted tales of misunderstandings. Abductions, imprisonments, pseudonyms, and even a stuffed teddy bear factor into this dark and crazy story of Sally and her "strange" behavior! Clearly Nugent at her finest!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This book was suspenseful, disturbing and totally enjoyable. Sally is a well written, interesting character. This story had me hooked from the first page. I have been recommending to friends and library patrons!

What a fun ride! This book is incredibly unique. I will not forget this story or the characters. Liz Nugent did such an amazing job developing the characters and taking the reader on a journey that will be remembered. This book has all of the pieces I look for in a good book!

I truly found this to be a fascinating read. The psychological effects of trauma were clearly present and well researched. This book was very dark, twisted, at times humorous, and very well written. I didn’t want to put it down - the writing flowed perfectly. There were alternating POVs (my favorite) and I found myself cheering for Sally, a reclusive character trying to come to terms with her horrific childhood as she works to integrate herself back into society.

This book is remarkable. The story of Sally Diamond, born to a mother in captivity and adopted by her caregivers after being found, is both heartbreaking and courageous. Sally struggles with daily social interactions and finds herself in the public eye. With new friends and family, she must confront the brutal reality and trauma of her past and try, as an adult, to make her way in the world. This is also the story of Peter, Sally’s (unknown) brother, who is emotionally abused by their father and kept in isolation and fear for much of his early life. The themes are dark and disturbing but Liz Nugent brings such humanity and depth of character. What a well written and moving book. With thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

Well-written, suspenseful, dark and disturbing. If you enjoy twisty psychological thrillers and captive/trauma narratives you will love this. Reminds me in places of "The Tenant." Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Woooo did I have hopes for Strange Sally Diamond. I read the synopsis and my mouth was left hanging open. I couldn’t click request soon enough. Imagine my delight at finding that I had been approved. I started this book strong and couldn’t put it down. Then the ending came and wow…I was disappointed. The ending left me unsatisfied and feeling like nothing was solved. Oh and many of the twist I saw coming a mile away. Which is weird because I normally don’t see twist coming. I didn’t enjoy this one the way I thought I would. 3⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

So sad and disturbing. Talk about family secrets. Well written, but I just feel bad as it ends on a bit of a downer. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Sally Diamond has never been normal. Adopted at a young age, she grew up with her mom and dad not knowing much about where she came from. Now grown, her father dies, and thinking he was serious about putting him out with the trash, she incinerates him. When the town finds out, it causes outrage. However, Sally starts to live more and meet new people after his death. At the same time, she starts confronting her past.

I thought this was going to be lot more suspenseful based on some of the synopsis and cover. However, it was much more like a coming of age later in life. I did find the writing a bit slow for my taste, but others might enjoy it more!

This book was fantastic. It started as one thing then split into 2 point of views in different timelines. It references alot of dark material. However I will say that it was in no way super graphic or detailed in my opinion - but as always check your trigger warnings. I thought the book was so well written! The characters were well written, the story sucked me in and tied together perfectly.
Thanks @netgalley for the advance copy!

This book is nothing short of remarkable. Ms. Nugent weaves a tale that is utterly brutal and unflinching in its telling, yet somehow also manages to remind us of the relentless fortitude and resilience of the human spirit. In Strange Sally Diamond,” Ms. Nugent plumbs the depths of human misery, violence and anger brought about by psychopathy. She is absolutely pitch perfect in conveying the tragic consequences of such, showing us not just the physical and emotional cost, but the toll on the very humanity of those characters unfortunate enough to lie in its path. In the hands of a lesser writer, this story would have devolved into the kind of tawdry, melodramatic and clichéd work that all too often populates the best seller book shelf. However, all of the skill, intelligence and creativity that Ms. Nugent exhibited in her earlier work “Lying In Wait” are on full display here as well. Given its very dark storyline, this book is not for the faint of heart, but it is substantially better crafted than most of the novels out there. It hooked me from the very first page and did not release its grip on me until the very last one. My earnest thanks gratitude to Scout Press, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for my advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.