This one is hard to describe. At times this was hard to read but then sometimes it was humorous. I liked probably the first 80%-ish of this, but then the last 20% felt a bit convoluted and rushed. It kept me interested and reading to see what would happen.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! Strange Sally Diamond is just what the title says, strange but in the best way. I thoroughly enjoyed this dark fiction about Sally Diamond, a woman who keeps to herself in her small community. But after her father’s death her world completely changes- he divulges information about her past that shocks Sally and encourages her to build friendships and independence. Sally is a complex, vulnerable, deep character who overcame many challenges. I love the positive light this book placed on therapy and the refreshing honesty Sally displayed. This book forces you to feel things and to really root for Sally, who again shows such amazing character growth. This will be a book I definitely won’t forget anytime soon!

3.5 stars

This book started off so strong! I was completely invested in Sally's character, her oddities, and the darkness that made her who she was. The story was disturbing and heartbreaking yet equally fascinating. I can see why many readers were drawn to this one. Unfortunately, somewhere in the middle, I became a little bored. The writing was well done but the plot just seemed to drag on for me. When I reached the point of feeling any sense of completion and resolution for Sally, it was over. Nothing was resolved! Some insinuations could be made, but why? I really needed an ending to the turmoil that I was put through while reading this story. Others may be okay with an abrupt ending, but I needed more. I would still recommend this one. It was a unique and interesting story. I did like it for the most part. Just extremely slow moving.

Thank you to Gallery Books for granting me digital access via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

I read this when it initially came out. For lack of a better word, this book is strange. It reminds me of We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. It’s old school weird and atmospheric. Not sure I would recommend this to everyone.

Thank you, Gallery Books for the copy of Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent. The description did not prepare me for the immersive and compelling story, and I sped through the first half of the book before taking a break. Sally is the greatest character I have read in a long time. I felt so much empathy for her and I loved how she was able to preserve despite her past. I’m not sure the second half completely lived up to the promise of the start because Peter wasn’t as great of a character and his story wasn’t as interesting, but it did have some surprises. This is an immensely readable book that will make you think about nature vs. nurture, families, and friendships. 4 stars

Just WOW what a book! I totally devoured this one. The characters were crazy great and had me flipping pages, unable to stop . One of my favorite books of the summer. Haunting, chilling and expert storytelling. Huge five stars from me, don’t miss this gem.
Thank you NetGalley and Liz Nugent for the opportunity to read and review this cracker of a book.

I really enjoy this book - it kept me engaged from start to finish and I didn’t have any difficulty understand or relating to the prose. The characters were well developed and easy to like. I’d definitely recommend reading this book!

A captivating story that I could not put down. This book was thought provoking and entertaining. I will be picking up more of Nugent’s books.
Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for an advanced copy of this 2024 addition.

I’ve been a Liz Nugent fan a long time - since an Irish friend told me about her. Unraveling Oliver was the first book with her wonderful jacked-up characters. Skin Deep is one that never got an American release and may just he her most messed up character ever. I was glad to see Strange Sally Diamond get some buzz and see widespread appreciation for Nugent. It's great for so many to get some exposure to Nugent's writing. This book was on a lot of “Best of ‘23” lists. Sally is a great character - but she’s not really the messed-up character is she? Don’t miss this book or any books from Nugent.

All of the stars for this quirky, twisty read!

Synopsis: Sally Diamond is a bit strange, and she takes everything very literally. When her sick father asks her to "take him out with the trash" when he dies, she does exactly that. This mistake is the catalyst that unearths some long buried secrets from her past that make national headlines.

Thoughts: This was such a refreshing take on a thriller. It is absolutely dark, twisty, and disturbing, and I was immediately intrigued by Sally's character. The way Nugent develops her personality, as well as the "why" behind her isms is pure perfection. I think that this story is best going into without too much information, but if you like twisty reads, bump this to the top of your list!

Read if you like
-Karin Slaughter/Lisa Jewell books
-Quirky characters
-Dark and twisty
-Dual POVs

I loved this one so so much. Easy 5 stars. Sally Diamond was such an interesting character and I throughly enjoyed following her story. This was a pleasure to read.

A crazy story full of twists and turns that you won't be able to put down. Dark and moving and I am completely in awe of Liz Nugent's writing. Maybe there is a little of Strange Sally Diamon in all of us.

Wow! I loved this book. It is a family love story of sorts that goes through almost every emotion. Very hard to read at times but very rewarding. I love love love Sally. And Liz could not have written a better ending or a better story to explain how impactful trauma can be on an individual and everyone who surrounds them. RECOMMEND!

This book had all the makings of a fascinating read but it ultimately fell short of expectations.

Following Sally, a character with such distinct quirks and behaviours, seemed promising at first. However, as the story unfolded, the execution didn't quite deliver.

And then there was the ending—disappointing at best!

In a nutshell, "Strange Sally Diamond" had its moments but didn't live up to its potential; not my cup of tea.

"When I die, put me out with the trash."

This book is being placed in the thriller genre, yet it isn't really a thriller. It was such a good story that made you want to keep reading to find out about Sally and her backstory.

Wow! Wow! Wow! This novel about a profoundly misunderstood woman is chocked full of sensitive topics. As we begin to learn more about Sally’s intricate past and she develops fully into her present situation . . . her oddities become more understandable. The pages turn fast and you can’t look away as each chapter delivers another shocking revelation.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of Strange Sally Diamond It for my unbiased evaluation.  5 stars

This is hands down one of the best books that I have ever read. Sally character was written so well, that you can’t help but love her- and feel bad for her. Her simple mind, and the events of her life are so well done that the best I can do to support this book- is to share it and tell everyone I know about it.

I really enjoyed this book. The ending was very bleak but that was obviously the point (and a story wrapping in 2020 had little hope otherwise.) I hated seeing Sally’s progress deteriorate as we had watched her grow. Great story.

The story opens with strange Sally Diamond disposing of her deceased father's remains in their home trash incinerator. Sally has some issues - she doesn't like to be touched by anyone, she's socially awkward, and her adoptive parents kept her out of mainstream social and educational settings.
As the story progresses, it alternates between Sally's present-day story of learning more about her past, and 30-40 years prior. Her birth mother was kidnapped and kept by a terrible man. I won't give away more, but there are various characters who come into Sally's life, looking for information, or looking to amend for the past. This had me guessing throughout the story. Admittedly the ending fell a bit flat, but this is a good thriller!
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

For about seventy-five pages I thought this was nothing more than another Eleanor Oliphant clone, a good one, but, still, nothing really original. Then came the end of part one and I realized it was something else entirely. But as I read on, I wondered, a bit, about all the great reviews this has been getting.

Sally is a great, richly drawn character. She has many flaws, which the author shows without apology. Frankly, I thought she got away with a lot, still, in the end, even given her issues. It’s simply a fact of life that one has to be able to get along in society to be part of it. And what is her actually psychiatric diagnosis? Because it’s definitely not true that there’s nothing, I think, right?

My problem was the men of STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND (perhaps some slight spoilers ahead? Skip if you haven’t read, just to be safe.) Obviously we know our big bad is a terrible, awful person, beyond redemption, but for my money, so were the other two primary male characters in the book.

One is obvious, and we know this from the way we leave him, but Mark. Why was Sally and everyone else so forgiving of Mark? This was insane to me and it rather spoiled the second half of the book. Mark was a stalker and a liar. And don’t get me started on Mark’s parents.

Then, Sally’s dad. First, who couldn’t tell from the start what type of man he was? I think that was made fairly clear from every flashback to his work with his wife, Sally and Denise. I was surprised the author felt she had to be so explicit about it.

Anyway, there were things about the book I liked, but surrounding Sally with psychotic men, unduly authoritative men, impatient men, stalker-like men…how could anyone be expected to thrive under those circumstances? And, as so often happens, too many women make too many excuses for them, not the least of whom is Sally herself (not that I blame her. She can hardly be trusted expected to have a framework for a positive male role model.)

It is nice to see Sally blossom after the death of her father (if only he had given her ANY measure of freedom before.) The townspeople might have been a little TOO nice and accepting, with only one bad apple, but, OK, there’s a lot of darkness here too.

Speaking of which, (spoilers again. Stop reading now!) it’s interesting how the author dealt with the captivity of Denise and Lindy. We only really see Denise once in the house, and it is horrible. Our experience with Lindy lasts longer, but I wish the author had been better able to capture what must have been her absolute despair. For so much of the time we see her, she seems happy, and while we know that’s not really true…I don’t know. I just cannot imagine the anguish of the situation.

So, while I liked the book a lot, and can’t give it less than four stars, I was really troubled by nearly every man in it, and Sally’s relationships with them.