Strange Sally Diamond: A BBC Between the Covers Book Club Pick

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After her father passed away, Sally found herself alone to navigate a large scary world. And it’s not like Sally is a child. In fact she’s a full grown adult. Just a very sheltered one. Strange Sally Diamond has led a sheltered life and with her adoptive parents in the midlands of Ireland and when her father passes away she takes her request literally to put him out with the bins. She tries to incinerate him in the barn thinking that she has fulfilled his last request as he did say “ sur when I die just put me out with the bins” until she finds an envelope in his study that advises her to read after his passing. Sally’s life and what she believed she knew of her past and family brings horrors into her life that she could never have imagined. I loved this book so much! I have read and enjoyed everything Liz Nugent has ever written and Strange Sally Diamond is no exception. This was a read-it-in-one-sitting book for me. It was such a unique physiological thriller and I literally could not put it down. It is told in a very clever way via two points of view and two timelines that eventually collide into a surprising ending.

So, so good! Sally gets under your skin and worms her way into your heart. I didn't want it to end' Jane FallonHer first novel began life as a short story called Alice which made the shortlist of the RTÉ Francis McManus Short Story Competition in 2006. [1] Further exploration into the main character produced her first best-selling novel Unravelling Oliver. She is published by Penguin Sandycove in Ireland and the UK, [3] and by Scout Press ( Simon & Schuster) in the US. [4] Bibliography [ edit ] This story starts off with Sally being brought into the public eye for taking her father out to the trash when he died. Now, he always told Sally that’s what she should do- how was she to know that he was only joking? After her father’s death, she does come across letters that he wrote for her to open. Sally is to read one letter each week, and with these letters we will find out what happened to Sally before her seventh birthday, since Sally has no recollection whatsoever. You don’t have to love a person. You can love the idea of a person. You can idealize them and turn them into the person you need.” Liz Nugent’s fifth novel Strange Sally Diamond showcases a writer who has really hit her stride. This nuanced, perceptive, thrilling and unpredictable book may be her best yet. MyHome.ie (Opens in new window) • Top 1000 • The Gloss (Opens in new window) • Recruit Ireland (Opens in new window) • Irish Times Training (Opens in new window)

Nugent writes relatable, imperfect characters… This well-written, engaging novel isn’t for the light of heart, but it will find a home with readers who thrive on intricate plotlines and character development.” 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. I really enjoyed Sally's perspective, cared for her, wanted to discover her past and found humour in her inner commentary: Reclusive Sally Diamond is thrust into the media spotlight when she tries to incinerate her dead father, causing widespread outrage. Now she’s the center of attention, not only from hungry reporters and police detectives, but also a sinister voice from a past she does not remember. As she begins to discover the repressed memories of her horrific 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. Sally has learned to live with and accept herself for what she is - a recluse and ‘strange’. Someone socially awkward that is mistrusting of others, and whilst something ‘rare’ and different, she doesn’t know how she got to this place and why her father has encouraged her to disengage from the world around her.Nugent fashions an unforgettable protagonist in Sally, and never loses sight of her characters’ fundamental humanity, even as she piles on twists and steers the narrative into exceptional darkness. Inventive, addictive, and bold, this deserves a wide audience.” This “ haunting and poignant tale, one that won’t be easy to forget any time soon” ( Mystery and Suspense Magazine), follows an enigmatic woman confronting her unknown past—from internationally bestselling author Liz Nugent. I found Strange Sally Diamond to be an addictive read, a dark thriller with believable twists and strong, complex characters. The writing is sharp and the story clever, and there’s a great pace to it. It's about resilience and discovering your identity and finding your place in the world, but also a reminder that maybe not everyone can be saved. Also a word of warning that if you are sensitive to themes of abuse, this one isn’t for you. Nugent does a fine job with her complicated main character and with her intense storyline that will take us from Ireland to New Zealand. It is rare to come across a central character as multi-layered and complex as Sally Diamond. And in its telling, Strange Sally Diamond evokes compassion and deep understanding as these episodes play out. But Nugent doesn't shy away from the causal factors as well. This novel shines a light upon unspeakable incidents that hit the headlines more and more often. How do we try to understand the perpetrator while protecting the rights of victims? Believe me, Liz Nugent will give us plenty here to discuss, to mull over, and to make inroads into identification and prevention. Hope is the greenest of seeds.