But when messages start arriving from a stranger who knows far more about her past than she knows herself, Sally's life will be thrown into chaos once again . . .

Strange Sally Diamond | Liz Nugent | 9781844885756 | NetGalley Strange Sally Diamond | Liz Nugent | 9781844885756 | NetGalley

The story is told from these two points of view, in two timelines that eventually converge for a surprising conclusion. Captivating . . . Hypnotic and terrifying, her story seeps into the imagination and leaves behind a haunting memory Daily Mail So, so good! Sally gets under your skin and worms her way into your heart. I didn't want it to end' Jane Fallon An extraordinary book. Compulsive reading, with one of the most complex, intriguing and moving characters I’ve ever encountered in fiction.”

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I really enjoy Liz Nugent novels and was thrilled to be given early access to her latest book as I just knew I wouldn’t be disappointed. Imagine my surprise when I realized that the setting of this novel was very close to my home. I absolutely devoured this book. Sally Diamond is the most fantastic character. Liz Nugent has created a dark, twisted, gripping, intriguing, heart-stopping tale full of characters who, despite the horrors they inflict, are victims in their own right Sinéad Moriarty Lying in Wait, published in 2016, went straight to number 1 and was chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club. It won the Radio 1 Ryan Tubridy Listeners Choice Award at the Irish Book Awards.

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent: Echoes of Donoghue’s Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent: Echoes of Donoghue’s

Put me out with the bins,’ he said, regularly. ‘When I die, put me out with the bins. I’ll be dead, so I won’t know any different. You’ll be crying your eyes out,’ and he would laugh and I’d laugh too because we both knew that I wouldn’t be crying my eyes out. I never cry. Sally Diamond is seen as strange, in her forties, she's lived an isolated life in a remote rural house. She avoids social interaction. An event following the death of her father drags her name into the limelight, with unwanted media and police attention. This is the story of two people: Sally and Peter. We first come to know Sally in her 40s when her father dies. Sally is socially stunted to the point where she pretends to be deaf when in town so she doesn't have to interact with anyone. Sally's father had made an off the cuff remark to her that she should just "put him out with the trash" when he passes away, and she took him literally and burns his body with the rest of the trash. This sets forth a cascade of events where Sally learns the secrets of her past and has to learn to move forward with this news. Peter is a mysterious character that we meet in the early 1970s when he is a young boy. He too learns some secrets his father has been keeping from him. As usual when I try to review mystery thrillers, it's difficult to say anything about it, and best to approach it without any knowledge. Sally is one of two narrators, and she's a bit odd, mysterious even, but her story is compelling and she pulls you along. The other narrator I won't say too much about, except that they are a bit more self-serving, and on a different trajectory, giving us another viewpoint. So, so good. Sally Diamond gets under your skin and worms her way into your heart. I didn’t want it to end.”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. Strange Sally Diamond is one of my favourite books this year - disturbing, compelling, redemptive, sad, and ebullient all at once. The writing is skilful, with characters so realistically drawn that you feel like you know them, and a plot that is beautifully paced and manged. I loved the alternating narrators as the book progressed, and was fascinated by the gradual revelations.

Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent | Goodreads Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent | Goodreads

Sally's Dad told her to put him out with the trash when he dies. He said that he would be dead so he would not know any difference. So when he dies Sally follows his instructions. He was 80 years old and small. She put him in a large garden trash bag and put it in the barn and carefully put it in the incinerator barrel and put some Petro over the top and set it going. She is now the center of attention from the media.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. As far as I'm concerned this is the BEST Liz Nugent book I have read yet and I've enjoyed the previous two books I've read of hers immensely. She is definitely a bit of an Eleanor Oliphant kind of character. She finds social situations very difficult and doesn't always react emotionally like people think she should, but being inside her head is often entertaining. Neurotypical human socialization through her eyes seems absolutely ludicrous a lot of the time. You see, we’re first introduced to Sally Diamond, having thrown her recently deceased dad’s remains into an incinerator behind their house, because she has mistaken his instructions on how he would like to be buried: “When I die, just put me out with the trash.” So, so good! Sally gets under your skin and worms her way into your heart. I didn't want it to end Jane Fallon