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

Sally Diamond is the center of attention from the media and police detectives, but she also has a sinister voice from her past. She is about to discover the horrors of her childhood and learn that people don't always mean what they say.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 02 March 2023
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

The Book at the Top of Their Christmas List

Selected for BBC 2 Between the Covers 2023

Winner Crime Novel of the Year, Irish Book Awards 2023

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. Now Sally is the center of attention, not only from the hungry media and police detectives, but also a sinister voice from a past she cannot remember. As she begins to discover the horrors of her childhood, Sally steps into the world for the first time, making new friends and 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 her neighbor seem to be obsessed with her? Sally's trust issues are about to be severely challenged.

In Sally Diamond, Nugent has given us an astounding creation with a singular voice. An absorbing, twisting, compulsive psychological thriller with surprising humor and pathos, Sunday Independent. Strikingly well-observed and consistently surprising, The Times. Incredible, Sara Cox. Strange indeed. And smart, too! Shocking, disturbing, and utterly original, Strange Sally Diamond will grip you from first page to last, Paula Hawkins. Irresistibly compelling, this dark story is shocking yet endearing. A brilliant read that will suck you in, Crime Monthly. Liz Nugent has outdone herself. Twisted and twisty, dark and gripping, no one is going to forget Sally Diamond in a hurry!

Graham Norton. It creeped me out (in a good way). Terrific, Ian Rankin. Dark, compelling, and deeply moving, Ruth Ware. So, so good! Sally gets under your skin and worms her way into your heart. I didn't want it to end.

The Book at the Top of Their Christmas List is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep you hooked from the first page to the last. Sally Diamond, a young woman who has been living in isolation since her father's death, is suddenly thrust into the spotlight when she is accused of murdering her neighbor. As she begins to uncover the truth about her past, she realizes that people don't always tell the truth, and that her trust issues are about to be severely challenged.

The novel is written in a unique and compelling style, with a singular voice that will keep you engaged and intrigued. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and the plot is full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. The book has received critical acclaim, with many reviewers praising its shocking yet endearing story and its well-observed and consistently surprising characters.

One of the standout features of The Book at the Top of Their Christmas List is its exploration of trust issues. Sally has been living in isolation for years, and her trust in others has been severely damaged. As she begins to uncover the truth about her past, she realizes that she may have been wrong about those she trusted the most, and that her trust issues may have led her to make a mistake that could have cost her everything.

Another aspect of the novel that is particularly impressive is its surprising humor. Despite the dark and disturbing subject matter, the book is full of surprising moments of humor that will make you laugh out loud. This is a testament to the author's ability to balance dark and light themes, and to create a story that is both engaging and entertaining.

The Book at the Top of Their Christmas List is a must-read for anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers. It is a dark and gripping story that will keep you hooked from the first page to the last. With its unique voice, well-developed characters, and surprising humor, it is sure to be a hit with readers of all ages.

Weight: 606g
Dimension: 163 x 242 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781844885961