Table of Contents
- Date Published:
2023 - Length:
320 pages—Listening Time: 10 hours 4 minutes - Genre:
Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Thriller - Setting:
Present day, rural Ireland - Awards
Irish Book Award Winner Crime Fiction 2023; Irish Book Award Shortlist Listener's Choice 2023; Fingerprint Award Shortlist Overall Crime 2024; Crime Fiction Lovers Award Editor's Choice Book of the Year 2023; Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Shortlist 2024; Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award Shortlist 2024; Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year Mystery/Thriller 2023; Amazon's Best Books of the Year Mystery, Thriller & Suspense 2023; Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults Mystery & Thriller 2023 - Languages:
Dutch, English, German, Portuguese - Sensitive Aspects:
Child abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, child assault, pedophilia, child grooming, kidnapping, child abduction, captivity/imprisonment, institutional abuse, misogyny, on-page violence, murder, drowning of a child, corpse incineration, rape of adults, rape of children, pregnancy under abuse, birth in captivity, suicide, suicidal ideation, grief and loss, medical trauma and illness, bullying and social isolation, bigotry and racism, ableist attitudes toward Sally, anti-gay bias, gaslighting and gross emotional manipulation, heavy medication used to suppress memories, trauma-related mental illness - Movie:
As of April 2026, there are no released film or television adaptations of Strange Sally Diamond. - Recommended for Book Club:
Yes
Let’s just say this: I picked up Strange Sally Diamond thinking I’d listen to a chapter before bed… and found myself still wide-eyed at 2 a.m., whispering, “Just one more.” You know that feeling when a book practically grabs you by the wrist and refuses to let go? That’s Liz Nugent at her best—and Sally Diamond is one of the most unforgettable characters I’ve met in ages.
Initially, you might perceive it as a darkly humorous tale about an eccentric woman who interprets things literally—painfully so. But page by page, Nugent turns the lights down and reveals shadows you didn’t know were there. What begins with an infamous act (I won’t spoil it yet, but oh boy…) spirals into something far deeper: a twisted, compassionate, surprisingly tender look at trauma, isolation, and what it really means to survive when the world can’t make sense of you.
This book isn’t just fast-paced—it’s unrelenting. The kind of story that makes you want to text someone at midnight just to say, “Wait, are you reading this too?” And underneath all the suspense and shock, there’s a quieter, powerful current: a celebration of neurodiversity, resilience, and the fragile beauty of seeing the world differently.
So buckle up. Strange Sally Diamond isn’t a comfortable read, but it’s a necessary one—and by the end, you’ll be asking yourself who’s really “odd,” and who’s just doing their best in a world built for someone else.
Sally Diamond has always been different. She lives a quiet, routine-driven life in a small Irish village, spending her days at home with her father, avoiding small talk, and keeping the world at a careful distance. When her father dies unexpectedly, Sally reacts in a way that shocks her entire community and draws sudden, unwanted attention to her doorstep. What was meant as a matter-of-fact act of practicality becomes a national headline—and the spark that unearths long-buried secrets about Sally’s past.
As officials, neighbors, and strangers begin to circle, Sally’s sheltered world starts to crack open. She’s forced to navigate new relationships, a new sense of independence, and the echo of a history she doesn’t fully understand. Letters arrive from someone who claims to know her, and soon, Sally’s quiet routines give way to unsettling discoveries about where she came from and what she’s survived.
Through shifting timelines and perspectives, Liz Nugent traces the delicate unspooling of Sally’s life—from isolation to connection, from confusion to clarity—without ever losing the pulse of suspense that keeps readers turning pages late into the night. It’s not just a story about what happened to Sally, but how she begins to make sense of a world that rarely knows how to make sense of her.
Why Readers With Wrinkles fans will love Strange Sally Diamond:
A fully original protagonist
Sally isn’t your typical thriller heroine. Her literal, unfiltered way of seeing the world offers a rare, fascinating glimpse into neurodiversity portrayed with honesty and respect.
High-stakes suspense with emotional depth
The pace is fast—almost breathless at times—but it’s grounded by real emotional gravity. Readers who love peeling back the layers of a character as much as unraveling a mystery will be hooked.
Liz Nugent’s storytelling precision
Nugent writes with sharp, cinematic clarity. Every chapter ends just ambiguous enough to make you flip the page immediately—no filler, no fluff, just pure storytelling momentum.
Themes that invite discussion
Perfect for book clubs, Strange Sally Diamond sparks rich conversation about trauma, social judgment, empathy, and the delicate boundaries between privacy and curiosity.
Dark humor that cuts through tension
The humor is so unexpected—it catches you off guard, reminding you that even in heavy stories, wit and awkward laughter are part of survival.
A celebration of difference
As part of the Celebrating Neurodiversity series, this novel adds meaningful texture to the conversation. It highlights how the labels we give people rarely capture their full humanity.
That “can’t-stop-reading” factor
This one’s built for your nightstand, your tote bag, and your next plane trip. Once you start, you’ll be carried off by the steady rhythm of curiosity Liz Nugent creates.
Get Liz Nugent Books
Liz Nugent’s novels deliver masterfully tangled psychological dramas where morally complex characters and shocking twists expose the darkest corners of human nature with irresistible, page-turning precision.
Bookshop.org was created as a socially conscious alternative to Amazon, with the goal of helping local, independent bookstores thrive. This is why Readers With Wrinkles supports their efforts. Please join us in this effort by purchasing your next read here.
Here are books Readers With Wrinkles fans might reach for after Strange Sally Diamond—each with that blend of psychological depth, tension, and complicated characters.
When a podcaster befriends a woman who shares her birthday, their “accidental” meeting spirals into an unsettling entanglement as the woman’s past and true motives slowly, creepily come into focus.
A “perfect” Dublin family’s carefully curated life begins to rot from the inside after a murder, with the story peeling back obsession, control, and class in Nugent’s signature slow-burn, multi-POV style.
Molly, a hotel maid who takes rules and routines very literally, discovers a guest dead in his bed and finds herself at the center of a murder investigation she’s uniquely ill-equipped—but oddly suited—to navigate.
Twin sisters Fern and Rose share a tightly wound bond built on secrets; when Fern decides to “repay” Rose for her sacrifices, long-buried truths about their childhood and family loyalties begin to unravel.
A neurodivergent woman suddenly gains the ability to time travel through her own life, giving her multiple chances to redo awkward or painful moments and forcing her to question what she’d actually change.
A home health aide takes a job in a crumbling cliffside mansion caring for an elderly woman long suspected of murdering her family, only to uncover disturbing secrets hidden in the decaying house and its legacy.
A woman held captive on a remote English farm plans an excruciatingly careful escape, but the arrival of another victim and a pregnancy raise the stakes in this intense, claustrophobic tale of survival.
In Paris, an apparently ideal nanny slowly becomes indispensable—and then unnervingly unstable—as simmering resentment, loneliness, and obsession build toward a devastating breaking point.
New Paid Subscriber Perk!
Love the book we just reviewed? Paid subscribers can now download an exclusive printable list of books with a similar vibe—perfect for planning your next read or curating your book club’s picks. It’s a handpicked, beautifully designed list guide you won’t find anywhere else.
Unlock your next favorite reads—become a paid subscriber today to get instant access to these printable book lists!
Comments