Strange Sally Diamond

Starred review from May 15, 2023
Nugent (Lying in Wait) outdoes herself in this chilling exploration of her title character’s pitch-black past. Ruthlessly bullied as a child in Ireland, Sally has lived a quiet life with her parents, rarely venturing outside. When her widower father dies just before her 44th birthday, Sally incinerates his body with the garbage, thinking she’s honoring his wishes to “put him out with the trash.” Instead, the act draws outrage from neighbors, authorities, and the media, suddenly thrusting the reclusive Sally into an unwelcome spotlight. She’s always known that she was adopted, but slowly—with the aid of letters her “father” left behind, plus a series of messages from a mysterious stranger who may hail from Sally’s blurry past—she comes to know the precise horrors of her backstory. Can she overcome them and learn to navigate a world she barely understands? 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. Agent: Marianne Gunn O’Connor, Marianne Gunn O’Connor Literary.

June 10, 2024

Sally Diamond is a recluse and, well, strange. She makes national headlines when she incinerates her late father's body with the weekly trash. After all, he always said just to put him out with the bins when he dies. Her actions draw the attention of not only the police and the country but dangerous voices from a childhood she does not remember. She's getting phone calls from a man living across the world calling her Mary, a name she does not know, and a new neighbor is watching her every move. As she's learning to trust the world, Sally also learns that not everyone is who they seem. Nugent's (Little Cruelties) latest is a disturbing, bleak novel about how the actions of one man can ripple across generations. Jessica Regan, Stephen Hogan, and Sara Lynam provide a stunning narration of all the characters, simultaneously enhancing Sally's naivete and the other characters' sinister intentions. VERDICT Listeners may be horrified to hear how the actions of one person set Sally's story in motion, but they will likely enjoy seeing her grow to trust the world and, of course, herself. A captivating story of human resilience.--Elyssa Everling

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