Reviews

I really enjoyed the slow suspense of The Second Stranger.

Remie York has one shift left at the Mackinnon Hotel, based in the remote Scottish highlands, and then she gets to hand in her badge, get to the airport and go on her adventures.

But then a storm closes in a different kind of adventure begins. Snow falls, temperatures drop, and an injured man knocks on the door. PC Don Gaines. He was transporting a prisoner when an accident happened and now he needs a safe space to stay while he looks for an escapee. That's all well and good but then another stranger knocks. Says he's PC Don Gaines and she needs to watch out for an escaped prisoner...

The hotel and Remie are very isolated, and you certainly feel it as you read through the pages. The author creates a nice sense of atmosphere. I say 'nice' - but it's chilly and eerie. The suspense builds slowly (maybe too slowly for some, but it worked for me) as Remie desperately tries to work out what's going on and who she can trust. Interspersed with her worries are flashbacks to times she tried to help her brother - a troubled soul who ended up involved in gangs, with an eventual death in prison. Could any of it be related, she wonders?

I never predicted what came next (and could not guess which Gaines was the real one) and found the ending satisfying. A good read.

cheyore's review against another edition

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5.0

A page turning thriller that continuously and subtly foregrounds the inherent logical fallacies in thinking critically about a dilemma.

kd8ngv's review against another edition

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

The Second Stranger by Martin Griffin was a random audiobook I chose when I was itching to listen to something. This story takes place across the pond in Great Britian during the winter. The main character is working her last night as a hotel clerk when a large storm hits. Two men enter the hotel both claiming to be a policeman and there was another man at large who was a murderer. She must decide which of the two men was the killer.

I enjoyed listening to this story told from the hotel clerk’s perspective. It kept me interested throughout the entire book. I may have listened to it later than I should on some nights. So far, all the random audiobooks I have chosen have been very good. This is one keeps that streak going. If you like a thriller or mystery, take a read or listen to this one.

steffiraquel's review against another edition

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3.25

I listened to this in two sittings and definitely couldn't put it down after we met the 'second stranger'!

Unfortunately, when the real identity was revealed, my interest did come down. I don't know whether I had lost my touch, but Troy's identity being revealed shocked me! Though with the stereotype of body types with prisoners working out in prison to kill time, I did have a strong suspicion that the ripped person was indeed NOT the police officer, but their behaviours did shake it up with who was who!

The ending was unrealistic and made no sense to me, but overall, it was enjoyable!

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