This is a rather unusual story, set in a rather unusual place. I think a lot of people have been fascinated about t the small Channel Island, where there are no cars and they have unusual rules.
The story is written in a rather complicated way, in that it goes backwards and forwards in time which I did find rather confusing, one minute someone is dead and then they are playing cards!
However, I did enjoy it and felt very sorry for some of the characters. The sort of book that makes you want to go and visit the places mentioned. It certainly opened my eyes to parts of the island that I had never heard of.
Nice book

Big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this in return for an honest review.

I did DNF this at 18% as it was not going to be my thing, so sorry to the author, but I know some people are going to absolutely love it!

Inspired by a real-life mystery when clothing of a man and a woman were found on a Sark beach in the 1930s, the novel is fluently written and, with its large cast of islanders, has a similar feel to Under Milk Wood.
With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an independent review.

The Stranger's Companion is a historical mystery and gothic thriller which is inspired by real events in Sark, a small island, part of the British Channel Islands, in 1933. The clothes of a man and a woman was found neatly folded on the edge of a cliff, but no one knew whom they belong to. And that's how this story also begins.

Throughout the story we are brought to two alternate timelines, the past is around the 1923, while the present is in the 1933. The main event, the mysterious two clothes without the owners, is happening in the present. They are first found by Everard Hyde. A girl called Phyllis Carrey is interested in the case, and writes reports for local newspaper.

Phyllis has just returned to the island after being out of it for some time. From the beginning, we get a feeling of mystery surrounding Phyllis and Everard - who has also just returned from a kind of exile. They seem to be anxious of meeting each other. Little by little the mystery unfolded along the story, as well as the mystery of the missing persons whose clothes were found by Everard.

The main attraction of this book is the writing style. I love how the writer put some "excerpts", either from tourist information guide, or from the news containing updates on the investigation, to open the chapters. They provide a refreshing touch to the otherwise rather gloomy story with superstitious, ghost hunting, seance, and of course, murder.

This book includes a story loosely based on real event which happened around 1933 when a pile of clothes was found on a beach in Sark. However, what is more significant about this writing, is the descriptions of the island and the real and imagined lives of the folk who live there, i have been to Sark, spending a week, not so much 'on holiday' but actually living as the residents do, using a bike to get around and taking a torch with me to watch a play in the Monseigneur's gardens. It was a magical time and this book brings back many memories. As for the story, well its there or there about but also something and nothing. Note there are very few actually beaches on Sark so it is not common place to have found clothes lying on the shore anyway!

I loved it!
Based on true events, The Stranger's Companion takes you back in the beginning of the 20th century to the island of Sark (I've been lucky enough to have visited the island and can highly recommend it). It all starts with a mystery of two missing people, but it turns out that there is a lot more going on the small island, that we get to witness. We follow two timelines that are 12 years apart and we get to know the characters quite well. I loved that the author really put her time into painting the picture of the island for us, so that we can truly feel like we are there.
The beginning was a bit slow for me, but after around the 30% mark things really picked up. I also didn't really care for some of the overly explained things, that had no connection with the story itself, but for me it is something that I can easily ignore (or just skim over).

The Stranger's Companion is a historical mystery set on the island of Sark, inspired by a real-life crime. The story starts in 1933 with the discovery of two piles of clothing found by the beach and the mystery surrounding them.

The contents of the book include “excerpts” from a tourist information guide to Sark and updates to the investigation all weaved in between stories of the islands residents and ghosts hauntings. Theres also time hops between the past and the present with regard to Phyll and Everard's relationship as children and the mischief they got up to!

A lovely easy and truly enjoyable read which made me delve more into Sark.