I really enjoyed this book. Set in a ballet company, it is the story of Ava Kirulova, the prima ballerina and daughter of Mr K, the tyrannical director. Ava is dancing the lead in the company's production of Swan Lake. However, the life of a ballerina is harsh and there is always someone waiting to see you fail. This is a story of revenge, identity and love which will keep you guessing to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
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Erin Kelly is another author whose work I wait impatiently for. Her style of writing always grips me, and I have to keep reading to know what happens next.
Watch Her Fall takes the reader deep into the world of classical ballet, a mostly alien territory, for me. I’ve always admired the strength and talent of ballet dancers, alas I was moved to the Morris Dancing class as considered to tall and clumsy for the finer discipline that is associated with this genre!
The story is told from several viewpoints and pulls no punches when describing the rigours and sacrifices needed to reach the required perfection of first ballerina. Ava’s character is easily sympathetic, she is trapped under the Svengali hold of her father. He calls all the shots including her access to money. Whilst Ava is sympathetic, she has no problem treating company dancers in a rather dismissive way and that behaviour is at odds with the readers’ instinct to care.
It’s Ava’s desire to be the best that sees company dancer, Juliet, take a career ending fall. Ava’s guilt, over the incident, is assuaged by allowing the youngster to recuperate in her minimalist yet palatial home as she embarks on the world tour of Swan Lake.
I found this book to be intriguing and that intrigue soon turned to gripping suspense. The careful introduction of the additional characters lends depth and texture to the story. There are the usual twists that are expected of a good thriller but as the truth of what’s happening dawns on the reader, all of the prior scenes flood back like watching a movie. Erin Kelly is a gifted storyteller and manipulates the reader perfectly.
I hope that you will enjoy this book as much as I did, you won’t be disappointed.

I loved dance books as a child so jumped at the chance for a grown up one! Erin has delivered another breath taking novel that keeps you guessing and a tightly woven plot that takes you right to the end.

I was very excited to that Erin Kelly has a new book out, and even more excited to be approved to review an ARC, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy in return for my honest review.
This a going to be a very difficult book to review without inadvertently giving away spoilers, but here goes-
Ava Kirilova is the principal ballerina in the London Russian Ballet, which is owned and run by her father, Nikolai Kirilov. The LRB is about to run with its production of Swan Lake, with Ana cast as Odette and Odile.
I was worried that Watch Her Fall would delve into too much detail about ballet and become a bit of a chore to read, but I should have known better. Ms Kelly knows exactly how much detail to provide so that the reader understands exactly as much as they need to know, without ever becoming bored and bogged down by unnecessary facts.
As I mentioned, it’s difficult to provide more detail without spoiling the book but trust me on this, it’s excellent.
It’s well plotted, with twists to make you stop in your tracks, and with such beautiful, descriptive language that it’s an absolute pleasure to read. It’s one of those books that you can’t wait to finish but don’t want to end.
Well worth 5stars.

This is a very exciting thriller with lots of twists and turns! It kept me up late turning the pages. I enjoyed reading about the intense and suffocating life that the ballet dancers of the London Russian Ballet company endured while preparing for a production of Swan Lake. Then the novel takes a dramatic turn and was completely gripping. I don’t want to give anything away but this is an excellent thriller with memorable characters and a chance to immerse yourself in the world of ballet with all its rivalries and unpredictability. Five stars!

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Watch Her Fall is one of those mystery-thrillers that are very difficult to write a review for, because the less you know about it, the better. The sort of book where you can tell the blurb has been meticulously crafted not to give away anything more that is necessary to lure the reader in.

But I can say this: it was an excellently crafted and written novel, with twists and turns like a road running over the Alps, and I didn't suspect any of them. Of course, these days when so many stories have already been written, you need to do something really unexpected to make a reader gasp and whisper "No," under their breath when they reach that denouement, and this can often veer into the ridiculous, overly complex, or the implausible. There were elements of the last two here, but not enough to overwhelm. It's implausible enough not to guess, but manages to fall just on the right side of realism.

This is one of my favourite authors and I’m never disappointed by her. Yet another really well written and totally consuming read. The only sad part? Finishing it! Give this book, author and all the other brilliant books she’s written a go. You will be very glad you did it.

Erin Kelly's new novel 'Watch Her Fall' is a dark and twisty thrill ride, characterised by secrets, lies and mistaken identities. Kelly has cleverly woven a plot which reflects the themes of the infamous ballet 'Swan Lake', set with the backdrop of a high-intensity professional ballet company.

We are first introduced to Ava Kirilova as she is about to take on the highly sought after dual role of Odette and Odile in the London Russian Ballet's production of 'Swan Lake'. She is clearly talented, but also a little paranoid about the up and coming dancers from the chorus, and under the thumb of the controlling owner of the ballet, Nikolai Kirilov, who also happens to be her father. The plot unfolds from there - I don't want to reveal any more of the twisty surprises in store for the reader.

The aspect of the book I was most looking forward to was the competitive ballerinas and the extremes they will go to to rise to the top. While this is certainly a feature of the book, it veers off at quite a tangent for the bulk of the novel. There are some interesting twists (and one big one I saw coming from a mile off) and the story wraps together really nicely. So overall, a good read but does not do exactly as it says on the tin. Maybe that's the unexpected draw of it. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have never read anything by Erin Kelly before, however, the synopsis of this book drew me in. This was a thrilling read from start to finish, and I am fully intending to go back and read Kelly's previous books based on how much I enjoyed this one.

A good gripping read, but not quite the level I expected from an author of this calibre. I also felt it was, in places, too simillar to Black Swan. It's clever and interesting but the twists were a bit too on the nose and so I wasn't as engaged as I wanted to be.

It won't disappoint if you're looking for a staycation read though.

Excellent book! So, so engrossing and with some twists or moves that really take you aback. Initially I was a bit "oh, another narcissistic man" but you fall into the world of the company and everything that follows quickly. I literally groaned out loud at some of the misfortunes experienced and the ending was great. No spoilers but just ... oooh. Erin Kelly is a fantastic author.

Wow a mighty four from me !
I rarely give out above three as to me they do tend to really have to pull me in and leave me thinking way after I have closed the book for the night .
Now I do love all things in novels about shifting dynamics ,competitive females and intrigue .
I also loved the movie black swan which this has elements of and also finger smith novel which again this has some feeling of ,with variety of plots ,people and deceptions .
So bearing that in mind it is my type of subject matter ,I do have to say this author never lets you down no matter what ones preferences are .
I always read their books and am always hooked .
This is great 👍.I had no idea where it was going ,and when I thought I did as love the concept of swan lake ,black and white swan fandango there was more .
I found myself pondering but how ,getting it wrong ,then working it out then unsure again where we were going .
It’s a story a real story of a handful of characters and their dreams to be big and successful and also of great loss and hard times .
It was very sad in a way ,the loss of childhood and one mans sole goal at the cost of others ,to be picked up and chucked out when their use was done .
This is everything u will expect of a novel about ballet 🩰,the rivalry’s ,the desperate need to be seen and validated the coercion and manipulation of others and a few very empathetic ,supportive male characters which was lovely to read .
I can’t wait for the next novel
Ty so much for this advanced copy to netgalley and publishers

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this AMAZING book. It was full of suspence, thrilling & so exciting It was a smalll bit slow to get going , but once it did it was fantastic.

Addictive, Claustrophobic Suspense....
Dark, intriguing suspense set in the world of dance where everything becomes murkier by the minute - a world which one imagines may be rather perfect, is anything but. Populated with a well drawn and credible cast of characters and a tautly woven and intricate plot this almost claustrophobic read is both addictive and satisfying.

I’m not sure how I would define the genre of this book. The first quarter is a fascinating look into the world of a ballet dominated by a cruel and dominating director. The author uses the story of the ballet Swan Lake to shed further light onto this dysfunctional world. Then tragedy follows and we have the story of two lonely, lost individuals in Max and Juliet. The final part of the book brings things back together. I’m not convinced by the end but the character of Ava is compelling throughout. 3.5 stars, rounded up. Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh this book is very clever. Twisted, intense, mesmerising, Erin Kelly pulls us right in the heart of a world class ballet company and takes a dark look at the extremes that dancers will go to in order to make it to the top. The role of the Swan, Odette, is the most sought after, the most coveted, but it comes at a price, especially for ballerina, Ava Kirilova. As readers we join her and the London Russian Ballet company during the final weeks of preparation for the grand opening of the most ambitious staging of the ballet ever seen. But it is a production beset with tragedy and disruption comes at every turn. Some might even say that the whole production is cursed ...

Erin Kelly does a stunning job of creating an underlying tension from the very start of the novel. Although I know little of the world of ballet, it being one of the few forms of theatre I haven't really engaged in, if felt like a truly authentic portrayal of the industry and of the obsessive nature of the training that ballet dancers undertake in order to make it to the top of their game. Of course, for the purpose of the story there are elements which are exaggerated, inflated, but that whole compulsion to dance, to push the body to extremes is what lies at the core of the story, and the sense of loss, almost bereavement when that which they covet most is lost, seeps from the page in a wave of emotion.

Although this is a tale set within the world of a ballet company, it is not simply a tale of ballet itself. There is a mystery that builds within the pages, a web of deceit so deftly spun that whilst you see it expand before your eyes, you are never quite prepared for what is finally revealed. Told from three points of view, Ava, Juliet and Roman, each new chapter adds to our understanding and transforms all that we thought we knew. Although everything seems obvious in the end, you should be prepared for more twists and turns than any dancer could achieve. The splendour of Ava's passion driven triple fouette pales in comparison.

The character development in this story is superb, the passion and the fear that each one exudes. The sense of loss is, at times, overwhelming, both of career and of love. Family is a key theme, both husband to wife, father to daughter and in the wider sense of the dance company. It is hard to watch the slow progress of Ava's paranoia, the sense that everyone is trying to usurp her success, even her own father, company owner and Patriarch Nikolai Kirilov. And then to witness Juliet and her struggles when the very thing that she wants and loves, the ability to dance, is ripped from her is emotional and yet adds to the intrigue that has been building from the start.

This is a clever and complex story that I really haven't done justice to in this review. I'm not even sure I know how to without giving far too much away. The writing in this book is pitched perfectly, the narrative beautifully absorbing that I was drawn so deep into a world that I don't know, but in a way which would not let me go. I read this book in just a few short hours, enthralled by the twisted lives and the many lies of the characters and desperate to know how it would draw to a conclusion. And conclude it did, in perfectly fitting and equally twisted style. Morality or ambition - which one will win out. You'll need to read to find out.

I was drawn to this book initially knowing the story was based around ballet, in particular one of the most famous ballet's of all, 'Swan Lake'. However, you do not need to know a great deal about the world of ballet in order to enjoy this book, which is full of many other tales entwined within the world of dance. We are initially introduced to our main character Ava Kirilova, daughter of Mr Kirilova, who is the owner of 'London Russian Ballet Company'. We learn early on that Mr K drives exceptionally high standards, and will not let anything come between his world of ballet and the outside world, including strict rules placed on every dancer being forbidden to have a mobile phone, or even getting pregnant; nothing will get in the way of high standards, commitment and performances he expects of his dancers. Ava, despite being his loved daughter, is not alone in the dance troupe, vying for his attention; to achieve even the most smallest of compliments from Mr K is a great commendation. However, disaster strikes and Juliet, the poor girl playing the second swan to Ava befalls a serious injury, ending her career as a professional ballerina, and so is moved to a house in a remote part of London to help with her rehabilitation. It is here the story begins to develop and move in a slightly different direction. Juliet by chance meets Max, a Ukranian who has escaped warfare in his home country. However, as the plot develops we realise not all characters are what they seem and who they even seem to be, as the story begins to unfold through the various eyes of the different characters. The plot contains a few unexpected twists, which kept me hooked as reader, wanting to know more and how this story would unfold in the end. The novel is well written, with some great descriptions of London during the one of the hottest heatwaves Britain has ever experienced in 2018 - I could feel the heat from the pages at times! Dialogue between characters is very believable and really helps you to get to know the characters and development of the plot. Whilst on the whole I fully enjoyed this book, two things that slightly let it down for me was the beginning and the end of the book. Whilst the first few chapters establish main characters and sets the scene of LRB, I felt this part of the book could have been a little more pacey, finding it a little drawn out before we got to some of the main events. I was also disappointed with the end. Whilst the plot contained some twists that I did not see coming, this kept me eager to find out how this story was going to end for our characters. However, the end did not provide a shocking twist and felt a slightly unrealistic way to end such a book, and after knowing all the back stories to characters, it seemed to lack a final creativity to the whole story. For me, this made the book only 4 stars. However, on the whole this was a great book with an interesting plot, so I would recommend this book for others to read and make their own opinion on the end. My thanks go out to netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this.

Unlike the majority of other reviewers, I couldn't finish Watch Her Fall. It began too slowly for my taste with too much detail about ballet for
a thriller and not enough tension from the off. Nothing to fault with the writing itself just the pace and it was no page-turner for me. He Said/She Said remains a favourite of mine but not this one, sorry.

Watch Her Fall - Erin Kelly

I was very eager to read this having recently read We Know You Know, her most recent novel, dark, intelligent and unconventional.

A thriller based around Ballet and Swan Lake? Trust Erin Kelly to deliver an extraordinary novel.

Nikolai Kirilov is the Director of The London Russian Ballet, his life has been obsessively devoted to the art and his company. Ava Kirilova is his daughter and the prima ballerina, about to take the lead in a new, huge production of Swan Lake. The pressure is intense.

I found this a book of two halves, the first half rather slow as I was wondering which direction the plot, tension and thriller elements where going to come from.

The second half consistently builds in twisting intensity, and is exciting and exhilarating. The reader's expectations from the first half are very cleverly played with.

Overall I found it a brilliant, challenging and intelligent novel (if a little disjointed).

Definitely recommended if you like unpredictable psychological thrills, although I fear some readers will struggle through the first half.

Very difficult to give a star rating, 5* if based on the thrills and invention but I'm rating it 4* overall as it took till halfway to really get into it.

Thanks to Netgalley.

I think Erin Kelly is one of the best writers of thrillers and mysteries currently, and Watch Her Fall is another excellent book! I was hooked by the first part of the book which takes place in a prestigious London ballet school. While I was slightly disappointed that the rest of the book didn't take place in the ballet world, I was totally intrigued by the plot and had no idea what was going to happen. I was amazed by how it all came together in the end! Top notch and sure to be a bestseller.