I'm a massive fan of Erin Kelly and think this is one of her best books yet. Intricately and cleverly plotted and beautifully written - also fascinating to be immersed in the ballet world. It would make an amazing film. Highly recommended.

I am relatively new to Erin Kelly's books but adored "Stone Mothers" when I read it last year. I was therefore very excited when i heard that she was about to release a new novel and this did not disappoint.
It is set in the insular and rather claustrophobic world of a ballet company which already had me hooked (I may just about manage a plie but that is all I remember, nevertheless I spent my childhood loving ballet books).
We are introduced to Ava Kirilova, the latest ballerina to play Odette/Odile, who lives a lonely and increasingly paranoid life as the daughter of the head of the company, Nicky Kirilov, the king who controls all he sees. Tension builds as a new young dancer is offered the chance to take the role of Odette at the window. In fact that's all I can say about the plot, I would hate to spoil anything for readers but it keeps you on the edge of your seat with all the twists and turns.
Suffice it to say this is a brilliant book and prepare yourself to get lost in its intoxicating world. Thanks so much to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

I was really excited that I was approved for an ARC of this because Kelly writes the most masterful thrillers. Watch Her Fall doesn’t disappoint in any way. Set in the insular world of a London-based ballet school, the novel starts slowly and builds a sense of dread that something terrible will happen, which of course it does. Everything hinges on a series of twists, so I don’t want to say too much, but I found the biggest twist to be completely unexpected. Despite the shocking events, everything ties together well and believably enough, leaving a really satisfying ending with just enough doubt to keep you thinking about it.

Whilst ‘Watch Her Fall’ should be of particular interest to those who enjoy ballet, Erin Kelly’s latest novel is a gripping read even if you’ve never set foot inside Sadler’s Wells or the like. We are quickly immersed in the life of principal ballerina Ava Kirilova and her father Nicky, the domineering Russian director and ruthless perfectionist who has run his ballet company single-mindedly throughout his career. After her mesmerising performance as Odette and Odile in the opening night of ‘Swan Lake’, Ava provokes a terrible event and life after this moment can never be the same again.
Erin Kelly not only draws the reader in through a very vivid, authentic portrayal of a vocation where everyone is dedicated to reaching perfection. She also shows us little by little just how isolating and damaging such a goal can be. This novel is about the lonely and the dispossessed as much as it is about the drive to succeed.
Whilst there are one or two developments that are a little implausible, most plot twists are convincingly executed and Kelly structures her narrative cleverly so that we are led up blind alleys and down dead-end paths. The culmination of the tale is neatly pulled together and yet, tantalisingly, we are left with the idea that further trouble is just as likely as a happy ever after ending. This exploration of exploitation, ambition and obsession is sure to fascinate many readers.
My thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

Erin Kelly's eighth thriller, Watch Her Fall, is just as gripping, twisty and clever as you might expect. The novel opens with Ava Kirilova, prima ballerina of the London Russian Ballet Company and repository for all the dreams of the company's director, who also happens to be her father. Ava is preparing to dance the role of her life - Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, incarnating both the virginal, innocent Odette in the ballet's 'white acts', and the scheming Odile in the ballet's 'black acts'. At thirty, Ava is aware that her time at the top may be running out, and that there are countless talented girls in the company snapping at her heels, not least the member of the corps who is cast as the 'second swan', briefly playing Odette when Odile is also on stage. However, although the novel starts with Ava, it darts off in some unexpected directions thereafter, telling a story that is both genuinely surprising and totally compelling.

I devoured ballet books as a child, despite being totally uncoordinated myself, and so I loved everything in this novel that deals with the ballet world. Readers might like to be aware beforehand, however, that there are large sections of this novel that have nothing to do with ballet; for me, this enriched the story Kelly was telling, but it may not be what you're expecting at the start. Having said that, this is a difficult book to review because I don't want to give away what happens; suffice it to say that there's a midway twist that I at first found pretty unbelievable, but the more I read on, the more it made sense. Kelly plays very cleverly with themes of doubling and of adopted and mistaken identities, not just as this concerns Ava, but in relation to the secondary cast as well. Watch Her Fall returns more to the high tension of He Said/She Said than the quieter drama of We Know You Know (Stone Mothers in hardback), but although I slightly preferred the latter, this is still another excellent thriller from Kelly.

I will post this full review on Goodreads and my blog nearer the publication date.

I’m relatively new to Erin Kelly, but have always heard good things about her novels. This is the third book of hers I have read and they do not disappoint.

I highly recommend this book. Set in the world of ballet, the plot is utterly intricate and compelling.

A must-read.

A dark and twisted tale of rivalry in the gorgeous setting of the ballet world. The story was as fierce as the heroine!

‘Watch her Fall’, is a dark, deeply twisted thriller from the superb Erin Kelly. Be warned: clear your schedule, as you will want to read this book in one sitting!
‘Watch her Fall’ tells the story of prima ballerina, Ava Kirilova who is about to embark on her dream performance, the dual roles of Odette and Odile in Swan Lake. Trained since the age of 12 by her father, beoming a ballerina is all that Ava can dream of – it is her ambition and for reason for being. However, waiting in the wings in someone ready to see Ava fall. Ava’s story becomes intertwined with the evergreen tale of Swan Lake’s dark and white swan, as jealously and envy, deception and discipline, love and power are all woven together into an unique story that begs to be read.
I have never watched a ballet but after reading ‘Watch her Fall’, I have a deep respect for the ballet dancers and their art form, as ballet is indeed an art and one that requires an incredible depth of training and dedication.
Erin Kelly is a master of the thriller genre and this is at Kelly at her sinister and intense best.

I have read and loved several of Erin Kelly’s previous books, but Watch Her Fall is now my absolute favourite by far!

It is set within the world of the prestigious London Russian Ballet Company in the lead up to its upcoming production of Swan Lake which Ava Kirilova has finally secured the lead role in, after years of hard work, pain and sacrifice. This dual lead role for the character of Odette and Odile is one of the most challenging and coveted in the ballet world, due to the technique and emotional range required to perform both characters. They say dancers would kill for the part...

However, Ava is going to let nothing distract her now she is finally the poster girl for Swan Lake. Even her father Mr K, the intense and at times terrifying director of the company can find no fault. But with Ava having pushed herself ahead of the many other talented and hardworking dancers within the company they are all watching her now. And there is someone who really wants to see Ava fall...

I absolutely loved being immersed in the world of ballet and learning about this demanding, punishing, all encompassing lifestyle. The detailed descriptions and intricately woven plot made this a book I just didn’t want to put down! I also thought it was clever how the structure of the book (Prelude, Acts 1-4 and an Encore) mirrored that of Swan Lake, the show at the heart of the story. I really liked how each ‘Act’ was in sections told from the perspectives of different characters as it really added to the intrigue and suspense as the story progressed.

The twists along the way, including the ending left me absolutely speechless! I had to put the book down when one huge twist happened because it was just so incredibly clever and I never saw it coming. I needed to take a moment to pause and reflect on how phenomenal it was! I love how Erin Kelly’s writing had the power to leave me in total awe at what I had just read. It’s the best feeling as a reader to be surprised like this!

I will be recommending this incredible thriller to everyone and am so grateful to have been able to be immersed in the prestigious world of the London Russian Ballet Company!

Erin Kelly is a master of the psychological thriller genre and I couldn’t wait to read her new novel. Watch Her Fall is set in the claustrophobic, sinister world of the London Russian Ballet Company. Nikolai Kirilov, the formidable owner, rules his dancers with an iron fist. They’re expected to dedicate their whole lives to dance, banned from owning smartphones or using social media. Everything is controlled, from what they eat to major life decisions, such as when they have children.

The novel begins with Ava Kirilova gazing up at a poster of herself on the wall of the theatre. She’s reached the peak of her career and is about to star in a touring production of Swan Lake. As Nikolai’s only daughter, it’s a role she’s prepared for since childhood and she’s desperate to live up to her father’s vision. Now entering her thirties, Ava lives in fear of her imminent retirement from the stage and her ageing father’s death. The company is full of talented, ambitious girls who would do anything to have the career she’s built. With so many dancers eager to take her crown, paranoia is at the forefront of Ava’s mind.

The next part is told from the perspective of Juliet, a Kirilov dancer who is recovering from a career-ending injury. Isolated and naïve, she has been under the control of the ballet company for most of her life and now she feels as if she’s lost everything. How will she survive in the real world? The pace of the story never lags, with each event steering the plot in a different direction and introducing us to new characters who build the tension.

The use of multiple narrators throughout the novel is both clever and effective. Each character is complex, with their own motivations and fears. The separate threads of the story are skilfully joined together, with some explosive twists and reveals. I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next and all I can say is that nothing is as it seems.

Kelly paints the setting of this novel in intricate detail. I could feel the ebb of paranoia within the constraints of the theatre and imagine the stifling discomfort of London in a heatwave. As a ballet fan, it was great to read a book set in this world, with realistic characters and details. I also enjoyed the fact that this thriller has well-developed characters. However, that doesn’t mean that it lacks suspense. At one point in the story, I was almost holding my breath.

This is a story of ambition, deception, obsession, control and survival. It’s a standout novel that is sure to be a success when released. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.

I will always drop anything to read a new Erin Kelly book, and I have never been disappointed to have done so. She's a master of clever, intricate storylines, a spectacular world-builder, and is able to perfectly balance beautiful prose with compelling plot. This is another glowing triumph of a book and a dark delight to read.

It's a testament to Erin Kelly's excellent backlist that the minute I saw she'd submitted the final manuscript for "Watch Her Fall", I was checking NetGalley twice day to see if the ARC was available - as soon as it was, and my request was approved, I cleared everything off my to-do list and DID NOT MOVE from the sofa till I was done.

There are certain authors who you can guarantee will outdo themselves with every book they write. And also manage to make every book completely different to the last. Erin Kelly is one of those authors, and I was delighted to find myself once again sucked in completely by the world she had created. "Watch Her Fall" is narrated by multiple characters, each of whom brings their own new slant and singular twist to the story. As in Swan Lake itself, we have the two "leads": beautiful prima ballerina Ava, about to dance the lead in Swan Lake, and second swan Juliet, badly injured and unable to perform the role she had coveted. Then we have the lesser but still crucial corps of narrators: Maxim, Lizanne, and others, who help to tell the story.

This is one of those books that you have to read for yourself, as it's hard to review without spoilers. But it's a deftly woven, intricate story of ambition, desire, love, deception, obsession, discipline and power, with the central story mimicking that of Swan Lake itself, so that it becomes a hall-of-mirrors of sorts, a story within a story within a story - a conceit that could be easily mismanaged, but it is done so capably here that as a reader, you almost don't realise it's happening.

An easy five stars from me, and a must-read. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for granting me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#WatchHerFall #NetGalley
Kelly is a superstar of this genre. A masterpiece.
Swan Lake is divided into the black acts and the white acts. The Prince is on stage for most of the ballet, but it's the swans audiences flock to see. In early productions, Odette and Odile were performed by two different dancers. These days, it is usual for the same dancer to play both roles. Because of the faultless ballet technique required to master the steps, and the emotional range needed to perform both the virginal Odette and the dark, seductive Odile, this challenging dual role is one of the most coveted in all ballet. Dancers would kill for the part.
I loved the ending most because it was extremely satisfying.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder Straughten for giving me an advance copy.