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There's some clunkiness which seems to go with the melodrama of the genre Ukrainian criminals (groan), way too many switched identities, murders, not one but two ballerinas with almost the same injury facing off on crutches, changing narrators and repeating the same events from an alternative PoV. There's also some grating writing: bleeding scratches are described as 'my thighs shooting out red liquid threads... red snakes [that] swim through the water then die' - yeurgh! To say more about the plot might risk spoilers. Like some of Kelly’s previous books ( The Burning Air, Stone Mothers), Watch Her Fall is split into chunks told from the perspectives of different characters, some of whom initially seem obscurely connected to the others (or not connected at all). By Act II, it appears we are very far from the story’s glamorous beginnings. Yet I continued to be just as gripped as I had been at the start. And eventually, the narratives slot together beautifully and ingeniously. Watch Her Fall is Erin Kelly's most ambitious and captivating book to date, an absolutely enthralling look at the dark underbelly of the ballet world, built into a shifting narrative of time and place that was so thrilling and unexpected that it made my head spin - Lisa Jewell
Psychological crime is the speciality of Erin Kelly, and Watch Her Fall is a prime example of her work … bravura fare’ Barry Forshaw, Financial Times For fear of spoilers, I will not give any more away. Let’s just say that the story took a turn I had not expected, and it was around the 80% mark that I knew I had been totally blindsided. And if that wasn’t enough, the surprises just kept coming until the very end, and I still had no idea where Kelly was leading me. It’s been a while since a thriller managed to totally wow and surprise me, and I loved it! There was absolutely nothing predictable in this novel, nor did it follow any of the popular (and often overused) thriller tropes that mark a lot of contemporary novels out there today. I applaud the author for giving us one of a kind, a book that will take you out of your own world into the unknown. It was all so brilliantly carried out!
Erin Kelly plunges readers into the highly competitive world of ballet in Watch Her Fall - Sunday Express S Magazine
To say much more would be straying in the field of spoilers, and I can't do that. I can say, however, that this is an outstandingly acute look at human nature, with propulsive writing that is moody, and chilling, and at times terrifying.
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Just when I thought that thriller couldn’t surprise me any more – along comes Erin Kelly’s latest book WATCH HER FALL. Set in the world of professional ballet (who knew that behind the beauty of dance hides such brutality?) it seemed very different from any of Kelly’s previous books and I remember thinking: “Is this really a mystery?” Well, eat humble pie you distrusting reader, because once the stage was set, the first unexpected plot development sent me tumbling head over heels over the edge of the stage like a drunken ballerina in a death twirl. Wow, I did not see that coming! Welcome to London Russian Ballet Theater with its perfectionist, strict director, founder of Nikolai Kirilov, such an ambitious, dedicated soul who performed nearly 60 years and he’s still directing the phenomenal Swan Lake, even though he’s dealing with his health issues, walking with a cane. Character development was good and some twists and turns toward the end managed to hold my attention, but I missed some last conversation before the last act. Watch Her Fall is a psychological thriller that takes readers into the passionate, prestigious and hyper competitive world of ballet, where betrayal materialises in many forms: from fellow dancers and oppressive parents, to broken bodies and fragile minds. It is without doubt Erin Kelly’s best novel yet.
This is a tense, twisty, and just plain crazy read! If you are not a fan of ballet and/or don’t enjoy slow-paced character studies, this book is not for you. For those who make it through to the end, the payoff is grand! Overall, this is certainly not your run of the mill psychological thriller. Kelly certainly knows how to weave a dark, mesmerizing, edge of your seat tale of suspense! Ava’s relationship with her rival dancer, Juliet, was interesting to learn about. How they both react to the upcoming tour of Swan Lake and the pressures and disappointments it will create. This story and the wonderful twirls and intricate steps form the pace and the structure of the plot. It makes for a great reading experience being literally lead a dance…….towards an unexpected yet rewarding ending. Most ambitious and captivating book to date . . . so thrilling and unexpected that it made my head spin’ LISA JEWELLThis story is not just set on stage. The author intricately weaves another thread into this tale. That of the dangers faced by those people who are forced to live undercover. Those who have left everything that they love to find a new life, but have only discovered more pain and heartache.