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The Night Stairs
Not yet published
Expected 9 Jul 26When schoolgirls start fainting one after the other at an elite convent boarding school, old legends twist into new scandals. From irresistible bestselling storyteller Erin Kelly comes the new compulsive thriller that will leave you craving to read more.
Centuries of tradition are coming to an end at St Cordula's school. Deputy Head, Fiona Fox, is about to preside over a controversial move to save it from ruin. But it’s not easy to change things at a school this old.
Legend has it that the ghost of fifteenth-century nun, Sister Matilda, will keep St Cordula’s safe. But only as long as the words ‘GOD FORGIVE ME’, scrawled by Matilda on a chapel staircase wall before she fell to her death, are repainted every year. The words have only been allowed to fade once, in 2002. Then, fits of vertigo – ‘the spins’ – spread through the pupils, and a second girl fell to her death on the night stairs. But only three people know the truth of what happened the night of the tragedy.
Now the spins are back, and Fiona must stem the outbreak before it threatens St Cordula’s future, or worse, another girl loses her life. But when one of her pupils begins a dangerous investigation into the past, old secrets start to twist into new scandals…
Centuries of tradition are coming to an end at St Cordula's school. Deputy Head, Fiona Fox, is about to preside over a controversial move to save it from ruin. But it’s not easy to change things at a school this old.
Legend has it that the ghost of fifteenth-century nun, Sister Matilda, will keep St Cordula’s safe. But only as long as the words ‘GOD FORGIVE ME’, scrawled by Matilda on a chapel staircase wall before she fell to her death, are repainted every year. The words have only been allowed to fade once, in 2002. Then, fits of vertigo – ‘the spins’ – spread through the pupils, and a second girl fell to her death on the night stairs. But only three people know the truth of what happened the night of the tragedy.
Now the spins are back, and Fiona must stem the outbreak before it threatens St Cordula’s future, or worse, another girl loses her life. But when one of her pupils begins a dangerous investigation into the past, old secrets start to twist into new scandals…
- GenresFiction
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 9, 2026
575 people want to read
About the author
Erin Kelly
58 books1,618 followersErin Kelly was born in London in 1976 and grew up in Essex. She read English at Warwick University and has been working as a journalist since 1998.
She has written for newspapers including the The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, the Daily Mail and the Express and magazines including Red, Psychologies, Marie Claire, Elle and Cosmopolitan.
She has written for newspapers including the The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, the Daily Mail and the Express and magazines including Red, Psychologies, Marie Claire, Elle and Cosmopolitan.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This review could either comprise just three words, or a whole three pages. The three words for ‘The Night Stairs’ by Erin Kelly are DEAD LESBIAN SYNDROME and I’m so incensed that I’m going to go ahead and write the three pages, should you wish to read on.
I’m often made to feel ‘different’, being a lesbian. I’m familiar with prejudice, so my radar for ‘difference’ being treated badly in literature is sensitive. And in her latest novel, Erin Kelly draws her main lesbian character as ‘different’, as divergent; ultimately as deviant.
I’ve had to write the following so many times in reviews, and it’s tiresome, to put it mildly. I also want to point out that it shouldn’t be the place of queer or queer-allied readers to have to educate authors and publishers on the most basic, LGBT-101 of how-not-to-endorse-homophobia-in-your-writing, if we take homophobia in the sense of treating what’s queer badly. Just like it shouldn’t be the place of Black readers to persuade authors not to propagate the Magical Negro Trope, I – as a lesbian – should not have to point out to authors how not to encourage the proliferation of Dead Lesbian Syndrome. (DLS is used widely as shorthand for all villainising of queer female characters.)
I don’t think Erin Kelly has discussed her sexuality anywhere, and perhaps nor should she, but ‘The Night Stairs’ makes me want to scream (as I have screamed before many times): STRAIGHT AUTHORS! Stop writing lesbian characters with a problematic relationship with their father! Stop writing just two lesbian characters only to prevent them from being together! Stop writing lesbian characters who are denied the right to be mothers! Stop writing lesbian characters who are the villain or murderer! And pleeease, pleeease, stop killing your lesbian characters! The dreadful thing is that Kelly has written all these things into ‘The Night Stairs’ (what I have to say in response to ‘The Night Stairs’ relates to events towards the close of the novel, and so contains spoilers). Has the industry really no idea of how damaging the perpetuation of these motifs is? I’d rather read no queer female characters at all in a novel than read queer women who all succumb to Dead Lesbian Syndrome. I can’t believe, in 2026, that I have to write that. It’s shameful!
Because, let’s be clear: every thing the author writes is a choice that they’ve made. As readers, it’s worth considering whether we bear an obligation to interrogate the making of these choices, and to consider the consequences of them. In my view, it feels imperative that publishers, librarians, reviewers, and readers should question the virtue of representing female homosexuality when ultimately, literary representations of queer women end up written as miserable, imprisoned, and most often dead. What might be an arbitrary choice on the part of an author, results in treatment that in this day and age is, frankly, disgraceful. I’ll not mince my words because the ending of ‘The Night Stairs’ upset me very much.
Perhaps Kelly is giving herself a pat on the back for broaching discussion of same-sex attraction between female characters at all. However, by the very fact that this is a thriller novel, we know that some character or other is going to be doomed. By dooming the lesbian character, the author eliminates the possibility for fruitful commentary upon the visibility of queer females and erases/overwrites our experience in favour of heteronormativity. Because the barriers erected in the way of queer attraction are reduced to a plot device simply to enable the central crime to take place, Kelly shuns the opportunity to make any statement about how marginalised and silenced lesbians are. The author has not mistreated her lesbian character; she has made the character whom she mistreats a lesbian. Kelly here, uses queer female diversity in a reductive and tokenistic way to inspire pity for the homophobic victim, and that disgusts me.
I, personally, feel I have to angle the spotlight at the author for the textual decisions she has made. Erin Kelly should shoulder responsibility for the way that she has presented lesbian characters, because the sad truth is that there do exist predictable interpretations amongst a lazy heteronormative readership, and Kelly has created a piece of work that opens up a space for homophobia if readers wish to partake of it, by inciting in her narrative hate for a lesbian character. How short a leap for those readers, totally vindicated by what they read, to apply this stereotype in real life.
I’m enraged by the author’s conflation of the lesbian character with the archetype of the villain. There is a unique and vital opportunity here to investigate girls’ experiences of same-sex attraction in a gender-exclusive, oppressively religious school environment. In fact, in the absence of this investigation, I find it illogical that Kelly chose to assign this sexuality to a character in her plot without any discussion of the psychological impact of Jessica’s prolonged and repeated homophobic treatment upon Becks’s actions, instinctive as they are in that single urge at the moment of crisis in the novel – the crux of the plot.
Kelly opens up a charged space to discuss the acute motivations of a young lesbian girl faced with rejection. Yet instead of participating in this discourse, Kelly has homophobic Jessica elevated by the plot, and lesbian Becks demonised. Becks’s sexuality functions to throw into relief Jessica’s sacrosanct heteronormativity. Because the author never reveals Becks’s motivation for the part she plays in the accidental death of Jessica to the other characters, Jessica’s homophobia is never called into account, and Erin Kelly is absolved of having to explore the consequences of it.
Furthermore, I’m sorry to say that this novel appears to bolster the opinion that women in same-sex relationships are somehow the antipathy of femininity, a corruption of what it is to be female, and are therefore unmotherly, since Becks is ultimately forbidden to fulfil her role as mother. Becks is demonised in no place more shamefully on the part of the author than when her pleas of motherhood are deemed insufficient cause to grant her mercy. In the climactic moment, Fiona, holding Becks’s life in her hands, outright dismisses any sympathetic feeling towards a fate where Becks is separated from her son.
Is one of my takeaway messages from this novel: STRAIGHT = GOOD; LESBIAN = BAD then? Yes! It takes very little effort to read it as such. If an author has even remotely left that open as a possible interpretation, then their work is problematic. For this reason, I have to round down to one star as the minimum rating, and I hope I’ve done a reasonable job of explaining why.
I’m aware that a precious few ‘mainstream’ books will genuinely reflect me and my life experiences, so I like to stack the books I consume heavy on the LGBT-friendly, Sapphic-centred and queer-authored/female-authored side. And my justification? here you go! ‘The Night Stairs’ serves to attest that even these days, authors and publishers remain ignorant that, or dismissive that, they are compounding the worn-out ‘Dead Lesbian Syndrome’ narrative. The plot resolution of ‘The Night Stairs’ certainly suggests that Sapphics don’t deserve happy endings (I include Becks’s wife in all of this). Go ahead: name three successful and well-publicised novels published in the last year (outside of YA books and the Sapphic Romance genre) that feature a central lesbian relationship that gets a happy ending.
I’ve said this before, but in my perfect world as a librarian and a reader, I wouldn’t have to interrogate every book where my sexuality is reflected to see whether it’s fairly or realistically done like this, and I wouldn’t have to question the motives and virtues of authors and publishers like this. I’d be really interested to hear what other lesbian readers think of this novel.
My thanks go to NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage for the eARC.
I’m often made to feel ‘different’, being a lesbian. I’m familiar with prejudice, so my radar for ‘difference’ being treated badly in literature is sensitive. And in her latest novel, Erin Kelly draws her main lesbian character as ‘different’, as divergent; ultimately as deviant.
I’ve had to write the following so many times in reviews, and it’s tiresome, to put it mildly. I also want to point out that it shouldn’t be the place of queer or queer-allied readers to have to educate authors and publishers on the most basic, LGBT-101 of how-not-to-endorse-homophobia-in-your-writing, if we take homophobia in the sense of treating what’s queer badly. Just like it shouldn’t be the place of Black readers to persuade authors not to propagate the Magical Negro Trope, I – as a lesbian – should not have to point out to authors how not to encourage the proliferation of Dead Lesbian Syndrome. (DLS is used widely as shorthand for all villainising of queer female characters.)
I don’t think Erin Kelly has discussed her sexuality anywhere, and perhaps nor should she, but ‘The Night Stairs’ makes me want to scream (as I have screamed before many times): STRAIGHT AUTHORS! Stop writing lesbian characters with a problematic relationship with their father! Stop writing just two lesbian characters only to prevent them from being together! Stop writing lesbian characters who are denied the right to be mothers! Stop writing lesbian characters who are the villain or murderer! And pleeease, pleeease, stop killing your lesbian characters! The dreadful thing is that Kelly has written all these things into ‘The Night Stairs’ (what I have to say in response to ‘The Night Stairs’ relates to events towards the close of the novel, and so contains spoilers). Has the industry really no idea of how damaging the perpetuation of these motifs is? I’d rather read no queer female characters at all in a novel than read queer women who all succumb to Dead Lesbian Syndrome. I can’t believe, in 2026, that I have to write that. It’s shameful!
Because, let’s be clear: every thing the author writes is a choice that they’ve made. As readers, it’s worth considering whether we bear an obligation to interrogate the making of these choices, and to consider the consequences of them. In my view, it feels imperative that publishers, librarians, reviewers, and readers should question the virtue of representing female homosexuality when ultimately, literary representations of queer women end up written as miserable, imprisoned, and most often dead. What might be an arbitrary choice on the part of an author, results in treatment that in this day and age is, frankly, disgraceful. I’ll not mince my words because the ending of ‘The Night Stairs’ upset me very much.
Perhaps Kelly is giving herself a pat on the back for broaching discussion of same-sex attraction between female characters at all. However, by the very fact that this is a thriller novel, we know that some character or other is going to be doomed. By dooming the lesbian character, the author eliminates the possibility for fruitful commentary upon the visibility of queer females and erases/overwrites our experience in favour of heteronormativity. Because the barriers erected in the way of queer attraction are reduced to a plot device simply to enable the central crime to take place, Kelly shuns the opportunity to make any statement about how marginalised and silenced lesbians are. The author has not mistreated her lesbian character; she has made the character whom she mistreats a lesbian. Kelly here, uses queer female diversity in a reductive and tokenistic way to inspire pity for the homophobic victim, and that disgusts me.
I, personally, feel I have to angle the spotlight at the author for the textual decisions she has made. Erin Kelly should shoulder responsibility for the way that she has presented lesbian characters, because the sad truth is that there do exist predictable interpretations amongst a lazy heteronormative readership, and Kelly has created a piece of work that opens up a space for homophobia if readers wish to partake of it, by inciting in her narrative hate for a lesbian character. How short a leap for those readers, totally vindicated by what they read, to apply this stereotype in real life.
I’m enraged by the author’s conflation of the lesbian character with the archetype of the villain. There is a unique and vital opportunity here to investigate girls’ experiences of same-sex attraction in a gender-exclusive, oppressively religious school environment. In fact, in the absence of this investigation, I find it illogical that Kelly chose to assign this sexuality to a character in her plot without any discussion of the psychological impact of Jessica’s prolonged and repeated homophobic treatment upon Becks’s actions, instinctive as they are in that single urge at the moment of crisis in the novel – the crux of the plot.
Kelly opens up a charged space to discuss the acute motivations of a young lesbian girl faced with rejection. Yet instead of participating in this discourse, Kelly has homophobic Jessica elevated by the plot, and lesbian Becks demonised. Becks’s sexuality functions to throw into relief Jessica’s sacrosanct heteronormativity. Because the author never reveals Becks’s motivation for the part she plays in the accidental death of Jessica to the other characters, Jessica’s homophobia is never called into account, and Erin Kelly is absolved of having to explore the consequences of it.
Furthermore, I’m sorry to say that this novel appears to bolster the opinion that women in same-sex relationships are somehow the antipathy of femininity, a corruption of what it is to be female, and are therefore unmotherly, since Becks is ultimately forbidden to fulfil her role as mother. Becks is demonised in no place more shamefully on the part of the author than when her pleas of motherhood are deemed insufficient cause to grant her mercy. In the climactic moment, Fiona, holding Becks’s life in her hands, outright dismisses any sympathetic feeling towards a fate where Becks is separated from her son.
Is one of my takeaway messages from this novel: STRAIGHT = GOOD; LESBIAN = BAD then? Yes! It takes very little effort to read it as such. If an author has even remotely left that open as a possible interpretation, then their work is problematic. For this reason, I have to round down to one star as the minimum rating, and I hope I’ve done a reasonable job of explaining why.
I’m aware that a precious few ‘mainstream’ books will genuinely reflect me and my life experiences, so I like to stack the books I consume heavy on the LGBT-friendly, Sapphic-centred and queer-authored/female-authored side. And my justification? here you go! ‘The Night Stairs’ serves to attest that even these days, authors and publishers remain ignorant that, or dismissive that, they are compounding the worn-out ‘Dead Lesbian Syndrome’ narrative. The plot resolution of ‘The Night Stairs’ certainly suggests that Sapphics don’t deserve happy endings (I include Becks’s wife in all of this). Go ahead: name three successful and well-publicised novels published in the last year (outside of YA books and the Sapphic Romance genre) that feature a central lesbian relationship that gets a happy ending.
I’ve said this before, but in my perfect world as a librarian and a reader, I wouldn’t have to interrogate every book where my sexuality is reflected to see whether it’s fairly or realistically done like this, and I wouldn’t have to question the motives and virtues of authors and publishers like this. I’d be really interested to hear what other lesbian readers think of this novel.
My thanks go to NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A predictably solid entry into the dark academia canon by Erin Kelly, this is a satisfying psychological thriller featuring all the classics: intense female friendships, dual timelines, Latin, centuries-old tradition under threat, swooshy cloaks, creaky old wood, etc etc. Good fun.
And in another:
This is a proper spoiler which gives away some major pieces of the plot, so really don't read it if you don't want to know! But this seriously soured my enjoyment of the book.
And in another:
This is a proper spoiler which gives away some major pieces of the plot, so really don't read it if you don't want to know! But this seriously soured my enjoyment of the book.
February 7, 2026
4.75
A woohoohoooooo this rocked. I loved the way it both explored and moved on the stories of mass psychogenic illness; the depth and resonance of tradition and class and faith and all the ways they envelop each other; the gasping joy and desperation of teen girl friendship.
It had all the classic Erin Kelly twists and turns that reveal themselves slowly. They mostly got me and the ones that I guessed didn’t spoil the surprise. I think that there could have been a bit better pacing with the motivations of one of the girls earlier on but it’s only a small quibble.
Weirdly the third book in six months I’ve read about girls boarding schools and mysterious stair based death (spoiled milk)/ boarding schools and MPI (havoc). All great in different ways. This I do think was the most self assured and riotous to read. Erin Kelly the woman you are!
Erin Kelly you are so good
A woohoohoooooo this rocked. I loved the way it both explored and moved on the stories of mass psychogenic illness; the depth and resonance of tradition and class and faith and all the ways they envelop each other; the gasping joy and desperation of teen girl friendship.
It had all the classic Erin Kelly twists and turns that reveal themselves slowly. They mostly got me and the ones that I guessed didn’t spoil the surprise. I think that there could have been a bit better pacing with the motivations of one of the girls earlier on but it’s only a small quibble.
Weirdly the third book in six months I’ve read about girls boarding schools and mysterious stair based death (spoiled milk)/ boarding schools and MPI (havoc). All great in different ways. This I do think was the most self assured and riotous to read. Erin Kelly the woman you are!
Erin Kelly you are so good
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4+
St Cordula’s RC School, located on the North York Moors, is now a girls boarding school but was once a 15th century Nunnery, steeped in mystery and legend. One such legend refers to the ghost of a nun, Sister Matilda, who will only keep the inhabitant safe provided the words “God Forgive Me” remain visible at the top of the night stairs. These words faded just once and the consequence of that being the girls getting the spins and one falling to her death on the night stairs. However, perhaps that’s not the whole story as only three people know exactly what happens on that night.
In the present day, Deputy Head Fiona Fox is desperately trying to save the school from financial ruin and is overseeing a bold and controversial move. That’s not her only concern though as the spins are back and she has to not only save the school but prevent the death of another girl before old secrets reveal a scandalous past.
A new Erin Kelly is always a cause for celebration and her latest novel does not disappoint. The premise is great and what emerges is hugely atmospheric with the old convent, it’s legends, myths and traditions is the star of the show and I love its connection to the past. At times it’s Gothic and ghostly, it’s creepy and mysterious with tantalising back stories reinforcing the puzzles of the present. The setting gives so much scope which is utilised to the max. If you add in the dynamics between the girls, the friendships and the not quite so friendly (polite version), the manipulations and the holding down of secrets with the inclusion of the spins, it equates to a gripping storyline. The spins or Mass Psychogenic Illness (formerly mass hysteria) is an inventive and creative elements and I can picture it happening. The catholic element with the nuns and things such as the teaching of the Lives of Saints, some of which leave me quite speechless which, trust me, is a rare beast!
The characterisation is exemplary, there are quite a lot of them but as the author gives them their own uniqueness it’s easy to know who’s so and what motivates them. There’s a strong literary element too via three central characters which I absolutely love, as it’s a book lovers dream.
The novel has multiple layers, it’s very well written, there are plenty of good twists and a satisfying end, although I’ve held back the full five stars because although it is a slow burner, at times it feels a tad drawn out.
Overall though, I do recommend this as it’s just that bit different.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K., Vintage for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
St Cordula’s RC School, located on the North York Moors, is now a girls boarding school but was once a 15th century Nunnery, steeped in mystery and legend. One such legend refers to the ghost of a nun, Sister Matilda, who will only keep the inhabitant safe provided the words “God Forgive Me” remain visible at the top of the night stairs. These words faded just once and the consequence of that being the girls getting the spins and one falling to her death on the night stairs. However, perhaps that’s not the whole story as only three people know exactly what happens on that night.
In the present day, Deputy Head Fiona Fox is desperately trying to save the school from financial ruin and is overseeing a bold and controversial move. That’s not her only concern though as the spins are back and she has to not only save the school but prevent the death of another girl before old secrets reveal a scandalous past.
A new Erin Kelly is always a cause for celebration and her latest novel does not disappoint. The premise is great and what emerges is hugely atmospheric with the old convent, it’s legends, myths and traditions is the star of the show and I love its connection to the past. At times it’s Gothic and ghostly, it’s creepy and mysterious with tantalising back stories reinforcing the puzzles of the present. The setting gives so much scope which is utilised to the max. If you add in the dynamics between the girls, the friendships and the not quite so friendly (polite version), the manipulations and the holding down of secrets with the inclusion of the spins, it equates to a gripping storyline. The spins or Mass Psychogenic Illness (formerly mass hysteria) is an inventive and creative elements and I can picture it happening. The catholic element with the nuns and things such as the teaching of the Lives of Saints, some of which leave me quite speechless which, trust me, is a rare beast!
The characterisation is exemplary, there are quite a lot of them but as the author gives them their own uniqueness it’s easy to know who’s so and what motivates them. There’s a strong literary element too via three central characters which I absolutely love, as it’s a book lovers dream.
The novel has multiple layers, it’s very well written, there are plenty of good twists and a satisfying end, although I’ve held back the full five stars because although it is a slow burner, at times it feels a tad drawn out.
Overall though, I do recommend this as it’s just that bit different.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K., Vintage for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Richly atmospheric and utterly absorbing, The Night Stairs is a haunting, layered thriller that lingers long after the final page.
Erin Kelly has always excelled at crafting worlds that feel both intimate and unsettling, and St Cordula’s convent school is perhaps one of her most vivid settings yet. Steeped in centuries of lore, whispered traditions, and the oppressive weight of unspoken history, the school becomes a character in its own right—protective, claustrophobic, and quietly menacing.
The novel opens with a series of fainting episodes among the students, echoing a long‑buried tragedy linked to the legendary Sister Matilda and the fateful message she left behind: God forgive me. From the moment Deputy Head Fiona Fox steps into the narrative, the tension is immediate. She’s determined to shepherd the school into the modern era, yet finds herself battling vertigo outbreaks, dangerous rumours, and the grim possibility that history is repeating itself.
Kelly’s control of suspense is masterful. The story slips seamlessly between past and present, unraveling old secrets and new scandals with restrained elegance. The mystery of what really happened in 2002—and who still carries the weight of that night—is meticulously paced, every revelation tugging at deeper emotional threads. While the plot is compelling, the novel’s heartbeat lies in its exploration of female friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and the ways institutions can shape (and warp) the young women within them.
The writing is hypnotic, the atmosphere thick with gothic unease, and the characters feel deeply, painfully real. The creeping sense of dread builds with exquisite subtlety, culminating in a finale that is both shocking and heartbreakingly inevitable.
If you love thrillers that combine psychological depth with haunting, gothic tension, The Night Stairs is an absolute standout—intelligent, immersive, and beautifully told.
With thanks to Erin Kelly, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Erin Kelly has always excelled at crafting worlds that feel both intimate and unsettling, and St Cordula’s convent school is perhaps one of her most vivid settings yet. Steeped in centuries of lore, whispered traditions, and the oppressive weight of unspoken history, the school becomes a character in its own right—protective, claustrophobic, and quietly menacing.
The novel opens with a series of fainting episodes among the students, echoing a long‑buried tragedy linked to the legendary Sister Matilda and the fateful message she left behind: God forgive me. From the moment Deputy Head Fiona Fox steps into the narrative, the tension is immediate. She’s determined to shepherd the school into the modern era, yet finds herself battling vertigo outbreaks, dangerous rumours, and the grim possibility that history is repeating itself.
Kelly’s control of suspense is masterful. The story slips seamlessly between past and present, unraveling old secrets and new scandals with restrained elegance. The mystery of what really happened in 2002—and who still carries the weight of that night—is meticulously paced, every revelation tugging at deeper emotional threads. While the plot is compelling, the novel’s heartbeat lies in its exploration of female friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and the ways institutions can shape (and warp) the young women within them.
The writing is hypnotic, the atmosphere thick with gothic unease, and the characters feel deeply, painfully real. The creeping sense of dread builds with exquisite subtlety, culminating in a finale that is both shocking and heartbreakingly inevitable.
If you love thrillers that combine psychological depth with haunting, gothic tension, The Night Stairs is an absolute standout—intelligent, immersive, and beautifully told.
With thanks to Erin Kelly, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My Review: 4.5 / 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’ve always been a sucker for a "Dark Academia" setting, but Erin Kelly takes the trope and drapes it in something far more sinister and claustrophobic. The Night Stairs is a masterclass in atmosphere—I could practically smell the floor wax and incense of St. Cordula’s as I turned the pages.
The Vibes
This isn't just a mystery; it’s a haunting look at how history refuses to stay buried. Kelly does a brilliant job of weaving together three distinct threads:
* The 15th-century legend of Sister Matilda.
* The 2002 tragedy that still lingers like a shadow.
* The present-day chaos as Deputy Head Fiona Fox tries to drag the school into the modern era.
What I Loved
The concept of "the spins"—this contagious vertigo sweeping through the girls—was deeply unsettling. It felt like a nod to real-world cases of mass hysteria, which made the supernatural elements feel even more grounded and terrifying.
I found Fiona Fox to be such a compelling protagonist. She’s stuck in the middle of a war between progress and tradition, and as a reader, you can feel her desperation as the school she loves starts to crumble around her—literally and metaphorically. The tension between the "rational" explanation for the fainting and the "curse" of the Night Stairs kept me guessing until the very end.
The Verdict
Erin Kelly knows exactly how to pace a thriller. Just when I thought I had figured out the connection between the 2002 incident and the current outbreak, she pulled the rug out from under me. It’s gothic, it’s twisty, and it’s deeply "compulsive" (the blurb isn't lying!).
If you like your thrillers with a side of old-world secrets, religious tension, and a healthy dose of "is it ghosts or is it madness?", you need to add this to your TBR immediately.
I’ve always been a sucker for a "Dark Academia" setting, but Erin Kelly takes the trope and drapes it in something far more sinister and claustrophobic. The Night Stairs is a masterclass in atmosphere—I could practically smell the floor wax and incense of St. Cordula’s as I turned the pages.
The Vibes
This isn't just a mystery; it’s a haunting look at how history refuses to stay buried. Kelly does a brilliant job of weaving together three distinct threads:
* The 15th-century legend of Sister Matilda.
* The 2002 tragedy that still lingers like a shadow.
* The present-day chaos as Deputy Head Fiona Fox tries to drag the school into the modern era.
What I Loved
The concept of "the spins"—this contagious vertigo sweeping through the girls—was deeply unsettling. It felt like a nod to real-world cases of mass hysteria, which made the supernatural elements feel even more grounded and terrifying.
I found Fiona Fox to be such a compelling protagonist. She’s stuck in the middle of a war between progress and tradition, and as a reader, you can feel her desperation as the school she loves starts to crumble around her—literally and metaphorically. The tension between the "rational" explanation for the fainting and the "curse" of the Night Stairs kept me guessing until the very end.
The Verdict
Erin Kelly knows exactly how to pace a thriller. Just when I thought I had figured out the connection between the 2002 incident and the current outbreak, she pulled the rug out from under me. It’s gothic, it’s twisty, and it’s deeply "compulsive" (the blurb isn't lying!).
If you like your thrillers with a side of old-world secrets, religious tension, and a healthy dose of "is it ghosts or is it madness?", you need to add this to your TBR immediately.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Centuries of tradition are coming to an end at St Cordula's school. Deputy Head, Fiona Fox, is about to preside over a controversial move to save it from ruin. But it’s not easy to change things at a school this old.
Legend has it that the ghost of fifteenth-century nun, Sister Matilda, will keep St Cordula’s safe. But only as long as the words ‘GOD FORGIVE ME’, scrawled by Matilda on a chapel staircase wall before she fell to her death, are repainted every year. The words have only been allowed to fade once, in 2002. Then, fits of vertigo – ‘the spins’ – spread through the pupils, and a second girl fell to her death on the night stairs. But only three people know the truth of what happened the night of the tragedy.
Now the spins are back, and Fiona must stem the outbreak before it threatens St Cordula’s future, or worse, another girl loses her life. But when one of her pupils begins a dangerous investigation into the past, old secrets start to twist into new scandals…
I was gripped from the first page and totally absorbed in the story for the two days it took me to read it. Erin Kelly really knows how to get into the minds of teenage girls and having attended a Roman Catholic convent myself her portrayal of the rituals at the girls' RC school makes me think she's a fellow attendee (or she's done some incredibly in-depth research). The mystery gradually unfolds whilst drawing the reader into the girls' characters and the daily life of the school and then speeds up into a riveting climax. Fabulous!
My thanks to NetGalley and RandomHouse UK, Vintage for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
Legend has it that the ghost of fifteenth-century nun, Sister Matilda, will keep St Cordula’s safe. But only as long as the words ‘GOD FORGIVE ME’, scrawled by Matilda on a chapel staircase wall before she fell to her death, are repainted every year. The words have only been allowed to fade once, in 2002. Then, fits of vertigo – ‘the spins’ – spread through the pupils, and a second girl fell to her death on the night stairs. But only three people know the truth of what happened the night of the tragedy.
Now the spins are back, and Fiona must stem the outbreak before it threatens St Cordula’s future, or worse, another girl loses her life. But when one of her pupils begins a dangerous investigation into the past, old secrets start to twist into new scandals…
I was gripped from the first page and totally absorbed in the story for the two days it took me to read it. Erin Kelly really knows how to get into the minds of teenage girls and having attended a Roman Catholic convent myself her portrayal of the rituals at the girls' RC school makes me think she's a fellow attendee (or she's done some incredibly in-depth research). The mystery gradually unfolds whilst drawing the reader into the girls' characters and the daily life of the school and then speeds up into a riveting climax. Fabulous!
My thanks to NetGalley and RandomHouse UK, Vintage for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
“The world is full of stairs” - and having finished this novel I’ll be noticing every one of them.
I was late coming to Erin Kelly’s fiction, and am trying to eke out her backlist so I never have too long to wait between each new book release. So there may be a better Kelly book for me still to read, but I honestly cannot imagine it. (Except maybe her current work in progress, which her Instagram stories make sound exquisite too).
Every aspect of her voice that makes her work so compelling *sings* in The Night Stairs:
— tension thrumming through every page ✔️
— concise, precise use of language ✔️
— dark secrets revealed slowly over time ✔️
— characters you want to triumph even while you suspect they may not be very reliable narrators ✔️
— an exploration of humans’ need to form deep connections and deep-seated fear of failing to do so ✔️
— a gorgeous aesthetic running through every element, from setting to costume to presentation of even the most minor of characters ✔️✔️✔️
Not only one of the best books I’ve read this year but one of my all-time favourites. I really do not want to leave Becks and Kylie and Greer behind, and most of all I can never forget Jessica, who resonated with me in a way that only Anne Shirley and Marianne Dashwood have before.
Thank you Erin Kelly and Harvill Books for an outstanding reading experience, and for a beautifully designed proof that I will always treasure, even once I have the hardback in my greedy little hands in July.
I was late coming to Erin Kelly’s fiction, and am trying to eke out her backlist so I never have too long to wait between each new book release. So there may be a better Kelly book for me still to read, but I honestly cannot imagine it. (Except maybe her current work in progress, which her Instagram stories make sound exquisite too).
Every aspect of her voice that makes her work so compelling *sings* in The Night Stairs:
— tension thrumming through every page ✔️
— concise, precise use of language ✔️
— dark secrets revealed slowly over time ✔️
— characters you want to triumph even while you suspect they may not be very reliable narrators ✔️
— an exploration of humans’ need to form deep connections and deep-seated fear of failing to do so ✔️
— a gorgeous aesthetic running through every element, from setting to costume to presentation of even the most minor of characters ✔️✔️✔️
Not only one of the best books I’ve read this year but one of my all-time favourites. I really do not want to leave Becks and Kylie and Greer behind, and most of all I can never forget Jessica, who resonated with me in a way that only Anne Shirley and Marianne Dashwood have before.
Thank you Erin Kelly and Harvill Books for an outstanding reading experience, and for a beautifully designed proof that I will always treasure, even once I have the hardback in my greedy little hands in July.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
St Cordula's school convent school is where generations of girls from good Catholic families are educated like their female relatives before them. The place is steeped in tradition and stories. One of the most abiding ones is the story of a fifteenth century nun who fell to her death on the night stairs after scrawling 'God will forgive me' on the wall. Legend has it that the school will be safe so long as these words are repainted every year. Only once has this tradition lapsed and that resulted in an outbreak of 'the spins' and another death. In the present day, like many boarding schools are struggling. Deputy Head, Fiona Fox has a plan to make sure St Cordula's survives but now the spins have made a return. She needs to keep this quiet, but one student is determined to find out what happened last time.
Told from two timelines, the present and the previous outbreak of the spins. The cast of characters is an amazing variety of girls- some you'd want to to avoid at all costs. The author keeps the reader guessing, revealing hints as the story progresses. Having been to an all girls convent school I thought she captured the atmosphere perfectly. The story eventually kept me up to 2am as I just had to see how it ended. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this brilliant book- if all my reads are a patch on this one I'm in for a great year!
Told from two timelines, the present and the previous outbreak of the spins. The cast of characters is an amazing variety of girls- some you'd want to to avoid at all costs. The author keeps the reader guessing, revealing hints as the story progresses. Having been to an all girls convent school I thought she captured the atmosphere perfectly. The story eventually kept me up to 2am as I just had to see how it ended. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this brilliant book- if all my reads are a patch on this one I'm in for a great year!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A truly addictive read with twists and turns that had you turning the next page faster and faster to see the story unfold.
St Cordula’s is a catholic boarding school with the legend of Sister Matilda, a ghost like guardian, a central part of life. The words, ‘God Forgive Me’, repainted every year ensure her continued protection and the only time they were left unpainted, an unexplained outbreak known as the ‘spins’ struck the school. Now, the spins are unexpectedly back, and the deputy headmistress, Fiona, is left to try and save the future of St Cordula’s. But the investigations of a pupil will bring to life buried secrets and a new web will start to form.
I loved the framing of the story and really appreciated it all the more after finishing. The writing is transports you to the St Cordula’s and the book is so creatively constructed. The different perspectives, jumps between different times and the characters made the book really come to life and allowed the central story to unfold in a truly unexpected way.
Sometimes, you read a book and think wow this ending is really clever and this was one of those reads for me. I love a book where you think you have it figured out just to find a web of twists that you have yet to uncover. I had such a fun time reading it and truly recommend to everyone.
St Cordula’s is a catholic boarding school with the legend of Sister Matilda, a ghost like guardian, a central part of life. The words, ‘God Forgive Me’, repainted every year ensure her continued protection and the only time they were left unpainted, an unexplained outbreak known as the ‘spins’ struck the school. Now, the spins are unexpectedly back, and the deputy headmistress, Fiona, is left to try and save the future of St Cordula’s. But the investigations of a pupil will bring to life buried secrets and a new web will start to form.
I loved the framing of the story and really appreciated it all the more after finishing. The writing is transports you to the St Cordula’s and the book is so creatively constructed. The different perspectives, jumps between different times and the characters made the book really come to life and allowed the central story to unfold in a truly unexpected way.
Sometimes, you read a book and think wow this ending is really clever and this was one of those reads for me. I love a book where you think you have it figured out just to find a web of twists that you have yet to uncover. I had such a fun time reading it and truly recommend to everyone.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I haven’t read any of Erin Kelly books before and I really enjoyed this delve into dark academia. Reminiscent of Josephine Tey’s Miss Pym Disposes in a way and Bridget Collins Betrayals.
This is a complex story told in two timelines with a similarity between them so that I found I needed to check at the beginning of each chapter to see where it was. It was a fairly slow psychological build up but the atmospheric description of the Catholic School and its customs intrigued me and kept me captivated along with the myth and perplexity of ‘the spins’ and the mystery of finding a solution.
Just as I was thinking the plot was maybe winding to an end, although the ending seemed a little tame, and I could see there were still many pages to go, there was a completely unexpected twist, the pace cranked up and it turned into a thrilling page turner.
I like a book with a difference and this certainly has it and having enjoyed it so much I would like to read more of Erin’s books.
Many thanks to Erin Kelly, Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy.
This is a complex story told in two timelines with a similarity between them so that I found I needed to check at the beginning of each chapter to see where it was. It was a fairly slow psychological build up but the atmospheric description of the Catholic School and its customs intrigued me and kept me captivated along with the myth and perplexity of ‘the spins’ and the mystery of finding a solution.
Just as I was thinking the plot was maybe winding to an end, although the ending seemed a little tame, and I could see there were still many pages to go, there was a completely unexpected twist, the pace cranked up and it turned into a thrilling page turner.
I like a book with a difference and this certainly has it and having enjoyed it so much I would like to read more of Erin’s books.
Many thanks to Erin Kelly, Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Night Stairs by Erin Kelly is an eerie, atmospheric thriller set in a convent boarding school steeped in history and secrets.
The legend of Sister Matilda—a 15th-century nun who vowed to keep the school safe as long as her chilling words, “God Forgive Me,” remain painted on the chapel staircase—casts a shadow over the lives of three girls who find sanctuary in each other’s friendship. When “the spins” sweep through the school, leaving everyone dizzy and tragedy in its wake, the story takes a dark turn.
Years later, as the school struggles to survive, history seems to be repeating itself. I loved the creepy setting, the complex relationships between the girls, and the way the twists kept me guessing— happily wrongly!
(Copilot assisted me with the writing of this review - based on very specific prompts taken from my notes of reading the book).
The legend of Sister Matilda—a 15th-century nun who vowed to keep the school safe as long as her chilling words, “God Forgive Me,” remain painted on the chapel staircase—casts a shadow over the lives of three girls who find sanctuary in each other’s friendship. When “the spins” sweep through the school, leaving everyone dizzy and tragedy in its wake, the story takes a dark turn.
Years later, as the school struggles to survive, history seems to be repeating itself. I loved the creepy setting, the complex relationships between the girls, and the way the twists kept me guessing— happily wrongly!
(Copilot assisted me with the writing of this review - based on very specific prompts taken from my notes of reading the book).
December 7, 2025
I've had a run of great books which I did not want to break, so I picked up the new Kelly book.
Always a guaranteed great read
So it was again.
It felt quite lengthy,but nicely split over two timelines.
I loved the setting of an exclusive boarding school with an almost cult like reputation. And the evilness of teenage girls all living together.
There were plenty of creepy moments involving the said stairs, and the permanent question hanging over our heads of what actually did happen on them.
I had a few surprises along the way too .
I very much liked the friendships in the book, and particularly warmed to Fiona.
She seemed very relatable.
A solidly good read , as I expect from Kelly.
Never disappoints.
Thanks to netgalley for the free digital copy.
Always a guaranteed great read
So it was again.
It felt quite lengthy,but nicely split over two timelines.
I loved the setting of an exclusive boarding school with an almost cult like reputation. And the evilness of teenage girls all living together.
There were plenty of creepy moments involving the said stairs, and the permanent question hanging over our heads of what actually did happen on them.
I had a few surprises along the way too .
I very much liked the friendships in the book, and particularly warmed to Fiona.
She seemed very relatable.
A solidly good read , as I expect from Kelly.
Never disappoints.
Thanks to netgalley for the free digital copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I’m always excited by a new Erin Kelly book, and this didn’t disappoint. Very different to her previous books, this reminded me of the St Oswalds trilogy by Joanne Harris.
It is set in the closed community of a Catholic girls boarding school in Yorkshire, and in the present day, facing closure or a merger with the boys boarding school.
Running parallel to this, in the 1990’s, is the story of how some misfit, easily bullied pupils cope in such an environment.
How these two threads merge and the shocking outcome form an excellent book, lots of twists, lots of lovely literary cultural references, and a twisty ending.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House, UK, Vintage for the opportunity to read this book.
It is set in the closed community of a Catholic girls boarding school in Yorkshire, and in the present day, facing closure or a merger with the boys boarding school.
Running parallel to this, in the 1990’s, is the story of how some misfit, easily bullied pupils cope in such an environment.
How these two threads merge and the shocking outcome form an excellent book, lots of twists, lots of lovely literary cultural references, and a twisty ending.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House, UK, Vintage for the opportunity to read this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In 1487 Sister Mathilda, banished from the convent and in despair threw herself from the top of the stairs leaving three words behind on the wall GOD FORGIVE ME.
The words have remained ever since. The one time they were allowed to fade the school was plagued with 'the spins', fits of vertigo and a girl fell to her death.
With the narrative switching timelines this was an absorbing thriller with great characters that so accurately portrayed teenage pupils at their best and their very worst.
A slow burn thriller that gains intensity as events from the past merge with the present bringing it to a gripping and very satisfying conclusion that had me flying through the pages.
My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the early read, all opinions expressed are my own
The words have remained ever since. The one time they were allowed to fade the school was plagued with 'the spins', fits of vertigo and a girl fell to her death.
With the narrative switching timelines this was an absorbing thriller with great characters that so accurately portrayed teenage pupils at their best and their very worst.
A slow burn thriller that gains intensity as events from the past merge with the present bringing it to a gripping and very satisfying conclusion that had me flying through the pages.
My thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the early read, all opinions expressed are my own
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Erin Kelly builds a great atmosphere—St Cordula’s feels properly ancient, claustrophobic, and full of the kind of rituals that make you wonder why anyone ever thought boarding school was a good idea. The writing is solid, the setting does the heavy lifting, and the whole thing has that satisfying, old‑fashioned “this only works as a novel” energy.
What I appreciated most is that it is a novel—unapologetically so. The tension relies on pacing, perspective shifts, and that slow, creeping unease you only get when an author controls exactly what you see and when you see it. It’s not built for a screen; it’s built for a reader, and that’s refreshing.
Thank You NetGalley and Random House UK for a Review Copy
What I appreciated most is that it is a novel—unapologetically so. The tension relies on pacing, perspective shifts, and that slow, creeping unease you only get when an author controls exactly what you see and when you see it. It’s not built for a screen; it’s built for a reader, and that’s refreshing.
Thank You NetGalley and Random House UK for a Review Copy
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Set in an old convent and taking into account historical context, myths and traditions, there is a truly Gothic feel to this novel. Kelly is really good at plotting, so it's a given that the plot will carry it well, but this is quite a long novel and I did wonder about the narrative pace. The setting though... oh yes, that's a great element of the novel, add to that the relationships between the girls and mass hysteria, and Kelly has done it again. Recommended for psychological thriller fans, but also for historical fiction readers, too. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers for the privilege of the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was asked to review by NetGalley wow this was dark accademia.
I was hooked form page 1 I really could not put this down and there were so many twists in this story.
The story is set in the present day within the a Catholic girls boarding school in Yorkshire. The school is facing uncertainty of a merger with a boys school or closure. There is a dual timeline set in the 1990s. This is the setting for easily biuulied pupils and essentially how they coped in the school. This sound like two stories but there is connections and it is shocking, addictive and a great story..
There is a bit to wait for publication July 9th 2026. Recommended read.
I was hooked form page 1 I really could not put this down and there were so many twists in this story.
The story is set in the present day within the a Catholic girls boarding school in Yorkshire. The school is facing uncertainty of a merger with a boys school or closure. There is a dual timeline set in the 1990s. This is the setting for easily biuulied pupils and essentially how they coped in the school. This sound like two stories but there is connections and it is shocking, addictive and a great story..
There is a bit to wait for publication July 9th 2026. Recommended read.
February 23, 2026
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review. This multi pov, multi timeline story was well paced and kept me guessing all the way through. It’s tells the story of three very different but equally lonely young girls that find an amazing friendship through their mutual love of books. Navigating religion, bullies, loss, difficult parents and all that being a teenager encompass in an all girls school with a mysterious legend of poor sister Matilda, and the first and second girls that died in this place when Matilda was not sated. Very good book that kept me reading late in to the nights an easy 4 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A then and now story featuring the whole menu of teenage girls, ghost stories, bullying, nuns, fainting, death and false identities. You would be right in thinking that the author has had to work hard to weave all of that, and a lot more, into this thrilling tale. it does all tie together in the end, with a satisfying, if slightly dizzying, finale.
December 29, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ A great read with a very satisfying conclusion. While the pacing felt a little slow at times and the story was somewhat drawn out, the writing kept me engaged. The ending was the highlight for me; it wrapped up the story beautifully. If you enjoy a "slow burn" mystery that sticks the landing, this is a great choice.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An unusual setting and premise for this nicely told story. It’s a slow burn as the author builds the tension and then gradually reveals the truth, leading to a satisfying conclusion. Erin Kelly doesn’t disappoint in her trademark tension building.
(Review of pre release NetGalley edition)
(Review of pre release NetGalley edition)
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
hell hath no fury like a teenage girl scorned
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