The Stranger on the Stairs
Paperback Published on: 05/11/2026
Price: £9.99
Synopsis
THE GRIPPING NEW NOVEL FROM RUTH MANCINI, THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE WOMAN ON THE LEDGE.
'Lisa Jewell meets the Secret Barrister' Imran Mahmood
'Brilliantly smart, unsettlingly human and impossible to put down' Rob Rinder
'A propulsive, heart-thumping read' Gill Perdue
'A cleverly crafted chilling psychological thriller' Louise Minchin
___________
You were only seven years old when you witnessed your mother's murder.
Although you did not see her attacker clearly, you are pretty sure who it was.
Thanks to you, he went to prison for twenty years.
Now he's out.
And you are no longer certain that the man you identified that terrifying evening really was the killer.
But if it wasn’t him, who was the stranger on the stairs?
And can he now be coming for you?
Inspired by a shocking real-life case, a gripping psychological thriller by a criminal defence lawyer who has seen it all.
___________
Praise for Ruth Mancini and The Stranger on the Stairs:
'I absolutely raced through this compulsive page-turner ... Well drawn characters - proper plot and great writing. What more could you want?' Imran Mahmood
‘It’s gripping and propulsive, but also moving and quiet in all the right places. Bravo!' Sabine Durrant
'Kept me guessing (and biting my nails) throughout' Anna Mazzola
‘Ruth Mancini is fast becoming a master of the thriller genre' Laura Pearson
'Ruth Mancini writes thrillers with the certainty of someone who’s seen the law in action and knows exactly how to unpick it. Brilliantly smart, unsettlingly human and impossible to put down' Rob Rinder
'Ruth Mancini is like a British Jodi Picoult' Jennie Godfrey
'Only Ruth Mancini can deliver such brilliant twists that keep you turning the pages. Her legal expertise shines through, providing a sense of veracity and immediacy that is uniquely addictive.’ Kelly Mullen
'Exciting and addictive' 5-star reader review
'I WAS HOOKED!' 5-star reader review
‘A super-readable, brilliantly clever domestic thriller’ Fabulous Magazine
'A fantastic story that had me gripped from the start' 5-star reader review
Publisher information
- Publisher: Cornerstone
- ISBN: 9781804958209
- Number of pages: 400
- Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 25 mm
- Weight: 281g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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The Stranger on the Stairs
Being stood up by her date wasn't the way Eve hoped her day would go, but it led to her meeting handsome Jamie Clarke so it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.... READ MORE
A twisty and unsettling thriller
I read Ruth Mancini’s previous book, The Woman on the Ledge, back in December 2023 just before it was officially released, and I've been meaning to pick up... READ MORE
Fantastic read
The stranger on the stairs by Ruth Mancini is the first book from the author I have read, and I didn’t realise what I have been missing.
Jamie Clarke was ... READ MORE
Addictive!
'The Stranger on the Stairs' is yet another great book from Ruth Mancini. It's an addictive, fast paced and gripping psychological thriller that will grab ... READ MORE
I was instantly hooked
Just phenomenal! 20 years ago, seven year old Bella’s mother was brutally murdered while Bella slept. She saw the killer and was a key witness in putting h... READ MORE
A few issues for me with this read
I have previously read The Woman on the Ledge and The Day I Lost You by Ruth Mancini, so I was excited to read her latest book – The Stranger on the Stairs... READ MORE
A Brilliant Read
I very much enjoyed the new book by Ruth Mancini having read The Woman on the Ledge and thoroughly enjoyed it .The Stranger on the Stairs is a psychologica... READ MORE
Very compelling storyline.
This was a compelling story of innocent people being found guilty and the guilty manipulating the law to support innocence.. The way these aberrations affe... READ MORE
Great multi perspective thriller
This was a fantastic thriller with a very strong storyline and plenty of suspense from determining whether the man who had been imprisoned for 20 years was... READ MORE
Good read
The Stranger on the Stairs by Ruth Mancini is a pacy and gripping thriller that keeps you guessing from start to finish. Told across two parallel storyline... READ MORE
very clever thriller
This was another very clever thriller by Ms Mancini. In this one she manages to combine a number of different factors around a possible miscarriage of jus... READ MORE
Easy read, page turner but a bit far fetched
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.
This is an easy read and is a real page turner, The plotline is interesting. Joe... READ MORE
Exciting thriller
I really enjoyed this book about a child who witnessed the murder of her mother her testimony put a man in prison only to question the truth years later it... READ MORE
Cracking read
A cracking read that keeps you guessing who is telling the truth and did Bella see what she thought she saw. A well written novel with plenty of twist and ... READ MORE
Compelling story
This was a compelling story of innocent people being found guilty and the guilty manipulating the law to support innocence.. The way these aberrations affe... READ MORE
Great story!
How much would a child remember of a tragic incident in their own home? Does the memory change as they get older? Nightmares seem to strengthen the memory ... READ MORE
Brilliant page turner
This was a very readable book. Christy was raped and murdered whilst her 7 year old daughter Bella was in the house. A young man, Jamie, was convicted of t... READ MORE
exciting and addictive
I really enjoyed this book, it was exciting and addictive, with interesting characters, whose lives overlap in various ways to make this a twisty little th... READ MORE
excellent read
Another excellent story by Ruth Mancini.Two parallel storylines. The brutal murder of Bella's mum 20 years previously still haunts her. The nightmares that... READ MORE
A solid thriller
An excellent thriller from an author who has consistently produced to a very high standard.
Gripping from the very beginning and I got through this in th... READ MORE
Very enjoyable read
The stranger on the stairs by Ruth Mancini is the first book from the author I have read, and I didn’t realise what I have been missing.
Jamie Clarke was ... READ MORE
A Proper Page Turner!
Police are quick to apprehend the killer of Christy Nicholls , who succumbed to an horrific rape and murder, whilst her 7 year old daughter, Bella, was asl... READ MORE
Most intriguing book!!
The Stranger on the Stairs hooked me in straightaway, with the opening sequence of the rape and murder of the mother of 7yr old Bella. Bella identifies Joe... READ MORE
An intelligent & absorbing read
A five‑star rating feels wholly inadequate for this remarkable novel.The Stranger on the Stairs is a superbly written, intelligent and absorbing story with... READ MORE
Truth to Power? The latter may be deaf.
The Stranger on the Stairs was for me an unprepossessing title but I read a precis of the novel and it was enough to ask for an ARC. After having finished ... READ MORE
Absolutely brilliant !
Occasionally you read a book that feels so authentic, thought provoking and well written that it takes you to another level and this was one for me. There ... READ MORE
I was drawn in from the first page! Solid 4 star read!
The Prologue of this book grabs you from the first page. Christy Nicholls will give in to her attacker in order to protect her daughter who she signals to ... READ MORE
Had me gripped from the start!
*4.5 stars*
Bella was only 7 years old when she woke one morning to discover the brutalised, partly naked body of her mother downstairs.
Bella’s tes... READ MORE
Great thriller
4.5 out of 5 ⭐
I really liked the procedural and legal aspects as the storyline unfolded. My one slight sticking point was that an educated, profession... READ MORE
Terrific legal thriller
4.5 rounded upAn act of extreme violence by a vengeful man on her mother Christy leads to Bella having nightmares of the stranger on the stairs for many su... READ MORE
Brilliant fast paced story
Over twenty years ago seven year old Bella’s mother was raped and murdered in her own home. The traumatised child found her the next morning and ran to a n... READ MORE
Written from insight
The third book I have read and enjoyed by Ruth Mancini. Writing from insight always produces a good story and this is definitely the case with Ruth Mancini... READ MORE
A thrilling, page turner with a sinister element
Jamie Clarke was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison but served longer as he refused to admit guilt. Now released on licence he is s... READ MORE
Good legal thriller
Written by an experienced defence lawyer and inspired by although not about a real case this is a well written novel on a topical theme.
When divorcee Eve... READ MORE
..
The Stranger on the Stairs is Ruth Mancini at her most assured — a taut, quietly chilling psychological thriller that hooks you from the first page and kee... READ MORE
Gripping
Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for this eCopy to review.
The Stranger on the Stairs is a gripping, tightly written psychological t... READ MORE
Murder mystery highlighting the legal system
The legal process after a crime is Evidence, Arrest, Trial, Verdict, Sentence, Release. But what happens if something goes wrong along the way? Twenty on... READ MORE
Tense Thriller
Review of ‘The Stranger on the Stairs’ by Ruth Mancini, due to be published on 23 April 2026 by Random House UK, Cornerstone.
Jamie Clarke was convicted... READ MORE
The Stranger On The Stairs
What a good book even though the nature of the story is difficult to come to terms with. Christy is violently murdered and is found by her 7 year old daug... READ MORE
Based on Real-Life Events.
You were only seven-years-old when you witnessed your mother's murder. Although you didn't see her attacker clearly, you are pretty sure who it was. Thanks... READ MORE
Thought provoking
Another great read from Ruth Mancini. A powerful, thought provoking read, inspired by true events.
Mistaken identity, corruption in the police force and ... READ MORE
amazing read
What a fantastic five star informative read. I think that this is Ruth’s best. I was rooting for Bella, Eve and Joe. Can’t remember which female character ... READ MORE
This Book Had Me Gripped Right From The Start!
I really enjoyed this book, it had me gripped right from the start and I couldn’t stop reading until I got to the truth. I liked the way Eve was with Joe a... READ MORE
Gripping Thriller
Ruth Mancini writes with clarity and conviction. The Stranger on the Stairs combines emotional depth with a probing look at the justice system, exploring c... READ MORE
Gritty page turner
Another page turner from Ruth Mancini,
A young woman is rated and murdered - did they put away the right man? This book follows the lives of 3 women who ... READ MORE
Tense and Exciting
If you enjoy a tense thriller and like to be kept on the edge of your seat, this book could be for you. Anyone who has read Mancini’s earlier novel ‘The Wo... READ MORE
Ruth Mancini does it again
Found the characters at the beginning hard to work out who was who and why they were there.
Joe released from prison after murder and rape of a young mu... READ MORE
Great book, highly recommend.
A 20 year old conviction for a brutal crime, and a man released.
Was Jamie framed? Bella manipulated? and did a huge miscarriage of justice happen…..
I ... READ MORE
Another great book by Ruth Mancini
Despite the tagline on the cover, this one is more of a legal mystery than a thriller, as Mancini explores miscarriage of justice and its impact.In it we m... READ MORE
Brilliant read
This book embodies all that is wrong with our current judicial system. Joe is sent down for a murder he insists he did not commit. Had he confessed at any ... READ MORE
Compelling read
Bella was seven years old when she found her mum Christy dead in the kitchen. She is certain she woke up in the night and witnessed something and her state... READ MORE
One of those reads that will stay with you for a while
I really enjoyed this thought-provoking story - and even more so when I reached the author's note at the end sharing that whilst not a true story, it was i... READ MORE
Compelling read
I was hooked into this book from the start. The characters were just right to be believable and I loved the story. Very intriguing, though slightly predict... READ MORE
Great opening for luring you in..
This starts off with all cinlanders firing, exactly right up my street. It cannot keep up that paced but does hold your attention.
After a family member... READ MORE
Couldn’t put it down.
Bella was just seven when she came downstairs and found her mother murdered in their kitchen. She identified the attacker from a line up: a man her mother ... READ MORE
A thought provoking thriller
'The Stranger on the Stairs' is yet another great book from Ruth Mancini. It's an addictive, fast paced and gripping psychological thriller that will grab ... READ MORE
Interstate
3.5 stars. Really interesting premise and, as always with Ruth Mancini’s books, a clever, twisty plot. It did dragged a little in places and I wasn’t quite... READ MORE
Interesting
3.5 stars. Really interesting premise and, as always with Ruth Mancini’s books, a clever, twisty plot. It did dragged a little in places and I wasn’t quite... READ MORE
A fast paced thriller
Firstly this is a very enjoyably fast paced thriller . Jamie Clark has been released from prison for a crime he said he never committed and is living on li... READ MORE
Realistic story which is currently topical
Brilliantly written and very topical. Was his conviction safe after the jury found Jamie Clarke guilty and sentenced him to twenty years for murder, a crim... READ MORE
The Stranger on the Stairs
⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️
Well, that was a page-turner and a half!
I picked up The Stranger on the Stairs yesterday only intending to read a couple of chapters, but I co... READ MORE
Fast paced, twisty story with a background of truth
I loved the fact that this was based upon a real life event and that is probably why everything was so believable. All the characters were well described a... READ MORE
A miscarriage of justice
When Eve meets Joe she realises that they may have a future but then he tells her his secret, he's served twenty years for rape and murder. Bella was just... READ MORE
A great read!
It took me a while to understand what was going on in this book, but once I did I couldn’t put it down. Great character development, a very clever plot, a... READ MORE