In the foreword of The Screaming Staircase, Jonathan Stroud details his inspiration for the series, his determination to write a unique ghost story, and his thrilling experiences on the set of the Netflix series. Stroud explains that every story he writes begins with a scene that he then expands upon; in this case, the story begins with a boy and girl approaching a haunted house. Stroud notes how traditional British ghost stories often feature ghosts as having “great powers of terror over the living” (viii) and giving the humans little chance to survive. In a deliberate contrast of this trope, Stroud expresses his desire to create a story about well-equipped, talented children who possess strong interpersonal bonds and the determination to deal competently with ghosts on their own. Stroud excitedly describes how the Netflix series brings his characters and the Lockwood home (35 Portland Row) to life.

Lucy Carlyle narrates her experiences as an investigator and hunter of ghosts alongside business owner and fellow ghost hunter Anthony Lockwood. Up until this time, they have been successfully interacting with ghosts but have been much less successful in driving spirits away or laying them to rest.