Ooo this book will stick with me for a while I ate it up, had me wondering if I was gonna have nightmares when I finally went to sleep. Whatever you do read this book.

While this book has moments of horror, I would consider it more as leaning much more towards phycological thriller with a whole lot of unresolved childhood trauma. You should also be aware of the many graphic descriptions and possible trigger warnings throughout. Detail is not spared when describing the rooms.

The house at the top of the stairs was the best part of the book, but the pacing was all over the place with jumps from present to flash backs and long chapters of personal histories thrown randomly throughout. It was like the author didn't want to get too involved in the house itself, which is a shame because it was the most interesting part.

And although I do appreciate a Hitchcock style ending, the whole book built up to a certain moment, then ended with no resolution.

Chuck Wendig’s THE STAIRCASE IN THE WOODS continues his streak of really good novels. While not as meaty as a few of his previous novels, STAIRCASE is as complex. The titular STAIRCASE is present and used as a cool device to get the characters (and the reader) into the novel and then again toward the climax. Make no mistakes, though, this is a haunted house story. And a damn intense one.

A mark of a good writer is that they can take familiar stories and sub-genres and make them their own. With this is mind, Wendig once again proves that he’s a master storyteller of the modern horror story. He takes the ideas that are ingrained in the genre and shifts them like a Rubik’s Cube into his own thing, and it works.

At points scary, heartbreaking, inspiring, and, yes, funny, THE STAIRCASE IN THE WOODS once again cements Wendig’s place as a new master of the horror genre, and of terrific storytelling.

In “The Staircase in the Woods,” Chuck Wendig blends horror, mystery, and the complexities of friendship. This tale is about five high school friends who encounter a mysterious staircase leading to nowhere. When one friend climbs it and is never to be seen again, the group’s bond changes forever. Two decades later, the reappearance of the staircase challenges the remaining friends to confront their past and the darkness that has haunted them.

Themes of nostalgia, loss, and the enduring impact of childhood experiences are making the horror elements all the more resonant. It’s a vibe that reminds me of Stephen King books, unfortunately also the use of many words when not especially necessary.

This book really stands out in the genre though. It’s a compelling read that delves into the darkness lurking within and around us, leaving a lasting impression long after finishing it. I would say pick it up and try it yourself. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Thank you so much author and publisher for the ARC.

Chuck Wendig turns the haunted house trope on its head and portrays the reality of what happens to High School friendships when we become adults. It's also an emotional roller coaster as the four characters deal with their secrets and wounds and traumas—I felt they were all me and, at the same time, someone I met or used to be friends with. Plus, there's enough grossness and anxiety-inducing scares to make me read some parts with one eye closed.

Chuck's books are not for the faint of heart. This book is MEGA weird!!!! Gory, creepy, all the things! I really liked it!

A fresh take on a well-worn r/nosleep story. I enjoyed the weaving of multiple points of view and timelines to build tension and mystery. The eerie setting, almost a character in itself, adds a unique layer to the narrative, though a deeper exploration of the setting itself would have made this better. While the story delivers an engaging and unsettling journey, the conclusion falls short.

SO terrifying, literally grabbed me immediately! Not that I would ever decide to climb a random staircase in the woods, more power to these four. I loved the atmospheric creepy vibes, totally kept me hooked all the way through.

If you are a fan of creepy stories, Stephen King in general and thrillers, add this one to your TBR ASAP!

thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own

A group of friends discover a staircase in the woods that appeared out of nowhere. Would you climb it? This was a creepy tale, reministant of a Steven King novel. If you love twisty scary supernatural stories you will also love this one!

Chuck Wendig once again works his magic with horror. A group of friends in the woods? Maybe you've heard that plotline before but add a staircase and blend in unique twists as only Wendig can and you'll be immediately drawn in and memorized.

Once again Chuck Wendig masterfully blends truly relatable characters with incredible story telling. This book is not for the feint of heart. You really need to be in the mindset for it, especially when you relate so closely with a lot of the characters. But how raw and visceral the characters, their lives, and the lives of the different home are. It hurt, but it also healed in some ways.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Worlds for an eARC copy of The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig.

A gripping, suspenseful thriller that explores the themes of friendship, loyalty, and the darkness lurking just beyond our understanding. Beginning with the camping trip of five high school friends in the middle of the New Hampshire forests. It is in the forest that they encounter a mysterious staircase leading to nowhere - an enigma that promises dangers from the start. When one friend follows the staircase and vanishes without a trace, the friends are left with unanswered questions and a bond that will compel them to return twenty years later.

I loved how Chuck Wendig created a papable sense of unease as the friends are pulled back into the forest, where the staircase has reappeared. The mysteries of the stairs, what lies at the top, and the bizarre force that seems to affect anyone who encounters it form the spine of the narrative, blending pyschological horror with supernatural suspense. Their long-lost friend is still missing, but there's an underlying sense that something even darker is tied to the staircase.

The heart of the novel is its exploration of friendship and the deep emotional ties that hold the group together. It provides a reflection of when the reader was and how their friendships were during their high school years. Which makes the tensions between characters more authentic, and their personal struggles - both from the past and present - more real and complex as they are explored. Thus, leading the reader and the group of friends into the mysteries of the staircase and the journey about confronting the past as it is discovering the horrifying truths within.

I will say that it is a bit wordy in some sections, areas that aren't needed in my opition. However, it certainly is worth the read.

I read “The Wanderers” so was drawn in by this authors writing style…but this book was fascinating. The concept was unique and the characters were ones I wanted to follow and cheer for. The images were intense and allowed me to see exactly each room in the “house” and create a very vivid movie like image in my mind. It was a book I was unable to put down and I became obsessed!!!

The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig is a gripping and thought-provoking horror story that showcases his trademark blend of dark, atmospheric writing and sharp character work. Wendig expertly builds a sense of foreboding from the very first page, immersing the reader in a world where every twist and turn feels both unsettling and inevitable. The way he weaves tension and emotional depth into the narrative makes it not just a horror novel, but a haunting exploration of human nature. It’s an engaging, unsettling read that will stick with you long after you’ve finished.

Five teenagers find a mysterious staircase in the woods seemingly leading to nowhere. One of their friends walks up but never makes it back down.

The plot was intriguing and had me hooked from the first page. I loved the dynamics between the various friends and their character development throughout. This story reminded me a lot of Stephen King’s IT with the multiple timelines, horror elements, and the characters having to face their demons on their journeys.

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House Workds for an ARC of this book!

Hmmm. I love Chuck ‘Apple Snacks’ Wendig…but this just didn’t get me fired up like BRO did. Were there scares? Was there gore? Sure, yes. That said, it felt like we tried to explore all, and yet completely left chunks of central metaphor out. I found myself trying to force my hands to pick up this book.

It’s not bad by any means, Wendig writes horror with such beauty, it just seems like all the elements of the story didn’t quite ‘click.’

At least for me, and my humble little bibliophile brain—I needed more and less at the same time? Does that make sense?

Thank you Random House and Del Rey for this ARC!

2.5 stars rounded to 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️.

I couldn't get past the overblown prose and the story didn't grip me. I struggled to finish it. I don't think I'm interested in reading anything else by the writer.

This book gives you the best of both worlds. The classic horror gang set up, where a group of kids traumatized by an unknown/tragic event return decades later to face it again. Wendig is a master of atmosphere and tension. However, in the vein of Stephen King, he can also be very wordy where it is not needed. Tiny details that serve no purpose but filler can sometimes drag on. But for its missteps, this book definitely serves up dark, tense, emotional and disturbing in a great novel package.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview The staircase in the woods. Chuck Wendig is a master storyteller and horror and horror is his passion. It truly shows in his work and this book will scare you for sure!
A group of young high schoolers find their way into the woods. They find themselves seeing something they are not sure they believe they are seeing. A staircase.
One of them disappeared this day and the group is shaken to the core.
But what comes next haunts them all and what comes next will change their lives forever. Literally! What a book. Scary and terrifying. Another great read. Wendig is on his game in his new book.
4 stars

Never climb a staircase in the woods - that's the moral of this really creepy horror story. The story begins with a tight group of five friends going through their high school angst, while trying to fit in, when the golden boy of the group disappears, never to be seen again. Their spooky reunion years later is the rest of the story. I really enjoyed the bizarre unfolding of the mysterious world they found themselves in, although I didn't understand much of the gaming tech end of things. I ripped right through this one.

Thanks to Net Galley and the author for an ARC to read and review.