Wendig crafts an eerie atmosphere that draws readers into a haunting woodland setting, where the staircase itself becomes a powerful symbol of curiosity and dread.

The narrative is rich with vivid imagery, capturing the unsettling beauty of nature and the hidden fears that lurk within it. Wendig's character development is strong, portraying individuals grappling with their own demons as they confront the mysterious staircase. The tension builds effectively, leading to moments that are both chilling and thought-provoking.

Overall, Wendig's ability to intertwine psychological depth with horror elements makes this a captivating read. Fans of atmospheric fiction and psychological thrillers will find much to appreciate in this haunting tale.

Staircase In The Woods

An imaginative look at grief, friendship, trauma and self.

What I expected to be a standard horror about the creepy phenomenon of staircases in the woods, something’s I’ve personally done deep dives into before, turned into so much more.

The characters are fully formed, they’re broken, they are traumatized. Each in their own way.

The setting is creepy but not overly so, it’s rich and extensive and disturbing in less of a horror sense and more of a deeply personal exploration of trauma.

These two aspects together form something less terrifying and more impactful. The prose reached into my mind and rearranged it, leaving behind a sadness but also soft understanding and feeling of kinship. A sense of being seen, understood, in a way few books are capable of doing subtly.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It felt a little long, and even when I was enjoying the writing I felt like some scenes could be taken out without changing the story or vibe as a whole. Some may not like the ending, it being vague and all, but I found it very impactful.

I would highly recommend this book to others who enjoy suspense or thrillers, or anyone I’m close with that I know has experienced trauma.

Terrifying, gripping, nostalgic, and creepy, The Staircase in the Woods grabbed my attention and never let go! I was instantly drawn into the dual timeline story about a group of friends, the past, the present, and all the things in-between. I had a hard time putting this book down as I was fully invested in learning what happened when five friends walked into the woods and only four came out! I don't know about you but if I am walking in the woods and see a staircase, I won’t be climbing it. Just saying. Nothing good can come of it, and yet five teenage friends on a camping trip are intrigued and decide to climb........

Twenty years after the night they found a staircase in the woods, four friends came home. Their lives have taken them in different directions, and they lost touch after that fateful camping trip. But they have been invited back and hope to find their missing friend once and for all. If you are getting It vibes, you are not alone. But The Staircase in the Woods stands on its own (pun intended) and Wendig delivers a creepy and terrifying tale of friendship, abandonment, grief, loss, guilt, love, and the things that haunt us.

I loved the creepy and eerie vibe of this book. I also loved the tension, the atmosphere, the sense of danger that oozed throughout the book, the vivid descriptions, and the heaviness of the character's feelings. Don't even get me started on the ending!

Creepy, tense, well thought out, and hard to put down!

It’s a decent book. The prose was generic. The characters felt like cardboard cutouts of types. It was entertaining, but it wasn’t anything special. It was a formulaic story in my opinion with a couple of twists. It felt longer than it was. I don’t think it will be something that I will remember months later if not weeks.

The Staircase in the Woods
Author: Chuck Wendig @chuck_wendig
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Publication Date: April 29, 2025

Thank you @netgalley and #randomhouseworlds for the ARC copy.

Blurb:
A group of friends investigates the mystery of a strange staircase in the woods in this mesmerizing horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents.

Five high school friends, bonded by an oath to protect each other no matter what.

On a camping trip in the middle of the forest, they find something extraordinary: a mysterious staircase to nowhere.

One friend walks up – but never comes back down.

Now, twenty years later, the staircase has reappeared, and the friends return to find the lost boy – and what lies beyond the staircase in the woods...

My Thoughts:
I picked this book purely for its haunting cover and intriguing title—and what a ride it was! The story hit hard from the start, as Nick pulls his old friends back to the darkest days of their youth. Their return to the woods unearths a terrifying, twisted reality—a mysterious magical horror house that seems to exist above everything, where survival isn’t guaranteed, and every moment is a nerve-wracking test.

I loved every character, but Owen and Lauren stole the show for me. The friendships were beautifully written, especially how the group stood by Nick through every twist and emotional fallout. Chuck Wendig masterfully blends horror and thriller, with scenes that genuinely scared me. It’s the kind of book that crawls under your skin and makes you think twice about turning the lights off.

The only downside? I felt the plot could’ve benefited from a crisper edit and more details to connect certain threads. That said, the ending was fantastic—a perfect cliffhanger that left me hoping (and begging!) for a sequel.

I recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers and horror. Prepare yourself—this one will mess with your mind in the best way possible.

I’m a huge fan of Chuck Wendig’s work and The Staircase in the Woods lived up to my expectations! The initial concept of a group of friends finding a staircase in the woods, one of them climbing it, and then disappearing is so creepy. His friends then reunite years later in attempt to figure out what happened. I was worried that the backstory behind the staircase—and the meat of the story—wasn’t going to be able to match the set up, but it absolutely did!

The Staircase in the Woods is dark, creative, and emotional. I think it’s best to go into this story not knowing too much about the plot. All you need to know is that it’s a wild ride that goes to some terrifying places.

I was excited to get an opportunity to read this book in advance. The teaser about the plot and the characters had so much potential.

Sorry to say, it didn't live up to that potential. I found the story bloated, the characters infinitely unlikable and the underlying message rather convoluted and uninteresting. I really struggled to finish.... in fact, at numerous times, I nodded off and dropped my iPad, leaving me both confused (at the storylines and lost (as to where I was in the book). For my money the book could have been shortened to a novella or even a short story. Nothing resonated with me ... I didn't even find it scary or chilling, just rather boring and meandering.

Chuck Wendig has an incredibly ability to create such fascinating characters and place them in the scariest and weirdly realistic horror scenarios. I thoroughly enjoyed The Staircase in the Woods! It was heartfelt, scary, entertaining, and gross.

This story was great, however I found myself wishing for 50-100 more pages (maybe more along the lines of Wendig's other works). I'm eager for more books on this universe created.

When a group of friends finds their devotion to one another threatened, the true meaning of sacrifice is tested. Wendig writes well-rounded characters that the reader can relate to, especially for someone who experienced High School in the early 90's. The pop culture references for the timeframe were spot on which added to the ambience of the storytelling. While the tale twists and bends you may think you know where it's headed only to abruptly fail and find yourself at a dead end. Recalculating route. Which brings us to unsettling descriptions of dark and heinous acts carried out in various rooms of a house, Wendig hits upon many fascinating themes such as parallel universes, what it means to be lost, and the layers of friendship that bind teenagers together. As you read the characters self-realization moments it adds to the depth of the story as well as the character building. This will definitely be a top recommendation to my fellow readers!

As a massive fan of Chuck Wendig, I was delighted to get an early copy of his new novel. Very dark with flawed but interesting characters, an engaging central mystery with a satisfying conclusion.

⭐️4.5⭐️ ~ rounding up because it was so twisty and fun!

The Staircase in the Woods follows four distant friends as they come together years after one member of their group vanishes after going up a mysterious staircase they found in the woods during a night out.

After years of separation, they all reluctantly come together again, and they all find themselves at the top of another staircase found in the woods in hopes of bringing their lost friend home finally. What they find at the top of those stairs is unimaginable horror and grief that no one was prepared for (including me).

This book is a masterpiece in its own right - it satisfied all my spooky cravings perfectly and somehow opened my own emotional wounds by seeing the characters face their own individual traumas.

It’s dark, funny, horrifying, and incredibly painful at times. It’s a deep and unforgiving look at friendship and how sometimes getting lost is the best method when trying to find our way home.

This novel was such an immersive experience in all the right ways. I thoroughly enjoyed it and also loved all the super nerdy references placed throughout the book. I am truly honored to be able to read the ARC before its set release date in April 2025. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Worlds, and Chuck Wendig for giving me the e-ARC of this amazing book in exchange for my honest review 💛

I just finished The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig and I don't even know with this book... it is haunted house but not, psychological horror but not, Stand by me... but not. 5 stars. Highly recommend. Will purchase upon release.

Another brilliant novel from Chuck Wendig, who has swiftly become one of my favorite authors! The Staircase in the Woods is a story that deals with trauma, grief, horror, and mystery in ways that feel very Stephen King, just like Wendig's previous horror stories.

While not as good as Black River Orchard, this may be my second favorite of his books. Can't wait for more!

The Staircase in the Woods follows a group of trauma-bonded friends as they navigate their way back to each other after one of the group, Matty, disappeared after reaching the top of a staircase found in the woods as teens. As adults, Nick has summoned Owen, Lore, and Hamish back to the woods, specifically back to another staircase in the woods; and this time they all make their way to the top and into the void they watched their friend disappear into years earlier. What they find is a house of horrors. No windows, only doors. But these doors lead only to more interior rooms. Rooms where terrible things have happened. The tethers on their friendships have grown loose over the years, and now the four must navigate their way through a, possibly liminal, Escape Room from Hell, all while the house works to fray those strings to the point of snapping. Heavy on topics of grief, abuse, mental illness, and relationships, Wendig's new novel is a terrible, wonderful, often funny and horrifying, descent into madness, and I loved every second of it.

The Staircase in the Woods is a story of four ex-friends, to find their friend who disappeared off a staircase they’d found in the woods years ago. In the present, they’ve discovered another staircase, and once at the top, they find a house with shifting rooms, each door has a history behind it.

The idea of The Staircase in the Woods was interesting. I am new to the horror genre and in thrillers I have some idea what's going to happen., This was not the case with this book. I swear the characters figured everything out faster than I did. Some characters did feel one-dimensional at the beginning. I almost dnf'ed it. But, I was too curious about the different rooms. So give this book a chance to grow on you.

Thank you Netgalley and Random house for letting me read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, okay, fine. If I find a staircase in the woods, I PROMISE not to climb. You've convinced me (and this coming from the kid who'd shut herself in wardrobes, trying to get to Narnia.)

This was a claustrophobic, visceral, emotional explosion of a horror novel. I absolutely devoured it (and avoided getting devoured myself); each of the POVs was interesting and unique, and I particularly loved the wittiness spread throughout. Without spoiling anything, this was ... how shall we say ... more of a haunted house novel than I was expecting? And I think I'm okay with that. It was horribly delicious fun, and perfect for Halloween season.

Just like a house, this is a book that took some time to settle into.

The Staircase in the Woods tells the story of four (former) friends, getting together in a last-ditch effort to find their friend who disappeared off the top of a freestanding staircase they’d found in the woods a number of years ago. In the present, they’ve discovered another staircase, and once they step off the top, they find themselves inside a house with shifting rooms, each open door with its own gruesome history behind it.

I loved the premise of The Staircase in the Woods. It gave some strong Cabin in the Woods vibes (although, it’s been ages since I’ve seen that movie). I kept pushing forward for the next chapter, the next room, the next spooky encounter. Usually in novels, especially horror, I have some idea of where we’re going, what the next twist was going to be, but this one kept me on edge, the characters figuring things out faster than I did, which was, actually, rather nice. It felt more like I was on the journey with them.

I’ve seen others say that they found the characters unlikable and unrelatable. I completely get what they’re saying, but also felt the characters became less one-dimensional as the book progresses. In the beginning, they’re all seething with anger, grudges, and disappointments with one another and themselves. As they move through the house, it helps them open old wounds to wrap them properly this time. The characters learn so much about themselves, but also come closer together, reknitting old traumas. As someone who had a large falling out with her high-school friends during college, I empathized with these characters’ growth, their attempts to mend old divides and reminisce about the good days in their relationships.

As an avid horror reader, I didn’t find The Staircase in the Woods to be particularly scary, but I think that has more to say about me than it does this book. It definitely has the traditional horror elements, but I also feel it would have done so much better as a movie (or, let’s be honest, a video game). The whole backdrop would have been captured so fantastically on a screen, and likely would have given me the chills that reading it didn’t. Each room relied heavily on visually aspects, the jumpscares, to create the horror, and it just didn’t come across well enough for me on the page. The fact that the characters also became fairly desensitized by the horror may have also contributed.

Like I said in the beginning, this book grows on you. I definitely suggest giving it a fair chance. The opening is difficult to get through, and could have seriously benefitted from a re-write. The characters feel cardboard and their thoughts, actions, and conversations feel like people talking through the comment section on a facebook post rather than, you know, how people actually talk to one another. There's also some problematic conversations that made me cringe very hard and were completely unnecessary for the plot and characterization. The novel really hit its stride around the forty percent mark, leaving behind the stereotypical characterization and the chronically online language choices.

If you can make it through that, the rest is definitely worth it.

Was very fortunate to be able receive an ACR copy of The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig from NetGalley. The first thing that caught my eye was the title and then I was sucked in by the blurb.
This book was a great read for October aka Spooky season, the thriller/horror elements , the lengths these friends gave to go to escape not only the house but their pain, the psychological challenges, with some scenes bloody and chilling made this an immersive read.
The book comes out April 2025.

Wow!!!! I had never heard of this author before, but the cover and the title immediately caught my attention. This book was absolutely PERFECT for spooky season!!! The author nailed setting the mood for this book. I will most definitely be looking for more titles from Chuck Wendig. (Cool name by the way) I love love love the whole idea behind this story, it's fresh and I don't feel like it's been done over and over again. THAT ENDING!!!!!! oh yes, I highly highly reccomend reading the staircase in the woods, even better during spooky season!! Thank you so much for giving me a chance with the arc!!

Years ago 5 friends came up on a staircase in the woods. One of them climbed it and disappeared into oblivion. Over a decade since his disappearance the covenant is invoked and the friends ascend the staircase in the woods to seek answers.
The staircase leads to a house of horrors filled with blood, corpses, murder, and despair and the friends have to find a way to escape the house before it captures them permanently.
The concept was interesting and my favorite part was the description of the horrors within the walls of the house. In my opinion, it was longer than it needed to be and I found the pace to be slow at times. The characters were all unlikeable which I don’t usually have a problem with in horror but it made the emotional scenes less impactful to me.
I’d read another book by this author based on the writing style.