This was phenomenal. Honestly, Wendig has absolutely outdone himself with this one. It's funny and raw and gross and gritty at parts, but so heartwarming and really explores the intricate and specialised nature of friendship, and how the bonds we form with others can be worn away by trauma and distance and personality. There's so much pain, but also so much hope contained in this book, which is only augmented by the horror, which I feel wasn't so obvious and jumpscare-y, which just makes it so much more suspenseful. It's more like the creaking of the stairs, slow and steady but building up to something terrifying. This one has absolutely climbed to my favourites of this year, but also my favourites in the horror genre generally.

Loved the mixof horror and thriller with hints of fantasy. This was the first book i've read by this author and I loved it. Will check out more by them!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a readers copy of this book. My reviews never contain spoilers and are freely provided.
This story centers around a group of friends who find a staircase in the middle of the woods. One climbs it and disappears, never to be seen again. Years later, one of the group invites the remaining friends to join him for a weekend. He wants to reunite and try to find their missing friend. What happens next is a creative take on why such staircases exist. Very imaginative theory, enjoy the ride.

Very reminiscent of Stephen King's It, but this one features a mysterious staircase in the woods. I love this idea because I've seen a staircase or foundation or single wall where there is nothing else around it and I've wondered what was there. I'd never thought about what could still be there. This is a fun romp into the unknown with plenty of creepiness along the way.

Nope; not into weird randomly placed political bs to serve the authors agenda. This was slow and boring.

Enjoyed this, although it felt a little bit overlong. Did like the themes of enduring friendship, and the openness of the ending.

This book kept me in a trance the entire way. I never knew what was going to happen. To some extent, I must have expected something on the other side of the stairs, but I'm not sure that it was what I got. I do wish I had an epilogue or something letting me know what they found at the end.

Though some of the story elements seem vaguely familiar, this story brings them together in a unique way. The ending is ambiguous; or, maybe more accurately, seems to close one chapter and open a new one for the characters. Whether there are sequel plans or not, TSITW stands on its own.

My thoughts/reactions:

TSITW leans on now-popular trope - a tragedy befalls a group of childhood friends which fractures once-tight bonds. They drift apart until something or someone brings them back together years later as adults. Misadventures ensue. This is that, but a darker and more prickly version.

There is a lot of profanity in this book. More than the usual, it seemed. A couple of times it was so thick that it got in the way and took me out of the story. Sometimes, profanity is used as a spice - here it was a thickening agent.

The characters in this novel are tough to read, hard to like, and even harder to identity with. All of them experienced some kind of parental trauma - neglect, verbal abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse. As a result, they all look to fill holes left by their families in unhealthy ways. That starts in their childhood and is carried into adulthood. Alcohol, drug addiction/ODs, sexual addiction, violence, cutting/self-harm, suicide are all very prevalent here. The characters are full of self-loathing which is thematic in their inner monologues and projected externally towards each other.

It’s not a few passages or pages that can be skipped, either—deep and prevalent pain, hate, evil are central to the story.

Anyone who has issues with any of those things, has any mental health issues,, and/or doesn’t have a very strong and positive sense of self might want to rethink this one. Even though these characters say they ‘love’ each other, they don’t really understand what love is or means and that shows up in how they think about and act towards each other. The tone is relentlessly, oppressively dark, almost nihilistic. If you’re a reader who is able to compartmentalize who you are from what you read, you’ll be fine. If you can’t and you’re a reader who internalizes and absorbs the characters you’re living with, proceed with caution.

One other thing I noted while reading that’s a personal pet peeve (but not a dealbreaker): there are several political/maga/Trump references - some slightly more subtle than others. I find this so pointless and irritating. Of course, an author is free to tell their story in whatever way they want and to have whatever political beliefs and opinions they want (as are readers). BUT, it almost always strikes me as superfluous and a little bit ridiculous - maybe the author feels better having vented it, but it’s not in service to the story. It also feels like it stales the story, dates it in a way. I disliked it even more strongly here because maga compared to issues like drug addiction, suicide, self-harm, loneliness. almost seems trivial. OK, soapbox over.

This is not simplistic jump-scare horror. This is horror in every sense of the world. It’s a chewy stew of ideas with a dash of the supernatural/metaphysical—maybe sort of a conceptual experiment? There’s a talented and curious mind behind this for sure.

Reading time well spent and/but need a couple lighter reads to cleanse the reading palate. Worth recommending, but only to a just-right reader.

This was... an interesting novel. I was expecting more of a horror aspect, given the premise of the novel, and I also hoped to see Matty. Neither of these things came to pass. Overall it was really just a story about trauma and the different kinds of trauma people can go through and how that may affect them. It was also a story about friendship though and how old bonds can be reforged with enough care and time. I'm torn between liking the novel and hating it. It's a very odd feeling.

On one hand I feel like the author rambled too much and spent too much time describing things he shouldn't have, like Owen's self-harm. (There were no trigger warnings in this novel at all) The characters also tended to ramble with their thoughts. Many of them didn't seem cohesive at times. There's also the fact that we don't get to spend much time in the "horror" rooms they see, aside from the ones that have significance to them. I was hoping to see more about how the horror rooms worked, like how Owen figured out the girl in the 90's room couldn't hurt them. There's also the fact that the author consistently uses a characters deadname in flashbacks. It's a flashback, yes, and they didn't go by that name then, yes, but I still shouldn't have known what it was. That's my feeling on it. They should have just continued to call them Lore throughout the novel. There's also the matter of whether or not they lost any time when they escaped. It didn't seem like they had, like they'd just been spit back out moments after they entered judging on how their stuff was still in the forest but I'm unsure.

On the other hand, I enjoyed it because it was a very unique thriller about a ghost of a house that traps people and gets them to do their bidding, and recreates horrible circumstances within it's walls. There were a few plot twists too that I didn't see coming, surprisingly, and I really enjoyed the concept of shifting rooms. It reminds me of a horror movie I really love. I can't think of the name right now but it's kind of the same premise , the Cube series. That movie is more of a scifi horror but, same kind of premise with people being trapped inside and weird shit going on. Anyways, there was things to like and dislike about this novel so I'm very iffy on where I stand with it.

ARC provided by Random House Worlds

Chuck Wendig returns with The Staircase in the Woods, a haunting, imaginative novel that merges the eerie with the emotional in a way only he can. At once mythic and deeply human, this story walks the line between reality and something ancient, strange, and quietly terrifying.

From the first page, the tone is unsettling—unfolding in a world that feels just a few degrees off from our own. The premise is simple: in the middle of the forest, a staircase rises from the earth, leading to nowhere. Or maybe… to somewhere else. But as Wendig peels back the layers, that surreal mystery becomes a lens for grief, trauma, generational fear, and the power of stories to both shape and haunt us.

What I loved most is how personal the horror feels. Wendig grounds the weirdness in character—people dealing with loss, regret, memory, and change—and lets the strange unfold from that emotional core. The surreal elements (and yes, there are plenty) never overpower the human ones. It’s spooky, yes—but also deeply introspective.

The pacing is deliberate, even meditative at times, which allows the emotional moments to really hit. There are flashes of dread, moments of wonder, and a constant tension that something bigger is always watching from just out of view. It reads like a campfire tale you half-remember from childhood, but with adult weight and consequence.

Chuck Wendig continues to be a master of genre fusion, crafting stories that are weird and wild but never without purpose. The Staircase in the Woods is about the things we bury—both literally and emotionally—and what happens when they refuse to stay hidden.

A slow burn in the beginning to captivating in the middle with a bit of a letdown at the end. It took a bit to get in to the meat of the story but I can see how the character building might take some time in this story.

A group of teenagers find a staircase in the woods. Their friend Matty runs up and through the door at the top. He's gone. The group spends years looking for him until one day the all reconvene and set out to find Matty. The problem is, they have to go up the staircase and in to the void beyond.

I really enjoyed the story set in "the house." The end could have been better. Perhaps there will be sequel.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhousepublishing for a copy of this title. All my reviews are unbiased.

𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

Chuck Wendig, you absolute menace. How do you keep doing this to me?

This book is the literary version of walking into a clearing and realizing the air is wrong. From the very first page, there’s a sense of unease that never lets go. It’s not just the horror elements—though they are deeply unsettling—it’s the emotional undercurrent that really gets you. Wendig threads grief, guilt, and wonder through every shadow, turning what could’ve been a straight-up scarefest into something far more layered and lingering. There’s humanity in the horror, which is exactly what makes it so effective.

Wendig is so good at writing characters who feel real even when the world around them is slipping sideways. This one in particular hit hard—there’s something about grief and memory and the way trauma bends time that felt painfully, beautifully true. The imagery? Off the charts. You will see the staircase. You will hear the forest breathing. You will question everything you thought you understood about the story you were in.

There’s a definite Stephen King vibe here—in the best way. That creeping dread, the small-town weirdness, the way the supernatural is never just supernatural but tied to something deeply personal and human. But Wendig makes it his own, and the result is something sharper, stranger, and entirely unforgettable.

And can we talk about the structure? Unfolds like a nightmare you keep waking up from… only to find you’re still in it. Loved the pacing, the nonlinear elements, the metafictional nudges. He’s playing with storytelling in such an intentional way—never gimmicky, always grounded in character and stakes.

A surreal, dread-soaked, gut-punch of a novel that gets under your skin and stays there. Do not go into the woods alone. But definitely read this.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Chuck Wendig for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Staircase in the Woods is available now.

Chuck Wendig has done it again. I'm always impressed with the writing style as it often paints a very vivid picture in my mind. The juxtaposition between the past and present enhanced the story telling. I highly recommend this book. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This book dragged for me. Sounds like a great premise, friends go into the woods and disappear up a mysterious staircase.. Once they have entered the house, the group must try to find a way out, while dealing with the hoorors that the house holds and the memories it causes each friend to remember. This story does contain very horrific and scary descriptions and witty writing, which is why I finished it and gave it 2 stars. he rest just did not work for me and it would have been a DNF otherwise. If you like a slow moving plot, full of toxic friendships, mixed with horro, this may be for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy Chuck Wendig’s books very much and this is another excellent read. It is a gripping, dark fantasy thriller with strong characters and a unsettling atmosphere. I highly recommend this book and any by this author.

This book hooks you instantly with its gripping premise and relentless pace. Every chapter ratchets up the tension, leaving just enough clues to keep you guessing but never certain. The protagonist is both vulnerable and fierce, making their journey all the more compelling. The twists are smart, unexpected, and deeply satisfying. It’s the perfect blend of mystery, action, and psychological depth.

The title alone gave me serious spooky vibes, and I was ready for some classic, chilling horror about a mysterious staircase.

What I actually got was a story that felt more like a deep dive into the messed-up lives of these childhood friends and all their baggage. And honestly? It had a bit too much of a YA vibe for me. While the staircase is definitely there and it's creepy, the book spends a lot of time on the interpersonal stuff and how their past traumas play out, which sometimes felt more in line with YA character development than the adult horror I was anticipating.

I found the pacing a little sluggish in parts, and it wasn't quite the intense, straightforward scary story I might have anticipated. It's definitely a book that makes you think about friendship and the lasting effects of childhood, but if you're going in purely for the supernatural scares or a more adult horror tone, just know it takes a more winding, emotional path that might feel a bit younger than expected.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

I have been craving the type of book lately that gives me the absolute creeps and Chuck did not disappoint. The atmosphere in this novel is truly eerie. I don't think I'll ever be able to look at a Staircase the same again...

The characters that are being focused on in this novel are fucked up in so many ways, however, their bond is wholesome and chaotic. I love their idea of The Covenant. It's gone from a pact to help each other through their lives major setbacks, to invoking unbridled and messy situations. It really opens up the question of "What would you REALLY do for your friends?". The novel explores so many various forms of trauma and character personalities that it's hard not to find an experience through them to relate to. I felt this added even more layers to the horrors the characters are being exposed to, as they are actively being forced to face them head on.

I love how these chapters are set out. It's coasty for a couple of chapters and they continue to get shorter as something looms. Then you're back to longer chapters which keeps building in a sense of dread, and because they keep getting shorter, the pace quickens making everything seem much more urgent and tense.

If there's a single triumph from this novel - I am truly proud to say it gave me the ever loving creeps. I had yet to find a book which actively made me feel uncomfortable, and this gave it to me in spades. Chuck's writing and how immersed I felt during the story truly gave me the feeling I had been searching for when it came to being given the heebies. And deeply I want to thank him 😂

Don't climb random staircases found in the woods, and if you have to, make sure you're past the serious therapy needed to recover from your childhood.
A group of friends estranged in adulthood, meet up to find a friend they lost back then, in the process they relive their unresolved childhood traumas.
The story isn't very new, (IT vibes all day) but it's engaging enough. The characters aren't very likeable, but not an issue for me, however the ending falls a little flat for me. I enjoyed the writing style so I will definitely read Wendig again, but the Staircase was not for me.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an early copy of this book. I liked this well enough but I didn’t like it as much as wanderers. I’ve already recommended this one to a few horror fans.