I've been thinking a lot since finishing this about how I felt about it, which for a horror story is probably a good thing. I don't think it is entirely what I was expecting, as the bulk of the story is taken up by what they find when they walk up the staircase, which isn't hinted at on the back copy for obvious reasons. I found it to be pretty gore heavy and disturbing, which is probably what a lot of people are looking for in horror, but isn't my cup of tea, as I prefer something more psychological, more don't show the monster. However I did think the character development was well done for the most part, and the conclusion had a little more substance than what I was expecting.

In 1998, 5 friends came across a staircase in the woods. One friend went up, the stair case disappeared, and they never saw him again. 20 years later the remaining friends stumble upon another staircase. This time they are determined to find their friend. This was so creepy, there are scenes that will definitely stick with me for a while. I loved how flawed the characters were and each person had their own baggage but they accepted each other and loved each other despite their flaws. This was more than just a horror story about some creepy stairs, its about finding a family and accepting the darkest parts of ourselves. I highly recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/ Del Rey for providing me with a digital arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Growing up and living in New England, I've seen many old stone home foundations, chimneys, and staircases in the woods but I will NEVER look at one the same again. I am shooketh. This book was fantastic.

So clever, witty, funny (at times), loaded with metaphor (I don't think I've ever highlighted as many sections on my Kindle before - very quotable but I will refrain since the book is not officially released yet), exploration of household/childhood trauma (TW: sexual abuse, verbal/mental abuse, drug abuse), the evolution of lifelong friendships, bursting with horror, and video game logic (my personal favorite and unexpected aspect). The book also contained a lot of introspection of the characters, but it was balanced nicely with the pacing and description of the events surrounding them so it still held my interest and didn't feel like constant droning or a lack of dialogue between characters.

I loved the exploration of friendship as the main theme throughout the book. Most of the story came from the perspective of Lore and Owen, but sections alternated between past and present events including POVs from Lore, Owen, Hamish, Nick and Matty. The book focused much less on Matty than I anticipated, but the ending BLEW MY MIND. I would love a sequel focused on Matty's perspective.

HIGHLY recommend this book if you like horror and puzzles and problem solving!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House/Del Ray for the eARC! <3

#thestaircaseinthewoods #netgalley

Book number 14! If you’re an avid hiker or avid junkie of the strange and unusual, you’ve probably heard of the “staircase in the woods” phenomenon. While there is normally a perfectly reasonable explanation for encountering a random staircase that leads to nothing in the woods, urban legends have, of course, created alternative explanations. If you encounter a staircase in the woods, there is one rule you should follow at all costs; never, ever climb the stairs. However, that is exactly what happens when our five teenage misfits stumble upon a staircase in the woods while out for a weekend camping trip in 1998. Lore, Matty, Owen, Nick, and Hamish are all rising seniors in high school and all have an axe to grind with the world… and each other. No matter what though, when one of them invokes The Covenant, they all snap together like a circle of protection. Whoever calls The Covenant gets what they need, no questions asked. That is, until that one fateful night in 1998 when Matty invokes The Covenant for the first time in their friendship and the other four say no. To prove a point. Matty jokingly climbs the stairs they stumbled upon earlier, but once he reaches the top…Matty disappears right in front of his friends’ eyes. 25 years later, now complete strangers to each other, Nick invokes The Covenant. They failed Matty. It’s time they right a wrong they should’ve righted long ago. It’s time to find out what happened to Matty…even if it kills them all. The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig is a brutal look at friendship, the trauma of home, and the meaning of loyalty. Our homes see all of us; the good, the bad, the devastating, and the ugly. It sees the joy, yes. However, it also sees the screaming, the violence, and death. Sometimes home isn’t just where the heart is. Sometimes home is where hell is. What does that have to do with a staircase in the woods? I guess you’ll have to read and find out! But be prepared, this book has pretty much every trigger warning in existence. Now that’s out of the way, let’s talk about Wendig’s character work. Lore, Owen, Matty, Nick, and Hamish were each unique. They had their own traumas, own personalities, and own way of responding to situations. I think creating these characters that were so dissimilar, yet could work together when it counted was genius. Lore was confident, brash, independent, and narcissistic. But underneath that exterior, was a traumatized child that grew up without a present parent. Lore had to take care of themselves from an early age. They didn’t have a choice. Lore could only ever count on themselves, so they built that “I don’t need anyone” shell and it colored every life decision they made. Owen, on the other hand, was the biggest ball of anxiety I’ve ever seen on the written page. Owen was the opposite of Lore in many ways. He had no confidence, he didn’t believe in himself for a single second, he was shy, nervous to the point of self-harm, and willing to let life pass him by without meaning. Owen grew up with a verbally abusive father and a mother that allowed it. He grew up being told he wasn’t wanted, should never have existed in the first place. And that broke him. Each of the other characters had a home life and personality that was different from the others, that directly resulted in their individual personalities and decisions. Wendig did absolutely genius character work in this book. Every character felt like a completely real human being. The story work was also great. Our character’s traumas interweaved with what they experienced in the search for Matty. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but this was one of the most visceral and horrifying books I’ve ever read. The descriptions were nightmarish. The worst part wasn’t that the horrors were some nameless, faceless monster. The worst part was that the horrors were a very real part of the human experience; the trauma, sickness, violence, blood, and death that some people experience in the place that should be their safest location; their homes. If you’re going to read this book, be prepared to enter the labyrinth of horror that is the staircase in the woods. Be warned though, if you’re looking to fully escape reality, this book is set in modern day with mention of COVID and current politics included. Special thanks to NetGalley and Del Ray Publishing for allowing me to read an early copy. This book launches April 29, 2025. 4/5 stars

The Staircase in the Woods follows the story of a group of friends as they reconnect and reencounter the staircase that took their friend 20 years ago.
If you’re looking for a thriller/horror book that gives horror movie vibes, this is the book for you! A Staircase in the Woods is a riveting blend of horror and mystery that also dives into the complexities of relationships. The theme of rekindling old friendships, despite the horror surrounding the characters, was deeply emotional and beautifully developed. It shows you never know what happens behind closed doors. Things aren’t always as they appear on the outside.
The world building was amazing! I felt like I could see each scene as I read it and thought this would be an amazing horror movie in the future as it left me both disturbed and captivated. The author wove together multiple different stories in a way that kept the story fresh and unpredictable.
Overall, I felt this was a 4.5-5 star book all the way but there were some aspects that turned me off. There were a lot of political undertones at times that seemed forced, unnecessary, and distracting from the story. These undertones started strong just a couple chapters in and almost deterred me from finishing, but I could tell there was potential for the story. I was glad I finished and pushed past those parts! Also, the switch from first and third-person perspectives felt jarring and confusing. Especially when the story would go past, present, past, present. Once I got used to the writing, it wasn’t that bad. Lastly, the open ending left too many unanswered questions. I would hope for a second to answer them, but I don’t feel there would be enough for a second story; but I could be wrong!
Would I recommend this to everyone? I would 100% recommend it to anyone who could overlook the aspects mentioned above as the overall story was worth getting through the harder parts.

I don't know what I hate more.. this book, or myself for not DNFing it.
Every character I wanted to dropkick for being annoying / unlikeable... hardly got creeped out.. and if I wanted to hear about someone's CLEAR political standing, I'd have asked. No need to saturate your book with it 🙄 JFC.. Pretty big disappointment here..

This book is a unique and captivating read, with alternating timelines that add depth to the story. The concept is original, and the writing style is reminiscent of Stephen King—rich and suspenseful. While the political themes, which I agree with, did slow the pace at times, the strong characters and compelling plot make it a worthwhile read. Highly recommended for fans of layered, thought-provoking fiction!

An entertaining horror novel that read well, although it bogged down in the middle part, before finishing up pretty well.

DNF - No rating to provide. (read 30% of the way in)

The first few chapters drew me in, but unfortunately as I kept reading it started to lose me. Idk what it is, but there are certain real-world things that I wish we could leave out of writing....like COVID (that time was just so miserable, and I know the story is based in the real world, but please let me just escape that lol).

There two POVs that you're reading from. Although I think I would have enjoyed have each friend's perspective...maybe that changes later in the book, but at the 30% mark it only followed two. However, sometimes the POVs felt jumbled, like you'd be reading from one and then it felt like you were also getting some of the other's, and the jump from past to present felt clunky at times.

This is also so nitpicky, but one part said "Matty was a record setting sprinter in the fall for track and field" but track is a Spring sport and it's actually XC that is a Fall sport (as someone who ran Track at a high level, it just stood out to me cause it's quite different).

With all of this said, I always want to make it clear that reading is SUBJECTIVE and that this book may be better for another reader. I highly recommend reading other reviews to gauge your decision!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Worlds for an ARC of this book and the opportunity to read it and provide my honest feedback.

This book was a thrilling experience, with an unpredictable start that left me wondering where the story was headed. At first, Julie seemed like a mild-mannered woman, albeit a bit eccentric. However, as the narrative progressed, her obsession with her 25-year-old coworker, Sean, became increasingly apparent, revealing a delusional and dangerous character. What made this story particularly interesting was its unique perspective, as it's typically men who are portrayed as becoming obsessed with women. Seeing this trope flipped on its head made for a fascinating read.

I was very excited when I read the synopsis of this horror book. Then, I was even more excited when I was able to actually read it. This was a great horror novel and it kept me reading until the very end.

“The Staircase in the Woods” was confusing and twisty in the best way. At first, I did not care for any of the characters and had a difficult time buying into their futures in the story. However, I found myself rooting for Owen and reminded myself that sometimes things are awkward when friends grow apart, especially if that happens due to traumatic situations. The premise was exciting and intriguing, and I thoroughly enjoyed the challenges the characters faced.

Staircase In the Woods - Chuck Wendig
@chuck_wendig
👻👻👻👻👻/👻👻👻👻👻

"Friendship is like a house."

Let me just start by saying this novel had me by the throat from start to finish every now and again it would release and then back to square one. So, with that being said, let's begin, shall we.🦇

We follow a group of friends who go on a camping trip, whilst exploring they find a strange staircase in the middle of nowhere, one walks up and disappear as do the stairs, and 20 years later they reappear. The group reunite and embark on a search and rescue to bring back their lost friend, and in doing so, they step from our world into another, and so the adventure begins.
As we slowly move through the world, each place presents a nightmare, a past life,a piece of pain left behind, and a little whisper following you, calling you to come home.

I think the reason I loved this so much is due to the love I have for the creepypasta(if you know,you know👀) and the fact that there are just random stairs in the middle of nowhere(how curious dont you think) as well as my love and curiosity for the unknown which made this such an enticing novel.

Im quite curious, so I might just go find a staircase in the middle of nowhere and take a leap🦇
If you've read this,I'd love to hear your thoughts, and if you haven't, I hope you get the chance to👻

Thanks to Netgalley, Del Rey, Random House Worlds, and Chuck Wendig for the opportunity to review this novel.

Thank you again for this amazing arc!
This book was a mix of beautifully terrifying and gripping. I’m usually not the reader to enjoy the past, present, future chapters but I devoured this book right after being in a book slump.

I gave The Staircase in the Woods ★★★★☆ because it was the perfect mix of eerie and emotional. It follows a group of friends who find a mysterious staircase in the woods—one of them climbs it and disappears. (Made a mental note of that for sure lol) Years later, they reunite when the staircase returns, forcing them to confront the past. The atmosphere was super creepy, and while the characters weren’t immediately likable, their growth made the story even stronger. If you love horror with a deep emotional core, this one’s worth picking up!

I was intrigued by this book both by the cover and title, and also from the description: a group of friends (unknowingly all broken individuals) find a staircase in the woods leading to what they believe is no where, and a friend goes missing. Fast forward, and now the group tries to find their missing friend only to realize they must face their inner demons, trauma, and complete some major trials in order to escape their darkest horrors.

Netgally and Random House-Del Rey was kind enough to provide me an advanced copy of this novel by Chuck Wendig, and I must say I am impressed. This is the first novel of Wendig’s I have read, and definitely won’t be the last! I was hooked early on by the story, readability, and unpredictable plot. Something I look for in books is character development, and I feel as if the characters were not only relatable but we also got to learn the innermost parts of their personality. As a mental health therapist, I also LOVED the mental health representation and accuracy of symptoms. Wendig did a fantastic job at portraying the intricacies of mental health disorders - specifically OCD.

My only (minor) complaint was that I still have questions and was utterly shocked at the ending (due to the cliffhanger, plot, and sudden abrupt ending).

If you enjoy mystery, thriller, slight horror, and aren’t easily scared by some potential triggers, this is a must read!

Easily 4.5 stars - rounded to 5 for Netgally/Goodreads

This book started off decent with a cancer diagnoses but then got political and other topics, which isn’t my thing. Talking about trump, genderfluid, pansexual, transgender, etc. it took me a long time to really get into this book but it felt more like a haunted house story than a horror story. The book also ended on a cliff hanger which was a bit annoying. The characters weren’t that likable. This book fell flat for me.

Creepy staircases in the middle of the woods? High school friend groups coming back together as adults? And both of those things meet a weird haunted house where every room is your worst nightmare? I'm all in. I'm a big fan of Chuck Wendig, his last horror novel, 'The Book of Accidents' is easily in my top 20 list for all time favorite horror novels, so when I heard he had a new one coming out, I was really excited to read it.

This book was great, My only negative feedback is that I found the female character immature and unlikeable, but I think that was intentional, part of her "IDGAF" attitude.

Pacing of this book was great, atmosphere was fantastic, character building was solid, and even some twists in there I didn't expect. All around a great read, so glad I got an advanced copy from NetGalley!

The Staircase in the Woods was a dark and eerie, yet oddly emotional novel about a group of friends, who in their teens found a mysterious staircase in the woods that led to nowhere. One missing friend and decades later, the group finds themselves back in the woods where the staircase has reappeared in a reluctant search for their friend. "Wow", is all I can say. I enjoyed it.

However, one thing that I wasn't the biggest fan of is all the inner dialogue and random sentences/paragraphs in parentheses.

Following a group of friends in alternating timelines, Chuck Wendig’s THE STAIRCASE IN THE WOODS focuses upon, you guessed it, a staircase in the woods. When the gang were only teenagers, they happened upon the aforementioned staircase with one of them traversing to the top and promptly disappearing. Although a body was never found, public opinion saddled the surviving members with the blame for the death of their friend. Years would pass, and although the group would grow apart, they all remained together haunted by what happened that day.

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Now in their forties, they’re brought together once again as one of the group has received a terminal cancer diagnosis; or so they’re led to believe. When they arrive in New Hampshire to meet their supposedly doomed friend, they’re once again greeted by an unwelcome sight: another staircase in the woods.

If you think the above takes a lot from the plot of King’s IT, you’re not alone. I’ve seen folks draw that comparison across many of the early reviews posted online. However, I think that’s about as fair as saying that an author who wrote a story about a detective finding a dead body had ripped off Dashiell Hammett.

Wendig spends a good amount of time building up these characters as complicated individuals with complex relationships that when the stakes are raised and the true horror of the novel begins to take shape, it becomes an increasingly difficult book to put down. I hope I’m not spoiling too much by saying that the characters ultimately decide to follow this second staircase to its destination. When that happens, it’s easy to see just how much fun Wendig had playing with the terror and dread of it all.

The psychological horror at work here is exceptional. The story pounces on the trauma experienced by each individual character therefore making the novel go in some more than dark directions. I found myself rooting for them to make their way back to our world, even in the face of what often felt like unbeatable odds. Wendig seems to play with the fact that none of us is perfect, even those of us who have made some egregious errors in our lives deserve the ability to atone, or at the very least learn, from our actions.

THE STAIRCASE IN THE WOODS a solid standalone horror novel and a great follow-up to his tremendous BLACK RIVER ORCHARD (one of my top reads of 2023).

In The Staircase in the Woods, Chuck Wendig crafts a mesmerizing horror narrative that delves into the complexities of friendship, trauma, and the inexorable pull of the unknown. The story centers on five high school friends who, during a camping trip, encounter a mysterious staircase deep within the forest. When one of them ascends the steps and vanishes without a trace, the remaining group is left grappling with the inexplicable loss and the haunting memory of that day.

Two decades later, the enigmatic staircase reappears, compelling the now-estranged friends to reunite and confront the unresolved mystery that has shadowed their lives. Wendig skillfully employs a dual timeline, juxtaposing the youthful camaraderie and burgeoning fears of the past with the matured, yet fractured, relationships of the present. This structure enriches the narrative, offering a profound exploration of how shared trauma can bind individuals together while simultaneously driving them apart.

The novel's strength lies in its character development. Each protagonist is meticulously crafted, their personal struggles and growth arcs interwoven seamlessly into the overarching plot. Wendig's portrayal of their journey—both literal and metaphorical—resonates deeply, as they navigate the treacherous terrain of their past and the ominous reality of the present.

Atmospherically, Wendig excels in transforming the forest setting into a character of its own. The woods exude an eerie, almost sentient quality, with the staircase serving as a focal point of dread and fascination. This palpable sense of place enhances the horror elements, immersing readers in a world where the boundaries between reality and the supernatural blur.

The Staircase in the Woods is a testament to Wendig's prowess in blending horror with poignant storytelling. It invites readers to ponder the unseen forces that shape our lives and the lengths to which we will go to seek closure. This novel is highly recommended for those who appreciate horror narratives that offer both spine-chilling moments and profound emotional resonance.