This was my first book by Wendig and I’m absolutely blown away. Immediately his prose and writing style sucked me in and would not let me go. Wendig is a master story teller.

The magical nature of the stairs mixed with the grotesque scenes throughout the story was a refreshing change of pace from other horror authors. For me, I think some of the scenes (some of the rooms) were a bit over the top in terms of horror. The amount of torture, death, filth, abuse…. It was just a lot for one book. And yet I found myself enraptured by Wendig’s masterful writing.

I do hope the publishers will have a trigger warning at the beginning of this book because boy, oh, boy this gets dark. VERY DARK.

I absolutely loved The Staircase in the Woods. Incredible, incredible, incredible.

Trigger Warnings: child death (on page), pedophilia (not on page), murder, suicide (on page), maggots, political/COVID discussions, dead animals, abduction (and these are only the MAJOR ones).

The concept of this book was fantastic, wildly imaginative, and a lot of fun. I really enjoyed this book most of the time, however, the author’s constant insertion of his political beliefs made some sections of the book eye-rollingly frustrating at best and virtually unreadable at worst. Honestly almost a DNF for me after Lore’s tirade about 20% into the book, but I stuck around because I knew there was a lot of potential in this premise, and -DESPITE the soapbox preaching of the author- I was not disappointed. Docking 1.5 stars due to your politics intruding on my recreational reading Chuck.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for sending me a free advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was very creepy, terrifying, and even disgusting at times. It gave me Stephen King "It" vibes, with the supernatural element. It's that classic "teens go into a forest and one doesn't come back", where they come back together years later to try to get answers. While I enjoyed the story, the writing was often repetitive, it seemed unnecessarily disturbing and gross, and the "woke" politics and theories were irrelevant for this story and took value away from the story itself. 3 stars Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy!

This group was an unforgettable adventure! I loved how the author spun a captivating tale that seamlessly blends nostalgia, mystery, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship. The story kicks off with a camping trip gone awry when one of the friends walks up a staircase to nowhere and vanishes, leaving the rest of the group haunted by his disappearance. Fast forward twenty years, and the staircase reappears, prompting the now-adult friends to return to the forest in search of answers and their lost companion. The dynamic between the friends is heartwarming and relatable, with each character bringing their own quirks and histories to the table. As they confront the eerie staircase and the secrets it holds, you'll find yourself rooting for them and reminiscing about your own childhood adventures. The author does a fantastic job of weaving together suspense and sentimentality, making this book a page-turner with plenty of twists and turns.

If you love stories about lifelong friendships, eerie mysteries, and a dash of supernatural intrigue, then this a must-read. Grab your flashlight and join the gang as they uncover what lies beyond the staircase in the woods!

I was initially drawn to this book because of a famous creepypasta with a similar name (also mentioned in the authors note) and I was not disappointed by this story!

Wendig masterfully crafts a cast of complex and compelling characters. The narrative shifts seamlessly between their perspectives, offering intimate glimpses into their lives and the trauma that has shaped them. As the story unfolds, we witness their friendships unravel, revealing layers of guilt, forgiveness, and the enduring power of shared secrets. While some of the characters might feel more likable than others, The dynamic between them creates a very interesting story.

The prose is sharp and evocative, reminiscent of Stephen King's masterful storytelling with a contemporary edge. Wendig seamlessly blends chilling atmosphere with a darkly humorous tone, creating a truly unique and unforgettable reading experience.

While the occasional use of "high schooler lingo" might feel a bit heavy-handed at times, it never detracts from the overall impact of the story. "The Staircase in the Woods" is a captivating and deeply unsettling journey into the darkest corners of the human psyche, testing the boundaries of friendship and allowing the characters to explore their own strengths and weaknesses . With its open-ended conclusion, the story lingers long after the final page, leaving readers to ponder its haunting implications.

Highly recommended for fans of Stephen King, dark thrillers, and character-driven narratives.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this story, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I'm a big fan of Chuck Wendig. He combines horror and supernatural elements together in such a unique way that every book of his I read takes me on a new unforgettable journey.

The decent into madness in this story by one of the characters was truly terrifying.

Yet another excellent read by this author!

Wait, that’s the ending?! What happens to Matty? Is the house still inside him? Did Lore actually shoot him? I have so many questions! But in all seriousness, this book had me hooked from the very first page. It’s a gripping, eerie read that also taught me one important lesson—never climb mysterious staircases that appear out of nowhere. If you're in the mood for a chilling house-of-horrors story, I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This story was a bit slower to start but the characters and their relationships kept my attention got better about half way through and I really enjoyed it

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Worlds for the ARC!

This is my first Chuck Wendig, but it will not be my last. I loved the mystery of the staircase in the woods, the characters, the 90's and pop culture references. The writing is so good and so realistic. The character building and their backstories and friendship was so real. The Staircase in the Woods is such a creepy ride and feels like an urban legend being told around a campfire among a group of friends. I loved this one!

There is a certain thrill when reading a work of fiction or watching a TV show or movie and a reference is made to, or a scene is shot in, a real-life place you've visited in real-life. My most recent is watching The Sopranos for the first time and in season 2, Tony is dreaming, and he and the crew are in Asbury Park, NJ. Having visited Asbury Park and seeing the same boardwalk and bars and warehouses as were shown on TV, it gave me a deeper appreciation and love of the show.

Bucks County and more specifically New Hope, PA, as well as, Lambertville, NJ right across the river, are places that are near and dear to my heart. I had/have wonderful family that lives there and as a Texas boy through and through, visiting them was quite the change. I have a special fondness for all things New Hope; be they Chuck Wendig, or Ween, or Jonathan Maberry (who may live in the area, if Wikipedia is to be trusted.) So, when Chuck makes a reference to a "headshop" in New Hope, I am immediately reminded of the few visits I took to a certain "headshop" in New Hope. I love those little "if you know, you know" unexpected easter eggs.

The premise of The Staircase in the Woods, is that there is a staircase in the woods. And apparently an actual occurring thing. Which sounds fucking creepy. Leave it to Wendig to actually make those stairs go somewhere. Where they go is a matter of some debate; hell, purgatory, some other sort of metaphysical, but otherwise shitty place? Yes, maybe.

Our crew of five, known as the Covenant, were friends as kids, until something horrible happens. Matty climbs the staircase in the woods and is literally never seen or heard from again. The remaining four are left to answer questions not only from the authorities but from their own nagging and guilt-ridden consciences. Time passes and the ties that bind the Covenant together are neglected, fray, and sever.

I will say that it didn't strike me until later in the story, that all of these kids have fucked up childhoods, but each kid is focused on their own fucked-up and there are varying degrees of jealousy regarding just how good or bad the other kids have it. Matty is the golden boy; perfect life, perfect parents, and a future as bright as he can make it. Why then, would he be first up the stairs? What did he have to prove? What was he running away from?

As adults, the remaining four Covenant members have tried to forget the past. Some of the four are successful, Lore (Lauren) is a videogame designer and not picky when it comes to sexual partners. Hamish has gotten himself in shape and had a family, but physicality can't mask the self-loathing and destructive behaviors of the past. Owen has done nothing of note and is essentially lost without the guidance of the Covenant. Nick is the only one who has remained obsessed with finding Matty.

Nick manages to get the Covenant back together and by invoking the bonds of the Covenant convince the other three to join him on his quest to discover the truth behind the staircase in the woods and Matty's disappearance. What follows is a genuinely scary and thrilling adventure. Throw in some metaphysical/existential dread and we have quite the recipe, don't we?

Staircases don't need to exist without a house built around them and when does a house become a home? What if a house desires to be a home and craves habitation? Does it matter if the people who live in it are good people or terrible people doing terrible things? If these walls could talk...

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Worlds (Del Rey) for the arc.

This book has such an interesting premise! That staircase in the woods and all its intricacies — what a ride this book was. Another thing to note, the characters are well fleshed out. There was a significant amount of character building, perhaps a bit much. However, there was no doubt that I knew what each character stood for and their motives. I enjoyed the suspense and on-edge aspects a lot. While the build took some time, my interest was piqued for the second half of the staircase in the woods!

I've heard stories about mysterious staircases in the woods that appear and disappear. I've also heard that you're never supposed to climb it all the way to the top because it supposedly transports you to a different dimension. So when I saw the title of this book, I knew this was something that would be an intriguing read. And it absolutely was. When 5 friends go comping in the woods and one of them climbs a staircase and disappears, they others try to move on with life. The group falls apart until they receive an email from one of the members requesting them to visit him. They all meet up and decide to make it a camping trip and of course they found a random staircase in the middle of the woods. This time however, they all climb the stairs and they are all transported to a very weird, very scary place.
This story was intriguing and held my interest most of the way through, though, I did find some parts to drag on a little. It was very creepy, terrifying, and mysterious. This would make a great read around spooky season. Definitely add this one to your TBR.

A suspenseful horror story of 5 friends who find a staircase in the woods that leads to nowhere. After one of the group disappears, those left behind deal with the emotional fallout of betrayal. The story focuses on themes of abuse both physical and psychological, along with alcoholism and drug abuse. The use of flashbacks are prevalent throughout but used in such a way that the transitions are seamless. While the story did drag a bit in some places, the writing was such that I've put the author's other titles on my TBR list.

Every time I read a Chuck Wendig book, I feel like a student again. Making notes in the margins (digitally on Kindle) and highlighting the hell out of half the pages. Sometimes these actions are to remind me about the characters' journeys for reviewing; sometimes it's about pacing and remembering to mark the percentage complete thus far; but, a lot of times, it's simply because he writes even the most foul, grotesque details with pure poetry.

The Staircase in the Woods is a horror novel. Yet, it's so much more than that. I urge readers to make sure they read about the book's creation at the end from Wendig himself. He says the same thing I'm saying. It's a story that could be reworked and pitched as a My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic comic book series. I know he'd be great at that too. But make no mistake, there are quintessential Wendig horror traits in Staircase.

What might those be?

For starters, maggots. I think every Wendig book I've read has maggots (I haven't read Star Wars, but I bet there's a creature that dies covers in creepy crawling make-me-vomit bugs).

Death, decay, grief. These are common Wendig elements no matter what time period or planet he sets his world.

Blood, vomit, and other bodily functions. I give him a great deal of credit for balancing drama, trauma, and humor with these elements.

Survival. If you're familiar with the Wanderers series which was epic, prophetic, and frightening because of how its human vs. human, human vs. AI, human vs. nature, and I think every other versus plot possible. In today's climate, survival is indeed an important piece of a plot about moving characters along from point A to B via Pi π.

Friendship/Family of Choice. This is one of Wendig's strongest elements to storytelling which is why I compared it to MLP. It is by no means an insult (and I don't think he'd see it as one). Quite often biological family members are atrocious pieces of shit. Even serial killers have family.

Reading the press copy, I don't know if there are Trigger Warnings in the front, but I hope so. There's family abuse from neglect, emotional abuse, self harm, and childhood sexual assault. This distressing part of humanity is how Wendig pulls together a team of characters.

I don't know my D&D well enough to be certain, but the characters: Lore, Owen, Nick, Hamish, and Matty have varying degrees of ethics and morality like a paladin, rogue, monk, cleric, and barbarian. As they go from high school friends who suffered a tragedy to being reunited and fighting for their lives, this guild of misfits changes significantly. One might start as Chaotic Evil but end up Slightly Less Chaotic and Neutral. Maybe a reader can relate better to a character who also an INFJ or I9C3G6. Readers will find all types with their own strengths and weaknesses in Wendig's Staircase.

Will Readers Fall in Love with the Characters?

Maybe if that reader has a fetish. I guarantee readers will feel an attachment to one or more characters and root for the team to complete their mission—but fall in love the way all genders of fans fell in love with Tom Hiddleston's Loki? Probably not. I will say, Lore, the one member of the crew on the queer spectrum, affords an outlet for Badass NB Energy. Lore states, "I'm genderfluid, pansexual, aromantic, AuDHD," and uses she or they pronouns. I don't recall any of her old childhood friends understanding it enough to refer to Lore as they.

You Can't Have a Staircase Without a House

It might surprise readers to know that there are actual staircases in bizarre locations. What blew me away was that Wendig started plotting his book while on tour for Black River Orchard when a fan told him there was a real abandoned staircase in the middle of nowhere nearby. He detoured and immediately went to find that staircase. He covers the entire story at the back of the book. It's remarkable so don't skip it.

The fictional house brings up a lot of questions. Metaphysical questions. Psychological questions. Basic questioning of what's real and what isn't. If you can see it, is it real? If you can touch it, is it real? If your companion also has the same experience, is the thing real? When is a house a home? Is home where the heart is or vice versa? Does liminal space exist? Does Purgatory or Hell exist? Can you think of anything worse than what you think your biggest fear is?

Things in Staircase boil down to a question: Do you have anyone who would truly have your back even if it meant going through their own personal Hell to save you? This team does and that's why they call their bond not just friendship, but The Covenant. More powerful than family or friendship.

What I Appreciated:

Among the team's personality types, Lore and Owen are the main two. Owen is the Yin to Lore's Yang. He's emotional, sensitive, distraught, self-loathing, in love, furious with jealousy, and quite clearly suffering from one of the few cases of anxiety that I've seen in a character that felt real. And I mean all caps ANXIETY, the kind that's more than a disorder—destructive enough to require forcible intervention like a 51-50 (code for committing someone to an institution against their will).

Owen hides—or believes he has—his compulsive actions like cutting his skin. His friends easily notice his nail biting and it comes up as a repeating way to knock him down into shame spirals even further.

There's never a dull moment. In fact, there's a bit squished into the pages called The Interlude and it is not a time to go get snacks. It's absolutely vital information about the what the Staircase and House are. It's a look at the villain's origin story which carries forward to June 6, 1998 when The Covenant found the Staircase.

What I Loved:

Bucks County, Pennsylvania. It's one of my favorite places in the world! Not that I've seen much. Driving on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River is a long stretch of winding road with intermittent charming small towns including New Hope which Wendig mentions in the book. He talks about a "head shop" there. I remember when there was one right on the river near the bridge to Lambertville, New Jersey.

There isn't a ton of exposition about the landscapes of Pennsylvania, the Pacific Northwest, and New Hampshire. There are enough Easter eggs for readers who have been to the towns mentioned to conjure up a dreamy sense of nostalgia.

That warm fuzzy feeling also includes all the nerd references to gaming, most of which even I had heard of. You don't need to have a degree in game theory to follow Lore's trains of thoughts as The Covenant journeys precariously through danger. They violated the number one rule of team quests.

Summary:

While there are plenty of gross moments in The Staircase in the Woods, Chuck Wendig makes a little bit of gore and dead/undead refreshingly bearable compared to modern horror movies.

The Covenant of five high school friends becomes four in search of the missing fifth, the one who was unofficially the leader. Wendig navigates a variety of character personalities suffering from childhood trauma (or ACEs, adverse childhood experiences) in graphic detail with a care and sensitivity that it's a wonder how he got through the creation of this book. The human characters face various antagonists and villains from other humans to their disorders to surreal supernatural forces of evil. Fortunately, the team of friends (Lore, Owen, Nick, and Hamish) find one safe place where they get unpredictable and momentary respite. Readers get to breathe as the team handles adrenaline fatigue.

If you've experienced déja vu or perhaps felt something paranormal and aren't afraid to explore the buried, dark aspects of humanity, then you won't want to miss this spectacular arrival from Chuck Wendig.

Rating: 5 stars

thanks to netgalley for sending me a copy of the earc in exchange for an honest review

the beginning of this book was very slow and dragged until around halfway, then i started to actually enjoy it. i really liked the whole idea behind the house is haunted not by ghosts but by memories it was quite different but it was executed well.

i didn’t care for any of the characters, sometimes they had some scenes that made them seem like actual friends and sometimes they didn’t seem like they were friends at all but i guess maybe that’s what happens when you grow up with people and lose contact?

i liked the chapter titles tho! authors need to keep doing those pls

Chuck Wendig's "The Staircase in the Woods" is an uncanny blend of modern anxieties and classic horror tropes. The story follows a group of adult friends who revisit past trauma during a camping trip that quickly unravels into a nightmare. As they ascend a mysterious staircase, paranoia, isolation, and the dread of the unknown take over. Wendig excels at building atmosphere, immersing readers in the claustrophobic tension of the woods. The characters, though archetypal, are nuanced, facing their deepest fears and the fragility of their bonds. This chilling tale explores the potential for the ordinary to become extraordinary, lingering long after the final page.

This novel had so many weird and wonderful things going on and was initially very reminiscent of a few Stephen King works, primarily It and Rose Red. But then it shifted and took on a life of it’s own.

What immediately draws you in, is the fact that there is a random staircase in the woods and, since this is a horror novel, you realize that this is not something good. When 1 of a group of 5 teenage friends disappears up that staircase and never comes back, well, that just sets the tone.

Years later the four come back together when another staircase is found and they climb the stairs together into multiple nightmares they were wholly unprepared for since each of them are dealing with their own internal demons.

I really enjoyed it and once I fit into it, I found the concept really unique. A great rollercoaster ride for sure.

This story was about grief, the complicated nature between friends you make when you are just figuring out yourself, and the despair that comes with adulting. I didn't love any of the characters, but found them as a unit tugging at my heart strings. The story was not predictable, and I found myself flying through pages at mid point to see what would happen to the main characters. A great read for fans of stories like "The Body" and films like "Now and Then," "The Sandlot," and "Heathers."

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this clever and imaginative eARC.

Chuck Wendig's "The Staircase in the Woods" is uncanny, where the familiar twists into something unsettlingly strange. Wendig masterfully blends modern anxieties with classic horror tropes, crafting a narrative that feels timeless and yet eerily prescient.

The story follows a group of adult friends who revisit a previous trauma where they lost a friend. A seemingly innocuous camping trip, quickly unravels into a nightmare fueled by paranoia, isolation, and the creeping dread of the unknown when they ascent a staircase apparently into nowhere.

Wendig excels at building atmosphere, immersing the reader in the claustrophobic tension of the woods and the ever-present sense of being watched.

The characters, while archetypal, are surprisingly nuanced. Their flaws and vulnerabilities are laid bare as the pressure mounts, forcing them to confront their deepest fears and the fragility of their bonds. Wendig doesn't shy away from exploring the darker aspects of human nature, revealing the potential for both heroism and villainy within each individual.

"The Staircase in the Woods" is a chilling exploration of the human psyche and the terrifying potential for the ordinary to become extraordinary. It's a story that stays in your mind and imagination long after you have finished the story.

Recommended for Stephen King and Bentley Little fans, and readers who enjoy atmospheric horror with psychological undertones.

The Staircase in the Woods follows a tight knit group of five friends who, when camping one night in the woods, come across a massive staircase that towers into the sky. One of them climbs the steps and is never seen again.

Twenty years later, the remaining four friends set out to uncover what happened two decades before.

Chuck Wendig has a real talent for writing complicated and flawed characters. I found myself hating the cast, but also loving them fiercely. The story moves quickly, with a mysterious and unsettling chord being struck the entire time you are reading. The horror is front and center, but underneath is so much more. There is deep exploration into topics like trauma, friendship, and abuse that evoke raw emotions I feel sometimes are missing in other books in the genre.

While the plot is a tad repetitive, it’s the characters extremely tumultuous relationships that keep and hold your attention.

Reading this felt like watching an A24 horror movie (let’s make that happen). It’s frightening but also has nuance often not found in others like it.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Chuck Wendig, & Random House Worlds for providing me with an ARC for my honest review :)♡