thank you net galley for this arc copy. wow this book was good. i loved the creepy, eerie vibes. the feeling of danger it gave.side note don't climb staircases in the woods.

I've thought about those staircases. Out in the woods. And I think this novel is an excellent thought experiment about what lives at the top of them. This book examines the human condition and what trauma does when you bottle it up or hide it inside. This book takes psychic wounds and rips them open in an environment that should always remain safe, the home. The story kept me at the edge of my seat, guessing what was reality and what wasn't. It also made me thinking about my childhood friendships in a new way.

The pacing in this book is a little odd. The flashbacks sometimes come out of nowhere and the shifts in perspective get confusing. The author tries to balance horror and suspense with humor and pop culture references but is only sometimes successful. I'm of the opinion the slang term 'unalived' has no place in a horror book. It dragged me out of the moment. And many of the pop culture references had this effect.

The friend group reminded me a lot of the crew from Stephen King's It but I really wish we got more character development for everyone and not just our main man Nailbiter and the obligatory love interest Lore. I wish we had more representation; Lore's character felt more like performance activism than anything, which made balancing out the other 3 bland male character rather difficult.

This novel still has considerable editing needed but I did not factor this into my rating. Some sentences contradict themselves halfway through (I.e. Lore drops her backpack and then walks up the stairs, with her backpack) and there are many many typos.

3.5
This is a horror story about a former group of high school students that have come together in a forest 20 yrs after the last time they were together .. and they find a staircase in the woods… the second one in the history of their friendship, the first time, their friend Matty climbed one and disappeared!
So all these yrs later they are trying to find out what happened to him… because the group of five were in a “ covenant “ since high school.. meaning they stuck together always.
This genre is really not my thing but it sounded interesting and parts of it were.

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

Imaginative, creepy, dark, and claustrophobic - shades of "The Grudge" but way beyond the evil places trope. Don't read it at night, just sayin ...

4.3 ⭐️ thank you Random House, Chuck Wendig, & Net Gallery for this ARC!

The Staircase in the Woods follows five high school friends who stumble across a mysterious staircase in the middle of the woods. When one of them walks up it and vanishes, the group is forever changed. Fast-forward twenty years, a new staircase has emerged, drawing them back to confront everything they left unresolved.

This isn’t just a tale of horror—it’s a poignant reminder that the monsters we face are often shadows of our past. If we let old wounds from when we’re kids/teenagers fester too long without remediation, they can morph into other bad habits as adults. As a millennial from the U.S., I found the specific traumas these characters faced resonated with a lot of themes our generation has experienced. The book emphasizes the importance of connection and the strength found in solidarity, illustrating how, in the face of life’s horrors, we need one another; whether it’s facing our own pain or grappling with acts of hatred in this world.

While the metaphors and overarching themes are fantastic elements of this book, the creativity in the horror is quite also amazing! However, if you aren’t a fan of descriptive horror, be warned that it is not for the faint hearted.

I’d give The Staircase in the Woods 4.3 out of 5 stars. It’s got all the suspense and eerie vibes you’d want from a horror story, but it’s also layered with emotional depth that makes it more than just a thriller. If you like horror with heart and enjoy stories that are as much about the characters as they are about the plot, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

I’m not gonna lie to you when I first saw this cover all I could think of was the death stairs subreddit and thus I had to request this one. I’m so glad I did! This was my first from this author and it was twisty, turny, and entertaining right to the very end!

What would you do if you found a staircase in the woods? Would you go up?

The Staircase in the Woods explores what happens when a group of friends climbs a staircase and not everyone comes back down. The story investigates the limits of friendship, personal growth and pain. Can their friendship survive the ultimate test?

As someone who's enjoyed a good story or two on staircases on r/nosleep, I was immediately intrigued by seeing a whole book about one. Chuck Wendig definitely captures the uncanny liminality of the staircase story, and even readers unfamiliar with the internet urban legend will still find this book accessible and spooky. The characters are well fleshed out and strongly defined, for the most part, though some of the descriptions of one character's self-destructive habits may be hard for readers with a streak of squeamishness. There are a lot of references to pop culture and video games, so some knowledge there may make this story more enjoyable for readers, but it's not necessary to absorb the plot and appreciate the character arcs.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Worlds for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“The Staircase in the Woods” by Chuck Wendig is a gripping dark fantasy and horror that pulls you into a haunting mystery where childhood friendships, past trauma, and supernatural fear converge. Following five high school friends—Owen, Lor, Hamish, Nick, and Matty—who stumble upon a strange staircase in the woods, Wendig explores how a single, traumatic night irrevocably changes their lives. The story alternates between past and present, mainly focusing on the perspectives of Owen and Lor, as the group reunites two decades later to uncover the truth behind Matty’s disappearance on those eerie steps.

In their teenage years, this tight-knit group forged a bond through a pact they called The Covenant, vowing to protect each other no matter what. But when Matty ascends a staircase in the woods and disappears, their friendship fractures. Years later, each of the friends is haunted in different ways. Owen, burdened by OCD, works in a bookstore; Lor is a game designer consumed by guilt; Hamish leads a well-manicured suburban life; and Nick remains obsessed with finding answers. When Nick calls them back to New Hampshire with a shocking revelation—he’s found the staircase again—they face not only the supernatural but their unresolved grief and guilt.

Wendig’s masterful storytelling builds suspense through dual timelines, vividly contrasting the friends’ youthful innocence with their present-day, scarred adult selves. Each character is fully fleshed out, with complex histories that make their reactions believable, though one of the characters does go into detail about politics quite a bit, which pulled me out of the story. The writing is atmospheric, making the tension almost tangible as the friends venture deeper into the woods and confront their deepest fears. The staircase itself is symbolic, acting as both a literal and metaphorical descent into the unknown, adding a layer of horror that feels both psychological and supernatural.

I did find the pacing slow at times due to the repetitious exploration of the staircase, but the eerie atmosphere and the constant sense of danger keep the pages turning. The horror elements hit hard, with plenty of twists that make it impossible to look away. Wendig even leaves room for reflections on friendship, trauma, and the scars that linger from unresolved conflicts.

Overall, “The Staircase in the Woods” delivers a harrowing journey that is both nostalgic and terrifying. With its well-crafted suspense and richly developed cast, the book is a must-read for fans of eerie, character-driven thrillers. If you’re drawn to tales that explore the complexities of friendship amid supernatural threats, this book will not disappoint. Perfect for fans of Stephen King and lovers of spine-chilling mysteries, Wendig’s story lingers long after the last page.

Five friends go into the woods and only 4 come out. Twenty years later, the friends have drifted apart and seemingly gone on with their lives. Their shared guilt brings them back together to face each other, their fears, and a weird staircase in the woods.

This is my third Wendig read. Black River Orchard was my favorite book of 2024. When I start reading a Wendig story, I know I won’t be able to put it down and this one did not disappoint. Childhood friend tropes are one of my favorites. This story has dual time lines and slowly explores each character and their relationships with each other.

This one clocks in at a trim (for Wendig) 400 pages. The story is full of nostalgia of those friends we make when we are young, guilt, grief, trauma, and letting go of the past. Wendig’s spin on the staircase in the woods is creepy and highly entertaining.

4.5 rounded up to 5.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Del Ray for the digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

*thank you to netgalley.com for an eARC in exchange for an honest review*


The Staircase in the Woods is a dark fantasy thriller. It follows a group of high school friends; Owen, Lore, Nick, Hamish, and Matty. There is also a dual time line between them in school and as adults.

I was reminded a lot of Stephen King’s “IT” concerning the group of friends fighting a monster. Of course “IT” is much darker. But I felt this setting was still equally creepy.

The character development was portrayed well. Not one character felt under developed by the ending.

I thought the plot about the house was new and fresh. It was dark, creepy, and maze-like. There was not a lot of body horror, which is something I prefer.

I found some of the writing repetitive but I understand why because of the setting. I didn’t care for a lot of the “modern” references. I read to escape those, not be reminded of them. Some of which I didn’t mind so much. I wasn’t a big fan of a lot of the dialogue between characters. When Lore was speaking I felt as if I was being taught a lesson about OCD, which I thought was unnecessary. I also found a lot of typos but that must be common for some ARCs.

Thank you to Netgalley.com for the eARC

Took me some time to get into this story. Not through the fault of the writing style but more of the characters. They are all a little hard for me to like. Although they were all very unique I sadly didn't connect with them. But it was a hard book to put down. I wanted to find out what was going on. The mystery that loomed over the story which was so disturbingly fascinating and haunting.
Can't wait to try other Chuck Wendig books.
Thanks Netgalley and publisher for offering this eArc! Was definitely an interesting read.

I’m not going to lie this one was like being on drugs and having no idea what was going on.

I could not relate to this book or even get through it without thinking back to what I read and trying to make it make sense.

The history group of friends goes out into the woods and finds a random staircase, a friend goes missing and from there that’s all I can tell you because it was so scattered and random.

Not my cup of tea

Thank you NetGalley and Random house worlds for this arc.

This was sooo different to your usual mystery read. I’m so glad because I LOVED it. The group of friends characters were likable and you felt a connection with them. And you just wanted to know what the hell is happening. It was a great ride! Thank you to NetGalley for an early ARC of this gem.

Chuck Wendig always brings it. This one is no different. Chiller thriller friendship across time.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s my first arc review and I got lucky because I really liked this one! I wanted to take my pic outside in the forest but it’s going to be raining all week unfortunately. I found the story of this book really unique and interesting! I was invested throughout the whole book and really liked the psychological aspect of it. It really spoke to me! The characters were well written and developed. There were some harsh subjects like SA, so keep that in mind. I know I’m not the best reviewer, but when I say I liked a book, trust me I LIKED it! The staircase in the woods is going to be publicly available on April 29th next year. When you’re going to have a chance to read it, I recommend adding it to your tbr!

In 1998, four loser kids and one golden boy were best friends—they called the bond between them the Covenant. But one night, drinking and doing drugs out in the woods, they came across a staircase standing alone in the woods, and the golden boy climbed it and disappeared, along with the staircase. Decades later, the one who stayed in their town calls the rest of them back, and leads them to another staircase. Trapped in an apparently unending house of horrors, can they survive and maybe find out what really happened? Effectively creepy in its use of trauma and the mundane; a few typos in the eARC.

Another immersive, fast paced, mind-fuck of a story from Chuck Wendig, who sits squarely at the top of my favorite authors list. The Staircase in the Woods is a story of friendship and the devastating effects of secrets, insecurities, and fears, and ultimately, the redemptive power of love and loyalty.

In true Wendig fashion, The Staircase in the Woods is vivid, haunting, and at times, truly disturbing. Each character's voice is brilliantly unique with their pain, flaws, and fears teased out and laid bare on the page. The subtlety I appreciated in Black River Orchard is nowhere to be found. The reader isn't a frog in a pot of water heating to a boil in this one, they're leaning over the vent of a volcano moments before it erupts. This was Wendig's most gruesome, in-your-face horror story yet, with the most vivid imagery and world building since Book of Accidents.

I loved The Staircase in the Woods, and I can't wait to see what Chuck Wendig comes up with next.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a captivating read that held my attention from start to finish. The story was well-paced, and the characters felt real and engaging. I’m grateful to the publisher for providing an early copy—it was a pleasure to read!