Another great read from Chuck Wendig. This story had a great plot, with great pacing, and of course, great characters. Can't wait to read the next book from Chuck Wendig. #TheStaircaseintheWoods #NetGalley

Thank you Chuck Wendig, Random House Worlds Publishing, and Netgalley for the ARC!

3.5 Stars Rounded Down

I've always been drawn to these "staircase in the woods" stories, particularly when I was making my rounds through reddit and other online spooky story forums back in the day. They rival "The Backrooms" now for an otherworldly portal to a never-ending house of horrors, but those of us who were DEEP in the lore remember those creepy photos (Not A.I. mind you!) of staircases leading to nowhere in the middle of the forest. It evoked that primal fight or flight of uncanny valley fear somehow. Plus, that coupled with a totally true story from a totally real park ranger about someone disappearing up those stairs, never to return- what you get is a pretty successfully creepy little tale!

All of that to say, I think it's cool that someone decided to make a full-fledged book out of this concept, but I'm not sure if it turned out the way I had hoped. For starters, it's very clearly a book meant for adults. There's very dark themes throughout and some of the horror and gore they encounter may not be for the squeamish. However, I couldn't get over how YA and Terminally Online the writing came across. The characters all met more or less as teenagers but I guess maybe when they're together they regress? All I know is that I found everyone so incredibly irritating! Lore, the titular girl character, annoyed me the most and its between her and Incel Owen that we switch POVs. Owen is actually okay-ish, but reading from Lore's POV is like scrolling through white leftist twitter. There was one point where the term "unalived" was used and I almost had to shut the book. They also spend so much time being horrible towards one another that I kept forgetting they were all friends at some point. I didn't even really get to experience that "power of friendship" feeling you get when you read books about old friends getting the band back together.

Despite all my qualms, I do think that Chuck Wendig took a relatively simple concept and made it really horrific and intriguing. Obviously, you'll have to end up showing what's at the top of the staircase if you write a whole book about it and I think the way Wendig layed out his house of horrors was pretty fun. I can now safely say I would probably avoid going up a random staircase in the woods at least.

Chuck Wendig has become an auto-buy author for me. His last several releases, Wayward, Wanderers, The Book of Accidents, and Black River Orchard have all been 4 or 5 star reads, and his latest release, The Staircase In The Woods, doesn’t disappoint. A group of former high school friends are lured back to the place where one of classmates disappeared years ago. During the days and weeks that follow, they will be confronted by traumas, memories, and current realities that will shake them to their core, and might be their only way to escape the house of horrors that they have stumbled into.

Chuck is telling stories today that feel like the 70’s and 80’s horror from Stephen King that I grew up on. Childhood friendships both tested and relied upon. Horrors that adults can’t comprehend and as such, cannot confront. And tension, both real and imagined, that propels the story at a brisk pace.

While this story is complex, with unreliable narrators and setting that at times feels endless, Chuck does a wonderful job of showing what is happening and keeping the reader engaged throughout the narrative.

Another great read from Chuck Wendig. Highly Recommened.

I loved this book! I always enjoy Chuck Wendig books and this one did not disappoint. I was creepy and enjoyed the dual timelines and the depth added to the story. The character were very well developed. The concept of the staircase was intriguing, and loved every second of it. It was unique take on a haunted house story. The group of friends all have a sad tragic past and grew to like each and one if them. Overall all i enjoyed it and would definitely recommend this!


Thank you NetGalley for the Ebook!

This review will be posted on Goodreads, Instagram, NetGalley, and BluesSky.
The review is live and can run indefinitely.
While the typos weren’t included in the official review, please consider checking Chapters 48-50, and Chapter 82 in comparison to the final print edition in order to omit these from future printing.

I would like to first say thank you to Chuck Wendig for writing this impeccably edge-of-the-seat gripping novel, and to the people at NetGalley for my ARC, even though this was a post-dated request.

While this has no particular relevance on the story, or the review, I find it interesting in all the books that I have read since COVID began, this is the first book I have read that specifically mentions it. Somehow this makes the story feel more realistic…more close to home. Wendig includes many modernity pop culture references and languages, and I can appreciate this in his writing because he doesn’t write it in the story as flutter or an attention grabber. It is just his unique writing tool used to connect to his readers in real time.

This is the first of Chuck Wendig’s works that I have read and it flows like dark poetry…warm and comforting in the only way that a true horror fan can explain. Overall it is refreshing to read a story with the presence of modernity.

Just under halfway the reader gets the feeling that this story is more terrifying because of everything that’s left unsaid or unexplained. That is until the characters leave the top of the staircase…Then the story becomes even more gripping, literally leaving its reader on the edge of their seat with each turn of the page until the final word.

I would classify this as a psychological horror. The staircase can even be used as a symbol for your deepest trauma and/or darkest fears. Choose your path to freedom from these trauma/fears, or live blissfully unaware in real-time while consistently ignoring them, unwilling to push through them into the healing you need.

Varied thoughts as I was reviewing this book:

*Grateful to Wendig for introduction to the band Coil. I used this as a playlist while reading this story.
*Nick’s character journey was the one who stood out the most for me. His strength, resilience, conquering fears, and mostly his unwavering dedication and loyalty to those he loved (friends and family) made me want to embrace him and protect him from monsters, past, present, and future.
*I absolutely could not stand Owen’s character because he was so creepily mirroring myself.
*”Show us all your pain, you soft, sad things.” My favorite quote throughout this story.
*Spider eggs and broken glass analogy was a chef’s kiss!
*Chapter 8 was immensely powerful. This needs to be read by every USA citizen, right now!

Lastly, I would encourage future readers to make sure they read the Acknowledgments and Final Words section at the end. It has the same power as Chapter 8, but moving in an equally, yet different emotional trajectory.

What would you do if you were out in the woods with your friends and came upon a staircase that went nowhere? Would you climb up and down it, or would you steer clear? If you answered the first question, I present to you Chuck Wendig's THE STAIRCASE IN THE WOODS. After finishing it, you most definitely will change your mind.

The one thing I will take away from THE STAIRCASE IN THE WOODS is that it freaked me out. It is the first book in at least a decade, if not more, where I was so creeped out that I couldn't sleep with my back facing out or any body part hanging out above my duvet. I had nightmares every single night I was reading it. If you measure how good a horror story is by how scared you are, then THE STAIRCASE IN THE WOODS ranks up there among the best.

I wish I could say more, but the entire premise of the story hinges on what, if anything, is at the top of those mysterious stairs. And to share that ruins not only the surprise but also the tone of the story. I didn't know what to expect, and I feel the story has a greater impact when you go in blind.

What I can say with confidence is that THE STAIRCASE IN THE WOODS is intense, beyond scary, gory, and yet very thoughtful. Mr. Wendig takes the reader on the same journey as his characters, so you also get the same opportunities to reflect on your past and on your definition of what constitutes a home versus an abode or house. It is unlike anything I have previously read, and it was so good that I eagerly look forward to whatever Mr. Wendig publishes next.

The characters were mostly unlikeable but I enjoyed the way the writing style portrayed them. They felt very real, flawed, and relatable. The story was engaging for the most part, although it did seem to drag at some points, and it did feel a bit too long. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the story, the mystery, and the suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this E-ARC

This was one of my favorite books of the year. My absolute roman empire moving forward. I loved how this book took a creative spin on the haunted house trope and provided a unique context to explore mental health, grief and trauma. If you enjoy cosmic horror, haunted house settings, grief horror, and explorations on mental health and trauma, you have got to pick this one up!

Look, I really enjoyed the story. It reminded me of Monster House, Thunderbolts*... and also Stranger Things in some aspects. So yeah, it was pretty good.

But... some conversations/social commentaries felt a little bit on the nose, like the author felt the need to put that on the story and spell it all out so everyone could understand without giving them time to reflect on the themes.

So maybe more show and less tell next time.

The Staircase in the Woods is a difficult book to categorize, but who needs labels anyway?

A group of kids in high school form a bond...a covenant, actually. They all vow to protect each other, they fight bullies together and are there for one another. Until one night when they discover a staircase in the woods. Their friend Matt enters it....and is never seen again. They become pariahs in their school and in their neighborhood. Almost all of them leave their hometown but one. Fast forward twenty years, when they gather again and search out the staircase for a second time. Will they climb it this time? Will they discover what happened to Matt? You'll have to read this to find out!

I've been a fan of Chuck Wendig's for years now and this book was no exception. I had trouble connecting with a few of the characters at first, but as the narrative progressed my feelings towards all of them changed.

It's difficult to talk about this tale without any spoilers, but the last half of it is where the story really lived, in my opinion. That's where we got down to the nitty-gritty with each character and their motivations. A lot of surprises were sprung as we got down to the history of these youths and what happened to them back in high school after Matt's disappearance. It was sad but extremely realistic, and it brought each character's heart out to be examined in the light of day and some of the time, those hearts were not pretty.

I think most narratives of this type lose ground, (and my interest), when it comes to the explanation of the big bad-whether it be a haunted house, a dark wood, or the discovery of ancient, eldritch, evil. I think Wendig hit a home run with this one. It was a mostly believable and terrifying explanation and to that I say WOO HOO!

I accidentally got behind on reading my review copy, so I actually purchased the audiobook. This way, I could review this in a more timely manner. I'm glad I did! Narrated by Jay Myers, Amber Benson and Xe Sands-these narrators did a great job.

Overall, this was an intriguing and engaging book that has me still thinking about these characters a week after I've finished the story. Kudos to Chuck Wendig on yet another winner!

*ARC from publisher, audiobook purchased from Audible

Chuck Wendig does it again. The Staircase in the Woods is a compelling take on the urban legend about random staircases that can be found in the woods for seemingly no reason, and that are dangerous, somehow related to disappearances.

I really enjoyed the twists and turns of this. I'm an avid reader and have read so much horror that the plotlines and reveals of many books and movies are too easy for me to guess, which makes it all that much sweeter when a book isn't just well written and enjoyable, but is able to surprise me as well. This is definitely one of those books. The characters were interesting, and I enjoyed learning more about each one as their back stories were slowly revealed.

My one criticism, seemingly a recurring one, unfortunately, is that he doesn't really do the research around mental illness that would keep him from making very small mistakes that won't matter to most, but definitely get under my skin, and I'm sure others who have dealt with similar disorders as the characters could be bothered as well. One example would be the use of Trazadone in the book. This isn't really an anti-anxiety med, it's most commonly used for sleep. While neither myself nor my partner were able to take it, it gives us both headaches (a common side effect with it), many of our family members have in the past, or are currently, taking it. So the idea of a character taking it for anxiety in the middle of the day throws me out of my suspension of disbelief. Overall though, that's a very minor complaint.

Another thing I love however, is the lore he's added to these staircases. There's an entire history that explains why they exist, and why people go missing when they appear, and there are rules to the way they act, and to the existence on the other side of the door. I felt like he provided solid reasoning for their existence and the reasons why they trap and consume the people who find them and go through the door waiting at the top.

Really, I'm just very pleased with this book, and the way it shows that we never know what even our closest friends are really going through, and how forming real connections with each other can save us. Thank you to the publisher for inviting me to read this book as well!

20 years ago, five friends went into the woods for a camping trip, and only four of them made it out. Matty Shiffman disappeared that day when a staircase appeared in the woods and was never seen again. Now, the group is brought back together in an attempt to find their friend, or at least, try to find clues of what happened to him.

This story tested the strengths, bonds, trials, and tribulations of friendships. It delves into each character's POV and also shows you how those relationships impacted this circle of friends. What each of them experienced as kids and adults during their reunion trip will make you feel uneasy, scared, and confused, but also wonder. This isn't your group of friends like those in Central Perk. These ones have endured trauma, abuse, self doubts and flagellations. They are far from perfect, but it makes you connect with them in one way or another.

I've first read Chuck Wendig last year (Black River Orchard) and found his writing style to be very imaginative. The description of the "monsters" is very vivid, and in this story, the staircase is a whole entity in itself. This had me gripped to the pages and well worth the 4 stars rating.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this E-ARC.

I found a thread on Reddit a couple years ago that talked about people finding staircases in the words and the strange things that happened to them after. All of those threads really creeped me out. I wanted this book to be just as creepy. And while it was creepy, it just wasn’t as creepy as it could’ve been. But then again I guess it can’t be because then it wouldn’t have been a good book!

I enjoyed this read. It was good but I kind of feel like it fell just a little flat for me. It had such great potential and it just wasn’t as terrifying as I wanted it to be.

This was a random, interesting premise with much promise. But after wading through a third of the book’s backstory with unlikeable characters I was struggling. Once they were off and into the adventure, it got better, but I was hoping for more of a payoff rather than minor resolution and a cliffhanger.

Thanks to Del Ray and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The Staircase in the Woods is a difficult book to review. I liked the writing, but for the most part, I didn’t ever get true horror vibes. I think I wanted more. Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for the eARC.

Now, THIS is a haunted house! The staircase is only the beginning of the horrors that this group of friends will face.

I'll be honest, it took me several chapters to start to fall in love with this story, but once I fell, there was no saving me. I have never read anything by Chuck Wendig, but when I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read this book. It ended up being so much more than I originally believed. Not only is it full of things out of your worst nightmares, but it also brings to light some very difficult topics such as SA, identity, and generational and emotional trauma. With the dual timelines, you are able to witness the things in their past that molded them into the adults they become.

I would recommend this book to everyone I meet! That being said, if you are not familiar with horror, there are some very disturbing themes and imagery in this book. You have been warned, so please, go read it now!

Thank you to Random House Worlds and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, but I think it was a little different than I expected, and I believe that is due to the marketing of it being a thriller. I felt like it was Stranger Things, but add a lot of sad history, trauma, emotions...
Overall I liked the story and the premise. I would recommend going in with no expectations and that will help a lot.

I know this one has been receiving mixed reviews, but I really enjoyed it. It’s definitely a slow-burn, so you have to be patient, but it kept my attention straight through to the end. As the group travelled through the house I felt more and more anxious at what came next. The characters weren’t always likeable, but they were believable. Overall I thought it was well-done and would definitely recommend it.

I loved the combination of a haunted house with a video game. The mysterious staircase in the woods that vanishes - intriguing! Wendig did a great job developing specific personalities to all of the main characters. All of the flawed characters brought insight into the situation. Lore and Owen were obviously our "main" characters, but each of the 5 friends was developed and complex. Though I didn't get any real scares from the story, it was definitely disturbing! Be aware that there are plenty of triggers in this book.

I really liked how the novel crafted this psychological maze, forcing the characters to push through layers of repressed trauma toward revelation. I’m forever team HoL, but this was a great contender of its own!(4.5★)