The concept of this book pulled me in, especially as a fan of urban legends. The author does a solid job weaving a story from the "Stairs in the Wood" tale. Before I continue, I'd like to thank Random House Words for providing me early access to this title on NetGalley.
The plot centers around five high school friends who, on a camping trip, discover the staircase . One friend climbs it—and never comes back down. Twenty years later, the staircase reappears, and the group returns, hoping to find the friend they lost.
The setting was atmospheric, with just the right level of unsettling, reminiscent of “the backrooms” urban legend but haunting in its own way. The staircase leads them to a house with a seemingly infinite number of rooms, each echoing a place where some tragedy has occurred. The characters' descent into madness as they navigated these rooms was gripping. There were a few gory scenes, including some involving self-harm which lent a darker edge to the story (Reader discretion advised)
Unfortunately, the positives end there. None of the characters were likable. Owen is a doormat, Nick is the group’s token snarky guy, with no depth; Hamish lacks any personality beyond his glow-up. Then there’s Lori. Lori is a textbook manic pixie game dream girl who’s loud, brash, and just a caricature of diversity. She constantly asserts her gender identity, sexuality, and other personal details in a way that feels forced rather than meaningful.
The story itself dragged. We’re given overly detailed flashbacks to their childhoods to remind us of the bond they shared, but these moments didn’t strengthen the narrative. Given the constant animosity between the characters, their claims of undying friendship felt disingenuous.
In all, the book combines a great concept with some memorably eerie moments, but readers may find the character-driven aspects either hit or miss. For fans of urban legends and the supernatural , it’s worth checking out when it releases in April 2025.

Solid story and great atmosphere. Chuck Wendig is usually a go to author for me because his stories are exactly what I’m looking for. Thank you so much for an advanced copy!

This was a bit of a slow start for me but once I got over the hump I was sucked in and needed to see how it ended. And that ending- wow. I hope there is another book! This was my first book by this author and I would want to read more! I would also recommend this to someone who isn’t too squeamish with horror. It’s a book with relatable characters with deep messed up pasts and having to face there truths to better themselves and move on. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for asking me to read this advanced copy.

I have had some mixed feeling about the past works from the author and it has been a hit and miss. This one is in the former category.

This is scary in the right amounts with a tense atmosphere throughout. A good read!

What a fun book! I’m a sucker for a good plot, especially a horror mystery, so I was sufficiently sucked in from the jump. Each book has strengths, whether that’s story, characters, world building, etc. This is a story-first book, and that’s where this one shines.

Once the big turning point happens, you’ll know when it does, the plot really takes off. It’s an anxiety generator. I was giddy waiting for each new reveal, just anticipating what’s going to happen to these people. I tore through it. This author can set a scene. It’s great, feels just like a horror movie, like you can even picture the camera shots. Also, it actually gave a bit of Silent Hill 2 vibes by some things that happen by the end, which is my favorite video game in the horror genre, so it’s a good fit for me plot-wise.

Something to be aware of, this book relies a lot of gross out descriptions to create the horror atmosphere, so it could be a pro or a con depending on how much you enjoy that. I found myself saying “Ew” outloud at the way things were described at times.

So we covered the praise first, now jumping into the polish. One of the characters, Lore, was initially a tough sell. She was kind of overdone. She’s the first female character introduced, she’s immediately in an explicit sexual situation, all edgy names, needlessly crass at times, and at least in the first half, a lot of her involvement in the story is to hook up with people and be crushed on by the main character. She makes a bad first impression with an unearned rant encompassing all the “left wing” stereotypes right off the bat. Given she’s the only female character in the friend group, that was kind of off-putting. She does even out though and has her own storyline later on.

Just a nitpick, but the writing can be a bit awkward at times. The characterizations and some of the content are a product of the time it was written in, with references and slang that might not age well, but it reads fine for the year it’s written. However, reading this post-election in the US amps it up a bit with what comes up in the story.

Don’t let the cons dissuade you though, I enjoyed the book and I’m glad to have finally read a Wendig. I see his name everywhere in the horror genre, and that is earned. 3.5/5 stars from me, it’s solid, check it out.

*This book was provided by the publisher at the reviewer’s request in exchange for a fair and uncompromising review

If you’re a fan of contemporary horror, you’ve probably heard Chuck Wendig’s name. He’s written sweeping, post-apocalyptic horror like The Wanderers, and more intimate, family focused horror, like in The Book of Accidents. The Staircase in the Woods is another tightly focused, intimate story that revolves around a group of high school friends. One night in the woods they discover a strange staircase, apparently leading to nothing. Despite the oddness and the bad vibe, one of them climbs to the top, and disappears along with the staircase.

20 years later the remaining friends have grown apart and lost touch. They’re all scarred in some way, broken by the shared trauma and guilt of what happened that night. They reunite for one last time, only for the staircase to reappear. What would you do? Would you go into the unknown and try to rescue your friend, or would you run screaming?

It’s a trope to be sure – super close childhood friends experience a shared supernatural event, reunite as adults and try to put things right. I really love it though, and the blend of horror and coming-home story. This also has the two-timeline perspective with the narrative alternating between timelines so we get the tension building simultaneously in both. Sometimes the pacing is off a bit and doesn’t juggle the two quite perfectly, but overall it was hard to put down.

It's all about found family and a deep abiding friendship, the power of love vs the power of trauma. How the past can dig its claws into you but at some point, you need to find a way to let it go or it’ll pull you down into the void screaming. Also, super creepy psychological haunting! Who doesn’t love that? It’s a great spooky read, especially if you’re a fan of Wendig’s prior books.

The Staircase in the Woods is coming out April 29, and thank you NetGalley and Random House/Del Ray for the early copy in exchange for my review!

This is another great story by Chuck Wendig. This was the perfect book to read in the spooky month of October, but it will bring those spooky vibes to any season. His characters always feel real and believable, even when they are dealing with "unbelievable" situations. I couldn't put this down once I started it! He is a worthy successor to Stephen King. I'll be recommending this to all of my friends.

My first book by this author but I always hear about him and I wasn’t disappointed! The atmosphere was brilliant and I was honestly spooked so much! I’m now going to be getting other books from him! Brilliant! Highly recommended.

I went into this pretty excited as I love the staricase in the woods concept, but was rather....disappointed. This was my first book by the author, and I don't think their writing style and formatting are for me.
I did enjoy the author's take on the concept. I thought the horror element was pretty good. I liked seeing how the space effected the characters. And I liked how the plot eventually laid out. And that ending!!!
However, it spends so much time getting to a point. Not only that, but there is so much back and forth in time that it doesn't flow well. It feels so inconsistent, and there is so much that feels like filler for a page count.
Also, the way Lore's character was used to express what I'm assuming were more the author's opinions and views instead of for the story, felt very uncomfortable and inauthentic. The way the opinions were interjected felt so random and forced just really felt off putting. Like when she goes on this raging rant on Hamish in the car. She literally starts it out of nowhere and it adds ZERO value to anything. Not only that but then it felt like she was made to tick every box of inclusion the way the information was given so randomly. It's not that I have a problem with the views or the other information, it just felt so forced that I was taken out of the story.
Also, the writing style feels all over the place, and sometimes it felt hard trying to keep information straight. The timeline and characters thoughts were all over. And the way the time jumps happened didn't make sense and flow consistently.
To me, nothing made me feel much for the characters.
The last 30% I feel is where things picked up and were enjoyable. It just took me awhile to get through this one.
I am grateful for the opportunity to read this, but it was not for me.

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