✨ The Vibes ✨
IT for the modern era

📖 Read if…
✨ Stephen King is one of your favorite authors
✨ You’re not afraid of a horror story that gets dark emotionally
✨ You want a book that puts a lot of focus on friendship and found family
I’m a big horror fan, so when I read the summary, The Staircase in the Woods sounded really appealing to me. Unfortunately, I don’t think this book was for me.

The Staircase in the Woods is scary, I will give it that. Some of the scenes and descriptions were downright terrifying to the point where I had to stop reading, which is something that never happens with me. I think Chuck Wendig does a great job of curating those feelings of fear and terror in a way that is very visceral, and if I ever need a book that will scare me like no other, I’ll be sure to pick up another one of his.

That being said, reflecting on my reading experience, there were two main reasons why I didn’t connect with this book. First, it felt very derivative from various horror books and movies I’ve read and watched in the past (IT is the main one that comes to mind). The trope of friends face a scary thing in the woods is fine, if some new and creative elements are added, and this one just didn’t have enough creativity to make it stand out. Second, I found the majority of this book to be sad, rather than scary, which really put a damper on it, especially since it didn’t feel like there was a true redemptive arc for some of the characters. I think if there had been just a smidge more hopefulness, this might have been more of a winner for me.

The Staircase in the Woods is out now. Thanks to Del Ray and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by this author. The cover is what captivated me! It was a different story to what I usually gravitate towards but I didnt mind it!!!

Five high school friends swore to protect each other no matter what. When they find a staircase in the woods while camping, one climbs it to explore and never comes back, the staircase disappearing. Thirty years later, the staircase is back. Now it's time to find their lost friend, and whatever else might be hiding in the woods.

We begin in the present day, with some talk about the past. Owen is a nervous wreck, biting his nails and consumed by his OCD thoughts and repetitive behaviors. Lore is a game designer that is currently stuck in her project. Hamish is now overly healthy and works as a mortgage broker. Nick draws them all back together after years of silence saying he's dying and wants to see them before he dies. Of course this guilts them into returning to his side, but it isn't the hotel he promised. Instead, it's the forest where he had found another staircase like the one they saw in the woods when they were teenagers.

Chapters are short and serve to increase the tension. We see how the friendships had gone in the past, and the day their friend Matt had disappeared up the staircase. None of them had gone up at the time, but now they climb the stairs hoping to find him. Their lives have changed drastically since the first trip in the woods, and they aren't close now. It's another layer of tension as the story progresses, and they explore their new horror-inducing surroundings. Each door leads somewhere else, and there are horrors in every room. Some of the horrors resonate with a particular person, some of them echo Matt.

The horrors in the house amplify the horrors of the lives they had before Matt disappeared, ripping into the softer and vulnerable portions of their psyches. It's not just a blood and gore horror, but the horror of lives unlived and the loss of friendship when growing up and they needed it most. This probably hints at how the novel ties it all together at the end, but it's very well done and was so utterly spellbinding, I had to continue to see how it ended. The horror is still there, lingering after the last page is done, and the mark of an excellent book.

Own, Lore, Hamish, Nick, and Matty were bonded as friends in high school when they stuck together and vowed to protect each other. But when they venture on a camping trip the stumble on a staircase that leads to nowhere.Matty decides to venture up the staircase, but none of the others follow. When Matty and the staircase disappear, the remaining friends are left not only under a cloud of suspicion, but grief over their friend. When Nick calls on their bond to get the 4 friends back together 20 years late, they find a staircase again and decide that together they will try and find their missing friend.

The story was a very slow starter for me, it didn't really pick up and grab me until at least 75% of the way through. I really enjoyed reading the author's final word chapter explaining how the story idea generated and how the book was about our different types of friendships we have in life and the difficulty of keeping friendships, how it can hurt when you lose a friendship, and how amazing it can be when you rediscover a friendship.

4.5 stars

I was 100% convienced, based on the first 120 pages that this book was going to be a five star read for me. But once the action started in this story, it kind of made me pump the brakes a little bit. The story took a different turn and I was a little confused as to what was happening but once I got used to this shift in the story, I was on board. Loved the writing so much and I could totally see this story turn into a movie, Highly recommend.

Before I write my review I want to acknowledge how much time, work and effort that authors put into books. It's always difficult for me to give this kind of rating on one of my favorite authors.

This book tells the story of five friends in the late 1990s who venture out into the woods, discover a staircase and only one of them comes back. Later in life they head back into the woods and chaos ensures.

The plot and pacing of this book didn't work out for me. The section of the book where the adults were in the "staircase location" grew repetitive and I was bored. Multiple times I contemplated DNFing the book. The areas of the book that kept me interested were hearing the backstory of the adults as children. I grew to have empathy for the kids and cared about them. But their personalities as adults were incredibly unlikeable. I didn't care about any of them.

The ending felt rushed. The central portion of the characters and what they were experiencing "in the staircase world" should've been drastically edited and the denouement/a-ha moment should've been developed more. Random characters were added that gave us a backstory and reason for the staircase and then the book abruptly ended. The book felt like it promised a resolution with Matty and instead he was touched upon in one chapter and then we were left hanging.

We needed stronger editing in the mid-section of the book and more elaboration in the last 20%.

4.5 stars, rounded down

What a ride this story was. It’s heavy, gory, and filled with trauma. It’s the kind of horror that lingers long after you turn the last page. The pacing is slow for much of the book, but it builds intentionally and pays off in a way that suits the story without feeling rushed or forced.

I’ve sat with this one for a few days, letting it settle before writing a review, and I can confidently say I loved almost everything about it. The flawed characters, the eerie atmosphere, and the sense of creeping dread were all so well done.

That said, a couple of things kept it from being a full 5 stars for me: the loose ending left me wanting more closure, and the story could’ve been trimmed by 30 pages or so without losing its impact. Still, this was a haunting, memorable read I won’t soon forget.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I am always up for a new book by Chuck Wendig. The Staircase in the Woods has a great synopsis, enough to bring you in without giving too much away.

Wendig has done a fantastic job with his characters. The cast is small, this allows his readers to spend more time with each one, really getting to know them. This allowed me to feel like I was one of the gang, going up that staircase in search of our friend.

Normally, I love a book that takes its time, meandering through the lives of its characters. From my perspective, a great story is as much about the voyage as it is the destination. There is an art to making this work, a skill in development and presentation that moves the story forward, while at the same time demonstrating patience. It just didn’t work for me here. There was too much of this story that felt redundant. I don’t want to give any of the story away, but there was a section of the story where the characters were moving, but nothing new came to light; it just got a little stagnant.

That being said, The Staircase in the Woods was an exceptionally creative story. I found myself asking, where do you come up with these ideas? I enjoyed the time that I spent with Wendig’s characters; it was a new, unique experience; I just found myself there a bit too long.

*4 Stars

RECAP: Bound by an oath to protect each other, 5 friends discover a mysterious staircase in the woods—one climbs it & vanishes, along with the stairs. Twenty years later, the staircase reappears, and the group returns to uncover the truth & find their lost friend.

REVIEW: Creepy! To the point where I had to stop and switch to another book because I was getting scared right before going to bed. I think my main gripe with this book is that it was a tad longer than it needed to be, IMO. This is one of those books that had a slow start, but a strong and jam-packed finish. I also got vibes of Coraline (IYKYK), and the fairly short chapters were an added bonus for me. The author tackles some heavy topics as well, so be sure to check trigger warnings if you're concerned.
Who would probably like this book? Readers who enjoy slow-building horror filled with creepy mysteries & the strong but tested bonds of friendship.
Things that may be deal breakers for some readers - political agenda, some plot holes/loose ends and the aforementioned slow pacing (I would say it picks up around the 60% mark).

If I came across a staircase in the woods, no doubt I'd be highly intrigued. But would I climb it? That would be an emphatic no. Not after reading this novel.

This group of friends were ride or die in high school, but after Matty disappears Nick, Owen, Lore, and Hamish gradually grow apart over the years. They're nearly strangers now. But throughout their adulthoods filled with jobs or lack of employment, relationships, marriages, kids, etc., they never forgot Matty and still experience varying degrees of guilt and grief. And then Nick calls them back home under a false pretense. It's really so they can find Matty. What happens after they climb the stairs borders on a fever dream at times. Buckle in when you get to that part.

This is a very dark story with too many trigger warnings to mention here. Some readers may want to check into those before reading this novel. Imagery is outstanding - eerie, spine-tingling, and occasionally gory. The book clocks in at nearly 400 pages, but with fairly chapters, pacing is brisk for the most part. The story alternates between present day and high school with deftly layered backstories gradually revealed. Each character is scarred in some way, and they undergo a deep exploration of those traumas and face their worst nightmares over the course of the story.

Recommended for fans of the childhood friends who reunite as adults over a shared trauma experience trope, horror novels that don't rely on jump scares, and well-crafted characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a deeply eerie account of childhood trauma, fractured friendships, and the unsettling unknowability of experience. Five teens discover in the woods an innocuous staircase. For reasons unfathomable, one youth climbs the staircase and disappears, leaving lingering scars on the remaining teens. Twenty years later, the staircase appears once again. The former friends connect about their pasts, their relationships to each other, and about what, or whom, might again be at stake. Wendig's seamless blend of psychological horror and rich emotionality allows him to create a narrative that meditates on grief, guilt, and the ambiguities of relationships; hopefully, it is clear by now how his story embodies growing up. The atmospheric tension mixed with Wendig's character-driven narrative is immediately engaging and draws the reader's impulse to consider how the characters' experiences relate to their internal landscapes, granting a chilling yet poignant journey that leads to intriguing conclusions. For readers who enjoy literary horror that lingers long after the final page, Wendig’s The Staircase in the Woods is certainly an attractive purchase. I very much enjoyed it!

Wendig's books are always worth the time investment, and The Staircase in the Woods is no exception. This story will live under my skin for a long time.

when their childhood friend nick calls up the group, tells them that he's dying from cancer, owen, hamish, and lauren decide to reconvene as his dying wish. the problem: the last time they were together they were in the woods they saw a staircase in the middle of nowhere. the last time they were in the woods was when their friend matty disappeared without a trace. when they arrive and nick makes sure they're dropped together in the woods against their will, they realize the con: there's another staircase in the woods. they're going to find out what happened to matty and this time they're going to go up the staircase together.

this felt like the wendig version of the book IT which makes perfect sense because for a long time i've thought that wendig was stephen king's heir apparent.

it's also really a difficult book to talk about without giving away all the details. at first, each characters seems more caricature than human. this choice is by design because as the book goes on, we learn each character's relationship to the trauma that they encountered as children and how they individually survived, plus how these traumatic events impacted their lives. this book doesn't ask the question of the places that trauma can take you insomuch as it asks you the traumatic places that you can come back from.

what happens after the crew takes up the stairs together feels like something that should be discovered through reading. i loved the surrealism aspect of it. i love how each scene was crafted. and mostly i love how this book was a realer take on what it means to be a person and the experience of grief, of pain, of loss, of abandonment.

in the grand wendig tradition this book felt a little long for me. there was also a lot of political commentary with lauren eviscerating hamish over who he voted for and pronouns. while i appreciate that wendig is an ally, i probably could have done without the insertion of a lecture about it in this book or, at the very least, i wish that the way he dealt with it had been a tiny bit less ham-fisted.

4.5 stars

I was both ridiculously excited and a bit wary of this book going into it. As one of the many people who grew up with Creepypastas and r/nosleeps, I love the whole concept of staircases in the woods and the many, creepy ways they’ve been utilized in horror stories. I definitely thought that this book was going to go a little “Search and Rescue Woods” with it. (I didn’t read the description before picking it up. The title was enough for me.) I absolutely did not see the direction this book was going to take coming but I ended up really enjoying it. I loved the dynamic of the group, the shifting between past and present and the horror to be found beyond the staircase in the woods. Some of the imagery really got to me. There were several times when my jaw literally dropped while reading. While I do wish that the ending was pushed back a little further, I understand why it ended where it did. I will absolutely be bugging everyone I know to read this book.

WOW.

I had a pretty good idea that I was going to like this book just based off the blurb, but goddamn, this was one of the BEST thriller/horror books I've ever read! I'm talking like Stephen King and Riley Sager level. I loved EVERY SINGLE SECOND of this book!

The writing was incredible, so descriptive while also quite poetic. It was perfection. I loved the different characters and how it explored both their positive qualities and their own personal struggles and flaws. The story itself was definitely the highlight of this book. Chuck is a genius. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more. The twists and turns were incredible.

If you love a horror then you NEED to read this. It ticked every box for me. The entire time I was reading it all I could think was 'This NEEDS to be turned into a movie or tv show!'. I just know it would be such a big hit.

I am obsessed. I will 100% be reading more of Chuck Wendig's books. I highly HIGHLY recommend reading this one!

I liked this one. It has great atmosphere and enough twists to keep readers engaged. Longer review to come soon.

Five high school friends are bonded by an oath to protect one another no matter what.

Then, on a camping trip in the middle of the forest, they find something a mysterious staircase to nowhere.

One friend walks up—and never comes back down. Then the staircase disappears.

Twenty years later, the staircase has reappeared. Now the group returns to find the lost boy—and what lies beyond the staircase in the woods. . . .

So many things to unpack in this horror novel.
Lost changes, lost childhood, lost friends, denial, and the hope of retribution. All wrapped up in one spooky ass story.
This is part coming of age added I to a haunted house with rooms filled with their own individual horrors .
Chuck Wendig knows how to weild a pen th scare you silly and to make you think of those uncomfortable days of your youth when you made choices you may regret today and wish you could go back and fix.
My suggestion...leave that trap alone. There are scary rooms locked away in your head that are best not to revisit.

Highly recommended. Punlished April 29, 2025
Thanks to @netgalley and Random House Worlds/Del Rey for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Here's the deal: this was very creepy and disturbing. It was a solid horror read. If you are looking for a horror book that gives very "classic horror" vibes, then this is a solid choice. That said, the title does feel a bit misleading. Yes, there IS a staircase in the woods that is a central piece of the initial mystery, but the ultimate horror of the novel doesn't take place on or around that staircase. At its heart, this is a haunted house story, which is fine, but it lacked the originality that I was excited about when I read the premise. I really thought this would be unlike anything I had read before, but it ended up being a haunted house story with a weird staircase storyline pinned to the beginning. All of that said, it is definitely a solid haunted house story. The crew of friends was really fun, and I enjoyed the flipping between their lives as teens in the 90s and their broken lives as adults. The wrap up was a little disappointing, but not enough to be a let down. If you are in the mood for a haunted house book, this is a solid choice. If you are looking for some really weird and original horror, this may be a pass for you.

I received an advanced copy of the staircase in the woods from NETGALLEY, for my honest review.
Five friends go into the woods and find, you guessed it a staircase and curiosity gets the better so Matty runs up the stairs, yells Covenant and so friends were trailing behind but when Matty gets to the top he vanishes.
By the time the other 4 friends get to the top they cannot find him. What just happened?
The book hooked me from the start. Then it got weird. There were a lot of heavy content like abuse to varying degrees, depression, suicide and scenes reflecting on a overdose.
Years later the 4 friends go back into the woods to find Matty and come across another staircase. Then things got weird for me and a lot of shit happened.
I like a good thriller, this was too much for me to wrap my head around.

In 1998 five close school friends go camping in the woods. But only four return home.
Flash forward twenty years and the remaining group return to finally find out what happened to their friend.

This ended up being an interesting and fresh take on the haunted house subgenre. It was creepy and original but sadly it wasn’t without its flaws. I didn’t feel any connection to the characters and the second half felt slow-going. Also, despite some pretty dark content in places, to me it read like YA fiction which let it down a little.
Still, it was enjoyable. It delivered in terms of atmosphere, horror, and a good twist. I just wish the pacing was better and we’d been able to spend more time in 1998 getting to know the gang as teens.

I’d recommend to those who liked the following:
- Wendig’s previous work, The Book of Accidents
- coming of age narratives similar to Stephen King’s IT
- alternative haunted house stories like Mark Danielewski’s House of Leaves

Thank you to Random House Worlds for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!