Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig | Review

 

Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig
Genre(s): Thriller, Horror
Release Date: April 29th, 2025
Publisher: Random House Worlds | Del Ray
Pages: 400
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
Spice: Medium 🌶️🌶️ 

This book is wild —dark, chilling, and guaranteed to mess with your head. It kicks off with five high school friends Nick, Hamish, Lauren, Matty and Owen, heading into the woods for what should be a normal camping trip. Suddenly, their adventure turns into something far more sinister when they stumble upon a mysterious staircase standing alone in a clearing. And before anyone can think twice, Matty bolts up the stairs and vanishes into thin air, the staircase disappearing along with him. Their frantic search leads to nothing. No explanation and no trace of their friend.

Fast forward ten years. The friends have tried to move on, but that mystery still haunts them. Then, out of nowhere, the staircase returns. This time, they all step into the unknown, determined to find their missing friend but terrified of what they’ll face. What follows is an absolute nightmare. Every room in this twisted, shifting labyrinth forces them to confront their deepest fears and most painful memories. The house messes with their minds, warping reality and playing cruel tricks that turn their own thoughts against them. The friendships are pushed to the brink as they endure relentless psychological torment. They have to fight back—not just to escape, but to hold onto their sanity before it’s ripped away for good.

This story is a relentless spiral into a nightmare. If you’re into eerie, mind-warping psychological horror that sinks into your bones, this book delivers. It’ll have you questioning everything, right up until the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Worlds | Del Ray for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion and review.