Rating:

Trigger Warnings: Suicide, suicidal ideation, cutting, drug use, overdose, child abuse, child sexual abuse, cancer, parent death, child death, racism, homophobia, neglect, trauma and violence in general.

Dear Mr. Wendig, WTAF did I just read?!

This book was a whirlwind of creeping terror with characters I both loved and hated. Owen is seemingly a loser with no self esteem or direction in life, dealing with body focused repetitive behaviors. Lore is an Autistic, ADHD, non-binary video game designer who seems cold and blunt, living in her own world. Hamish is a former pot smoking hippie who is now a God fearing, conservative, workout junkie. And Nick?

When they get an email from their old friend Nick, saying he has pancreatic cancer and they need to come see him, they begrudgingly embark on the trip. Begrudgingly because they all have something to hide. The night the first staircase appeared brought tragedy that they all tried to run away from.

A constant sense of dread follows you through this book. It is told in third person narrative which switches between several characters’ perspectives, but in a way that is easy to keep up with. I appreciated the diverse representation among the characters, even if some of the Autism traits were stereotypical, so Chuck gets an A for effort here. The characters all feel like real people, with real problems, that the general population often overlook or ignore, or ostracize as “weird.” To see so much of myself in several characters was a breath of fresh air, even if they were being tormented by unspeakable horrors. Also, growing up in the NJ/PA area made this book deeply personal to me, as the characters (and the author) are from Bucks County, PA.

Overall, this book is a must-read and I will definitely check out more of Chuck’s work. This was my first book of his, and I think I’ll go back and read Black Apple Orchard (because I’m pretty sure there were some Easter eggs in Staircase for the hardcore Wendig fans).

Heartfelt thanks to Del Rey Publishing and NetGalley for this early review copy.

The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig releases April 29, 2025