The Staircase in the Woods

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A group of friends investigates the mystery of a strange staircase in the woods in this mesmerizing horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents.

“Chuck Wendig weaves his magic once more, turning a lonely staircase in the woods into a searing, propulsive, dread-filled exploration of the horrors of knowing and being known.”—Kiersten White, author of Hide and Lucy Undying

ONE OF VULTURE’S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR

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 extraordinary: 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. . . .

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Published Apr 29, 2025

400 pages

Average rating: 6.7

74 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *The Staircase in the Woods* delivers a gripping supernatural tale blending horror and sci-fi, with strong themes of friendship, guilt, an...

BMC
Oct 10, 2025
9/10 stars
New fear unlocked: staircases in weird places.
Andrea-The Shelf Life Books
Jul 03, 2025
8/10 stars
Wow, this had me hooked from page one. Creepy, tense, well thought out, and hard to put down!

The Staircase in the Woods is a gripping tale that kept me hooked. It follows a dual timeline about five friends on a camping trip, where only four returned after encountering a mysterious staircase. Twenty years later, the remaining friends reunite to find their missing companion. The book is reminiscent of It, yet it stands out with its eerie atmosphere and vivid details. Themes of friendship, abandonment, and guilt are explored brilliantly. The tension and sense of danger throughout made it hard to put down, and the ending was unforgettable.
Sara
Apr 06, 2026
6/10 stars
Definitely my least favourite of his offerings

2.5 stars rounded up.

This is very reminiscent of dark matter meets hollow places. I think the book blurb is somewhat misleading.

Wouldn’t have purchased this simply because its not my kind of horror book.

It’s definitely very sci fi; really didn’t love the explanation and how they came to that conclusion (felt rushed) and not as resolved as his previous books.

Hard to detail without spoilers.
Luke
Feb 21, 2026
6/10 stars
Hard to follow up Black River Orchard, took me a bit to get into it but the plot was propulsive enough to keep me going and I was able to buy in by the end.
Alice63
Oct 19, 2025
6/10 stars
I feel pays were drawn out a little. At times it reminded me a little of Rose Red. I enjoyed the book, but the ending sucked!

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