Book Review: The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig

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The Details

Media Type: Audiobook
Title: The Staircase in the Woods
Author(s): Chuck Wendig
Publisher: Del Rey
Pages/Length: 388; Hardcover
Release Date: April 29, 2025
Source: Library

Add it on: Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

A group of friends investigates the mystery of a strange staircase in the woods.

While on a camping trip, five high-schoolers bound by an oath to always protect one another discover something in the middle of the forest: a mysterious staircase to nowhere. One friend climbs up but does not come back down. Then the staircase disappears. Twenty years later it reappears, and the friends return to find the lost boy—and what lies beyond the staircase.

The Review

Oh man, this book. Before I say anything else, I need to let you know that I usually re-read IT by Stephen King about once every two years or so around this time of year. There’s something about that story that just hits me right in the feels every single time I read it. It’s that idea of a deep, pure friendship. The kind that transcends everything, that makes us brave, that keeps us moving forward even when things are as bleak as they could possibly be. That message is something that I need to remind myself of every now and then and so that book has a special place in my heart. The Staircase in the Woods is the first book I’ve read since that really hit me right in that same spot. When I tell you that I sobbed while reading this, I’m not at all embellishing.

This story follows along as our four characters, who are now adults, are living their individual lives. We learn that twenty years ago, their existence was turned upside down when one of their group disappeared forever. What once was a group of five lost a member when they discovered a mysterious staircase in the middle of the woods, and Matty climbed it, jumped off, and just vanished. Each of our characters is dealing with the loss and guilt in their own way. Much like we all do. Owen is filled with anxiety. Lor is filled with rage. Hamish is “bettering” himself. Nick though, Nick hasn’t given up. He’s out there searching, and that’s what kicks off the core of this story.

Before I started reading this I remember one of my reader friends telling me that she didn’t like these characters are first, because they were too flawed. I was the exact opposite. I was drawn immediately to each of these broken people, trying to cobble together what lives they were able to. Lor’s deep rage made sense to me. Why wouldn’t Owen be racked with anxiety and guilt? Perhaps it’s because I’ve experienced a bone deep loss of my own, but there wasn’t nothing about their behavior that didn’t make sense to me. Which meant that as the story progressed, as each of them came to terms with their inner demons and actually grew from that, I just loved them more. These characters were perfection for me.

In terms of story, I can’t really say too much because this is something you just need to experience for yourself. What I can say is that the situation in which the group finds themselves affected me on a visceral level. Imagine a place between worlds. A place where hate, regret and soul deep sorrow are all that exist. Now imagine that you’re forced to wander that place endlessly, like the most messed up escape room you could possibly fathom. Wendig’s writing really sold this part well. Even the glimmers of hope that managed to emerge felt like they could be snuffed out by the utter bleakness at any point.

And yet, our characters had one another. No matter how this place of horror and hate tried to tear them apart, how strongly it pushed them into isolation, they always found a way back to one another. It’s that unbreakable power of friendship. The idea that with the right people by your side you can face anything and come out the other side. Again, no spoilers, but man. Friends, this book is part of me now and I’m absolutely okay with that. Read it. Trust me.