“It’s where home stops being where the heart is. Home is where the hurt is. Where the horror lives.”

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC! I think this might just be my book of the year. I have been FASCINATED by the staircase in the woods phenomenon ever since I got lost one dark night in a Reddit thread from a park ranger in America telling his stories of what he’s found in the heart of the woods. So when I saw this book, and from an author I already knew and loved, I knew that I HAD to read it!

This book was everything I hoped it would be and more. The plot was fast paced with a good mix of back story and enough going on to keep the story going. I didn’t want to put it down. Chuck Wendig has a talent for reaching into the darkest corners of humanity and airing their secrets for all to see and that’s definitely the case again here. The horror in this book stems from the evil in the actual world, which is scarier than any ghost or zombie story.

I also really appreciated the nod to The Book of Accidents with the mention of the boulder fields of Ramble Rocks Quarry. I just want more! What happened next? Are there more stairs to be found? The evidence of a good book is that I would happily read on. Definitely 5*, read this!

I have given this book a one star because this book was not for me
I thought I would as I don't have a favourite genre yet so I thought I would give this book ago
Maybe someone else would like it though

Omg this was brilliant, I had a feeling I would enjoy this but wow!

This book has creepy, intense and traumatic vibes, it tackles heavy topics very well and the friendship is something to be admired during this ordeal.

Literally couldn’t fault it except the ending because how could you leave me hanging like that? Book 2 immediately please!

This was the first book I have read by Chuck Wendig and the writing style is so detailed and atmospheric. The idea of the staircase in the woods was something I haven’t heard of before so I was excited to read the book. However I really struggled with the pacing of the book. There was a lot of dialogue that I felt was unnecessary and some of the flashbacks threw me off the story. There was also the use of slurs/insensitive language throughout which is something I find quite hard to read. My rating is based upon the concept of the staircase/haunted house and the detail within the imagery.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a deeply cool concept that felt fresh and inventive. For the first time in a long time book-wise, I found myself trying to figure out the mystery alongside our unlikeable but complex characters.

Ultimately, I thought it was a bit too easily resolved. The build-up was repetitious and slower paced but the ending felt breakneck and rushed.

The writing is up to Wendig’s usual good standard (although with an abundance of insensitive language choices. Surely there are other ways of illustrating a character is a shitty person without stooping to slurs).

This story was much grislier horror than I remember Wendig’s previous books being. It has some truly terrifying imagery. There were also a lot of stomach-churning gruesome and gory descriptions, YMMV depending on how you feel about that!