Stranger Things: One Way Or Another
Stranger Things: A Nancy Wheeler Mystery
Hardcover | Kindle Edition | Audiobook
By Caitlin Schneiderhan
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Release Date: December 2, 2025

Recent high school grad Nancy Wheeler dons her investigative journalist cap and teams up with pal Robin Buckley to solve a new mystery in Hawkins while continuing the hunt for the malevolent entity Vecna in the new novel, Stranger Things: One Way Or Another.

The new year brought an end to popular Netflix series Stranger Things, after a successful 10-year run. Viewers remain divided as to whether the series finale provided a satisfactory conclusion, but one thing is certain: fans aren’t ready to let go of their favorite Stranger Things characters. That’s where the franchise’s expanding book series proves invaluable, offering more tales from Hawkins, Indiana, and filling in the gaps of the events that occurred between the show’s five seasons.

The events of Stranger Things: One Way Or Another take place between Seasons 4 and 5, as Hawkins, IN, remains under military occupation while its residents struggle to recover from a deadly earthquake. But unbeknownst to most residents, the destruction was actually caused by Vecna, the show’s terrifying antagonist from the Upside Down, a hellish version of the town. Nancy Wheeler and her friends know all about Vecna and the evil deeds he’s done, which is why the recent high school grad is contemplating putting her college plans on hold to instead hunt for the villain and end him once and for all.

While Nancy remains fixated on finding and defeating Vecna, she also becomes entangled in a new situation plaguing Hawkins: It’s residents are falling mysteriously ill. Nancy will stop at nothing to find out why, especially since she suspects Vecna’s involvement.

This new story was written by Caitlin Schneiderhan, who writes for the television series and also penned my favorite Stranger Things novel, Flight Of Icarus, which features metalhead Eddie Munson. Schneiderhan’s deep familiarity with the franchise shines through, particularly in her handling of Nancy’s inner thoughts. This perspective is one of the book’s greatest strengths, and fans who love Nancy will appreciate the added emotional depth and insights into her mindset.

Now a high school graduate, the eldest Wheeler child is torn between leaving for college in the Fall as planned or stay home to fight the creatures of the Upside Down. Her already-strained relationship with boyfriend Jonathan, whose own college plans are now uncertain, is only complicating matters. Nancy’s dream of becoming an investigative journalist has been reshaped by all the trauma she’s experienced through Vecna’s attacks. As Vecna’s reign of terror has continued, she’s morphed into a gun-toting demon-hunter, a badass the likes of Ripley from Alien. But, she’s still a sleuth at heart. One Way Or Another leans into that identity, seemingly carving a path for the character as a Nancy Drew-like protagonist, as this book is the first to be officially labeled a “Nancy Wheeler Mystery.”

Less compelling is Nancy’s investigation into the mysterious illness in Hawkins, as it never feels quite challenging enough for someone with her skills. Yes, some of the precarious predicaments Nancy finds herself in are genuinely frightening, and it was fun to see her poking around where she doesn’t belong, so to speak, but the mystery unfolds in a somewhat predictable way. Plus, I found myself wanting more buddy-comedy scenarios between Nancy and Robin. Instead, their interactions are weighed down with too much unnecessary tension and Nancy’s stubborn tendencies to always break out on her own. Although the novel isn’t part of the franchise’s YA book line, which follows mainly the younger characters, it occasionally reads a bit more like one. Hopefully, future installments will give Nancy a more challenging mystery to unravel and allow Robin to step fully into a Dr. Watson-style role opposite Nancy’s Sherlock Holmes. (Or, if you’re familiar with Nancy Drew, it would be more like her friends Bess and George.)

Ultimately, Stranger Things: One Way Or Another succeeds in deepening Nancy Wheeler’s character and solidifying her as a compelling lead, while also offering valuable insight into what unfolds in Hawkins between Seasons 4 and 5. The novel not only expands on the emotional states and motivations of its characters, it also lays the groundwork for a spin-off series featuring one of Hawkins’ most dynamic figures. For fans who are not ready to bid adieu to Hawkins, this new mystery offers a familiar return to the town’s chaos and a perfect way to spend more time with Nancy.

Following the events of Stranger Things: Season 4, Nancy Wheeler and Robin Buckley are hot on the heels of a new mystery—and they won’t stop until they solve it.

Hawkins, Indiana, is in recovery. It’s been two months since Vecna’s earthquake tore through the town, and its residents are still reeling from the devastation. Nancy Wheeler has spent every waking minute on the hunt for Vecna, but he’s continued to elude her. How can she head to Emerson for college in the fall if Hawkins is still under the influence of the Upside Down?

When fellow classmate Joey Taft starts acting shifty at graduation, Nancy is convinced Vecna’s found his newest victim. Joined by fellow amateur sleuth Robin Buckley, Nancy doesn’t waste any time questioning Joey. What the girls discover leads them down the path of a bigger story than The Hawkins Post could ever have assigned Nancy. Why are people around town suddenly getting sick? Why is there a strange man tailing Nancy as she investigates? And, most important, does this even have anything to do with the Upside Down?

Together with Robin, Nancy embarks on a dangerous quest for the truth. The deeper the two dig, the further Nancy finds herself drawn into a web of intrigue that threatens to trap her in Hawkins . . . forever.

304 pages; Book Dimensions: 6.23 x 1.15 x 9.31 inches