Stranger Things: One Way or Another

Stranger Things #10

by Caitlin Schneiderhan

In this thrilling Stranger Things novel, Nancy Wheeler and Robin Buckley must expose the corruptive forces sinking their claws into a desperate Hawkins.

Genres: Mystery, Horror, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Audiobook, Young Adult

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 2, 2025

About the author

Caitlin Schneiderhan is a TV writer and novelist, whose work can be seen on Netflix's hit show Stranger Things. She hatched from a cocoon of Terry Pratchett novels when she was 13 years old, and her love of fun, genre-focused storytelling runs deep. Originally hailing from Silver Spring, Maryland, Caitlin now resides in Los Angeles.

She still has a full shelf of Terry Pratchett paperbacks.

Reviews

[JoLee Kissinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

NANCY WALK EM DOWN WHEELER i need 20 more

[Rei Smoak · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't bothered picking up most of the Stranger Things tie ins, either because they're aimed at a younger audience or because they just didn't catch my eye. But a Nancy-centric detective story sounded like exactly what I wanted, and it absolutely was. This is a smartly written, tightly plotted story that serves as both a character study of Nancy Wheeler and a nice way to fill some of the gaps left between seasons 4 and 5. It also ended up making some of the saddest parts of season 5 all the more heartbreaking, which I really appreciated. Can't recommend this one highly enough!

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robin and Nancy sharing beers on Robin’s balcony?????? Nancy finding a woman hot???? Oh I used to pray for times like these. Welcome back Ronance and bi Nancy in the big 25

[Caitlin Drohan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been in a reading slump and this book was so cute and helped me out of it, I really enjoyed it. When it was announced we would get some info on what happened between season 4 and 5 in this book I knew I had to read it. Very Nancy Drew vibes!

[vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Nancy needs to get out of Hawkins and go to Emerson immediately.
2. Loved getting to see more of Nancy and Robin’s friendship. They’re such a good duo and wish we could see it more in Season 5 💔

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d die for Nancy Wheeler

[Caitlin Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be required reading for any Stranger Things fan, especially as we wait for Season 5 Volume 2. It sets up so much context for what we’ve already seen in Volume 1. I’m obsessed. 5 stars. I want more (but only if Caitlin Schneiderhan writes it).

[Abigail White · Rating 4 out of 5]

nancy wheeler i’m going to get you out of that town

[Sarah Freels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book in about six hours over the course of a slow work day. I loved Flight of Icarus, so I went in excited knowing that Caitlin was the author. It’s amazing to see that Nancy really is not interested in the love triangle shit, and I’ve learned and realized I do really like her when she’s not forced into a romance subplot. Let her be a girlboss, Duffers.

I also heavily and wholly appreciate her and Robin actually being friends.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun original take on the series

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars — It took a while for the plot to get moving, but I enjoyed the mystery overall. I was expecting it to be more wrapped up in the Stranger Things lore than it was, but still a good "Nancy Drew" investigation, nonetheless. Nancy and Robin make a great duo, I just wish there had been more Robin, especially near the end. This mystery takes place between Seasons 4 & 5.

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate Caitlin Schneiderhan’s commitment to naming her Stranger Things books at after songs that the characters canonically are into!!

[nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A canon ronance storyline with nancy as a genius detective and robin as the final knight in shining armor? Well, isn’t that tempting 😋

Also, books just read better when they’re gifted

[Casey Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book for the Stranger Things fans who want something to hold them over while waiting for volume 2 of season 5 to drop! Of course, you could enjoy it any time though. It does take place between seasons 4 and 5, so there's a little more information on what happened in between, which was fun to get! How is Hawkins dealing with a gate to the Upside Down being open and this insane military occupation that we see in Volume 1? Nancy, graduating from high school and about to head off to college, notices a classmate acting strangely. Already determined to search for leads on Vecna, she thinks he may have found a new target. She and Robin set out to investigate and uncover a much bigger mystery surrounding a sickness spreading through the town. We touch upon graduation, Robin and Vickie's relationship, the love triangle of Nancy, Jonathan and Steve, and ultimately if Nanc can ever distance herself from Hawkins. There are definitely tie-ins to Volume 1 of Season 5! The focus is mostly on Nancy and Robin, but I also appreciated more development on Karen Wheeler. Nancy is a boss, and she likes to solve problems. I appreciate the portrayal of her strong character here. I would be so down for a continuing Nancy Wheeler mystery series! It's definitely a fun one for the Stranger Things fan looking for a little bit more!

Thank you to Random House Worlds for the gifted copy! Available now.

[Goob Meister · Rating 3 out of 5]

One Way or Another is a little ways below a Nancy Drew novel, and definitely makes you more frustrated as you read.

Set between the events of seasons 4 & 5, the novel does great in explaining the circumstances that lead to the Byers-Wheeler household merge of 87. However, it opens up a much needed dialogue within the show. It’s a book that, really, shouldn’t exist. This should just be part of the show.

The novel was fine, nothing eye-opening or life-changing, and I definitely have been more gripped by novels that didn’t need to insist on an adult audience.

The relationship between Robin and Nancy becomes only MORE frustrating when you look at the current state of season 5. What wasted chemistry! The feud between Steve and Jonathon is as pointless in this novel as it is in the show.

It’s a fun read if you’re bored or ran out of Stranger Things content - I wouldn’t look at it too seriously.


Regardless: Caitlin Schneiderhan, Ao3 calls for you!

Overall rating: 3.5/5

[Savannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

the one thing that sucks about getting older is it no longer being acceptable to read nancy drew mystery novels but thankfully caitlin schneiderhan came to my rescue with a nancy wheeler mystery novel!! i loved being able to read about my favorite fictional characters without needing to search for a fan fiction plus it was a super fun story with lots of twists and turns just like the classic mystery novels i read as a kid. i loved the small town drama of it all and how accurately the author depicted the different characters throughout plus it adds a bit more information to the current season and how the characters are feeling now. i love nancy wheeler so much and the fact there were a lot of interactions with robin throughout made this book so much fun. once again, i love nancy wheeler and she can do no wrong (“please survive season five” i scream into the void).

[H. J. Carp · Rating 1 out of 5]

While everyone focuses on the kid characters from Stranger Things, the older teens have some fun adventures as well. When watching the show I loved the chemistry of Nancy, Steve, Jonathan and Robin. So why do they all feel like completely unrecognisable in this book?

The story follows Nancy Wheeler as she investigates a string of deaths in Hawkins after the events of season 4. She enlists the help of Robin and the two figure out that all of the murders are linked to their graduation guest speaker’s company Hearth and Home.

I feel Caitlin Schneiderhan has not really understood the characters she has written about in this book. Nancy is insufferable in this story, making really stupid decisions and being very cagey with Jonathan and Robin. Robin is not as frantic and Jonathan is just a bit of a dick (nothing really new here). The only member of the group she has kind of gotten right is Steve, but he is not really in it at all.

The story is just really boring as well. Nothing of substance happens. I was just wishing for this to end and when it did I never wanted to look at it again. I am so disappointed with this. I really wanted to like it but seriously regret wasting my time with it.

Avoid.

[Chris Sims · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars: This was fun read! Especially after being fresh off the season 5 finale. This story takes place in between seasons 4 and 5. Overall the story line was good and very on brand for what I’d expect to get from a mystery novel. One of my favorite parts about this book was the attention to detail. Every little thing that occurred for the most part had a meaning and a purpose. My biggest cons would be Nancy seems to make decisions that don’t fit the character arch that she has in the show. I also think this book would have benefited from having a little more of Robin, Steve and Jonathan as a part of the main story line. However to be fair, the book has a “Nancy Wheeler Mystery” in the title. I think if you’re a stranger things super fan and love the show this is a great read for you. However if you’re more of just a casual fan and prefer mostly the Sci fi aspect of the show, this is definitely a story you can skip.

[Sabrina Frang · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there really is a Nancy Wheeler spin-off novel series in the works, yes, please and now. I really enjoyed this novel. As other reviewers have said, this reads like a Nancy Drew novel but set in Hawkins. A student is killed, and Nancy 'Walk 'em Down' Wheeler is on the case. She begins to notice that some people in Hawkins are getting sick. What's the scoop? I love that we get Nancy and Robin solving mysteries together here. They are a fun odd couple. The story is fairly well-paced though a bit sloggy at times. I felt like this novel could have been shortened by a couple of chapters, and you would not have missed anything. All of the Hawkins characters read like their characters on the show. I also really loved the scene we got between Nancy and Karen at the end. All in all, if you want to spend more time with these beloved Stranger Things characters, I recommend giving One Way or Another a try.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️½

A solid, enjoyable Stranger Things tie-in. It was genuinely nice to spend more time in Hawkins between seasons, and the in-between timeline is what this book does best. Seeing familiar characters in a smaller, self-contained story felt comforting and very on-brand for the series.

The mystery itself is pretty straightforward and easy to follow — nothing groundbreaking, but it works. It reads more like a cosy, fast mystery than a high-stakes Upside Down epic, which isn’t a bad thing. The pacing is steady, the plot is clear, and it never overstays its welcome.

Overall, not bad at all. A good, cute addition for fans who want a little extra Stranger Things content without needing it to be overly complex or intense

[Ariana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read to hold me over while I wait for the next part of season 5. I was thrilled by the mystery and detective work from Nancy, and I enjoyed getting more detail about Nancy, Robin, Johnathan, Steve, and even Karen. I loved being able to “hear” Nancy’s inner monologue and to feel the pressure she puts on herself to figure everything out. It was relatable as an eldest daughter/older sister myself. Nancy has always been my favorite character in Stranger Things, so once this book came out, I knew I needed to read it.

The plot of the book was interesting and fun. At first I thought I could predict what was happening but then it surprised me in small ways. I like that the events of the book had closure but still left a few things open ended. It makes me even more excited for the next part of season 5!

One particular part that stood out to me is when Nancy interacts with Agent Marquez, she goes on for a couple of paragraphs talking about how he reminds her of Mike. She does this again when she uses the walkie talkie he gives her, and is reminded of him when she looks at her mother’s face once she gets back home. I found it intriguing and thought it might be significant. I was less sure when his character “died” but I guess we will see very soon?

I’m rewatching the whole series again and love the detail and depth it adds to the experience! I recommend this book to anyone that loves Stranger Things, especially Nancy, and to any eldest daughters who feel a personal responsibility to having everthing figured out.

[Brooklyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars.
As a big fan of Stranger Things and learning that this novel is canon & explains happenings in Hawkins between Season 4 & 5, I felt compelled to read this prior to the finale coming out.
Written as a classic detective/Nancy Drew novel, I found this an easy read, which was certainly aided by my familiarity and investment in the characters. I will say, straying so far from the sci-fi elements to a true whodunnit was (albeit a necessary choice to not alienate fans who didn’t read) a bit lacklustre. The characters seemed authentic and consistent, and the novel did explain some of the pieces in between the two seasons, but I would say this would be certainly be skippable. Fun nonetheless though to read about Nancy & Robin’s dynamic as local sleuths!

[Sommer · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a girl who grew up reading Nancy drew I loved the similarities. However, as someone who loves stranger things the differences in the outside characters took me out of it at parts. Like are we supposed to believe that Nancy is close to them all during the show but they are nowhere to be found in times like these? Also, when did Nancy and Robin become besties? If you just kind of forget everything you’ve learned watching the shows, suspend belief and listen to the story alone it’s a good, quick murder mystery.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha gustado mucho leer lo que pasaba entre la cuarta y la quinta temporada, aunque sea desde el pov de nancy y el cameo de otros personajes. La trama es entretenida pero poco a poco podia intuir lo que iba a pasar. Es curioso como he entendido más la ruptura entre Nancy y Jonathan después de leer su relación aunque eso no quita que la escena fuese muy confusa en la serie. Si que me hubiese gustado más Robin pero no pasa nada. Nancy es la mejor.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun read, love that it’s Strangers Things cannon and sets up/validates some of the season 5 situations, feelings, and background. Doesn’t go super deep and it totally mystery fodder. Would totally read another one. I give it 3.5 stars, but rounding up to 4. (Mostly bc I’m on a ST kick currently. If it were stand alone content t it would be a hard 3.)

[Emma Eafrati · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5… I went into this book knowing it was taking place between season 4 and 5, and thinking it would be more Vecna related …. It was like a totally random side quest that had nothing to do with the main story, but the characters were still mentioning Vecna and how they had to find him … idk I wasn’t impressed with the story

[Pierce Gillard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of fun, totally in spirit of the show. A pretty solid mystery, although I found it pretty predictable (that’s not a bad thing, but it wasn’t super twisty or suspenseful.) a nice bridge to have in the break while we’re waiting for the next trunk of the show.

[Amy Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than I expected, honestly. I only knocked off a star for lack of a Scooby Gang vibe—the focus really is all about Nancy. And that’s okay but I wanted a bit more friendship vibes. Overall, very enjoyable!

[Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

i LOVED this!!! this perfectly encapsulates the characters of nancy and robin while investigating a really interesting mystery unconnected to the vecna plot, set between s4 and s5. gave some added context to nancy and jonathon’s relationship, the WSQK, the byers moving in with the wheelers, and general life in hawkins after the rift opened.

[Hannah | Reading Under Covers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily my favorite of the Stranger Things spinoffs I’ve read!

I loved how this still kept with the ST canon and added some more story-building during the timeline between S4 and S5.

Nancy and Robin are THE dynamic duo and it was so fun to see them in action solving mysteries in Hawkins.