The Door in Penrose Forest: A Novel

by Sean David Robinson

A man returns to his strange hometown twenty years after his mother climbed a staircase in the wilderness and disappeared in this speculative mystery where We Used to Live Here meets The Midnight Library.

As a boy, Nico once accompanied his mother on a research trip to investigate a stalled migration of monarch butterflies. One night, upon hearing her sneak out of their rented cabin, he followed her to a clearing in the forest where a famed mansion once stood. Paralyzed with fear, he watched his mother climb a staircase and vanish, along with the stairs and the strange glowing door at its peak. No one believed his story, and as he grew older, he too stopped believing it was real. 

As an adult, Nico returns to his hometown to care for his ailing father. But something strange is happening to the town. There are unexplained power fluctuations, people are going missing, and, reportedly, phantoms are roaming the woods. When Nico finds his mother’s field journal from the week she disappeared, including her account of the vanishing staircase, he begins to pick apart the mystery. 

All the tangled strings trail back to the same starting the gilded age family whose mansion burned down under mysterious circumstances in those very same woods where his mother vanished. 

Equally a compelling mystery and a moving story of family and destiny, this speculative novel will spellbind readers of Emily St. John Mandel and Susanna Clarke.

Genres: Science Fiction

Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 23, 2026

Reviews

[Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Door in Penrose Forest and I would like to thank Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC for review consideration.

The following is my personal perspective on the book.

The Door in Penrose Forest is a story of multiple dimensions, both literally and figuratively. It’s a mysterious story that starts with a young boy, Nico, who loses his mum after she is drawn to a ghostly staircase that appears in the middle of a forest.

Years later, having moved away from his hometown to make his way in the world, Nico is called back to take care of his ailing father.

After coming across his mother's field journal in his childhood home, he reads through her detailed description of what transpired the days and nights leading up to her disappearance. Nico embarks on a journey to discover the true reason for his mother’s disappearance and what unfolds leads him to believe that not everything is as it seems.

The book takes you through various timelines and a rollercoaster of emotions. It’s a story of second chances, choices and the bonds that connect us. The story involves both fictional and non-fictional characters, making this book come alive. The chapters are organized by timeline and viewpoint offering different perspectives on each event. This is a story of cause and effect, and takes the 'butterfly effect' to a whole other level.

[Trisha]

ooooh this one sounds great!

[Roberta R. (Offbeat YA) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated 4.5 really.

RTC closer to pub date.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be an advance reader on this book, and I can’t wait for it to make its way into the world. It was sweet and funny and tragic and heartfelt, all while maintaining a mysterious and gripping plot. I cared deeply about the characters from the first pages of the prologue, and I only found myself more invested as the book went on. The prose was beautifully literary, to the point where passage after passage literally made me pause to revel in their artistry, but it never crept into self indulgence. Each detail was simply perfectly chosen and masterfully captured.

Definitely one that I’ll be suggesting to everyone I know.