Here’s the truth. Stranger Things One Way or Another is the audiobook that got me through the quiet after the series wrapped in my house. I wasn’t ready to be done. So I put in my earbuds, pressed play on Spotify, and fell into Nancy Wheeler’s brain like it was a well-worn couch in the family room. The world outside feels brittle and loud, especially here in the U.S., and this story let me exhale.
Why audiobooks, and why now
I’m late to audiobooks. Blame Stranger Things ending and my stubborn heart. The minute I realized there were official and fan-fueled stories in audio form, I started washing dishes just to keep listening. Spotify’s 15-hours-per-month cap is real, by the way, and yes, I hit it like a bike into a curb. You can top up hours or add an Audiobooks+ plan, but the base allotment for Premium is 15 hours a month. I am both grateful and mildly salty.
What this Nancy Wheeler mystery actually is
Caitlin Schneiderhan’s Stranger Things: One Way or Another: A Nancy Wheeler Mystery is an official novel from Random House Worlds, released December 2, 2025. The audiobook runs about ten hours and is narrated by Louisa Zhu, which makes it a perfect two-sink-fulls-of-dishes experience. It sits between Season 4 and Season 5 and gives Nancy and Robin room to lead.
The setup (no spoilers beyond the jacket)
We are two months after Vecna’s earthquake. Hawkins is limping, graduation caps are in the air, and Nancy Wheeler cannot let go of the hunt. When a classmate, Joey Taft, starts acting off, Nancy pulls Robin into reporter mode. People in town are getting sick. A stranger tails Nancy. The big question hangs there like a flickering hallway light. Is the Upside Down still breathing down Hawkins’ neck, or is something else at work?
Where it sits in the canon
This story lives between Season 4 and Season 5, honors the show’s continuity, and centers the Nancy–Robin partnership. It is part of the official Stranger Things novels line, not a fan retelling, which means it plays nicely with series timelines and character arcs.
Why it worked for me
I like being inside Nancy’s head while I’m sweeping crumbs. The book lets her be ambitious, prickly, tender with Robin, and furious at the systems that keep failing her town. There’s an ache under her drive that felt painfully familiar. I paused more than once, hands on the counter, just breathing with her.
Cheeky note: if Nancy asked for a Sprite every time someone stonewalled her, she’d have a mini fridge in the Byers’ shed.
About the author, because craft matters
Caitlin Schneiderhan is a TV writer and novelist on Netflix’s Stranger Things. She wrote the Season 4 episode “Chapter Three: The Monster and the Superhero,” and she’s also the author of Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus, an Eddie Munson prequel novel from Random House Worlds. Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, she’s known for character-first storytelling and sharp 80s texture.
Other Stranger Things books by Caitlin Schneiderhan
- Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus (Random House Worlds). Hardcover published October 31, 2023. Paperback published July 30, 2024. Audiobook narrated by Lee Osorio (about 9 hours). Set in 1984—two years before Season 4—the story follows Eddie Munson chasing a long-shot recording opportunity with a producer named Paige, which pushes him into a risky scheme with his father. It’s an Eddie character study that braids music, loyalty, and the costs of ambition. If One Way or Another is my Hawkins recovery playlist, this one is the origin track that explains why Eddie plays like the world is on fire.
How it pairs with Nancy’s mystery
Reading (or listening to) Flight of Icarus before or after One Way or Another gives you a neat emotional echo: Eddie’s “make something of myself” hunger mirrors Nancy’s refusal to back down when the grown-ups fail Hawkins. Different lanes, same engine. One cheeky thought: if Corroded Coffin had a tip jar for bad decisions, Eddie could fund three demo tapes.
Listening notes for fellow Spotify people
If you are planning your listen around that 15-hour clock, this audiobook fits neatly. When you run out of hours, you can buy a one-time top-up or add a recurring bundle for more listening time. I wish I didn’t have to watch the meter, but I love having my playlists and books in one place, so here we are.
A small, stubborn hope
I use fiction the way some people use weighted blankets. Not to avoid reality, but to remind my body there is more than the hurt. Stories give me permission to practice courage without burning out. Nancy’s relentless curiosity and Robin’s ride-or-die friendship felt like a note on my fridge: keep showing up, and keep your heart too.
The bottom line
Stranger Things: One Way or Another gave me exactly what I wanted after the show closed its door in my living room. It is a smart, pacey mystery that respects Nancy Wheeler and lets Robin sparkle, while stitching emotional connective tissue between big on-screen battles.
If you need a place to land for a few hours, let Nancy drive. I will be the one doing dishes, nodding along.
Quick reference for readers
- Title: Stranger Things: One Way or Another: A Nancy Wheeler Mystery
- Author: Caitlin Schneiderhan
- Publisher: Random House Worlds
- Publication date: December 2, 2025
- Formats: Hardcover, ebook, audiobook (narrated by Louisa Zhu, about 10 hours)
Extras for fans
There is a Target exclusive edition with a retro black and white cover and a fold-out mini poster of Nancy and Robin, in case your bookshelf wants to cosplay.
Rating
5 strange stars out of 5. ★★★★★
Should you read it?
If you love Stranger Things or Nancy Drew-style sleuthing, yes. If you want a grim, lore-heavy Upside Down autopsy, not this time. This one is character-first with real stakes and a satisfying, street-level mystery. It is also a great entry if you are audiobook-curious and want a tight, well-acted listen.
Song pairing
“One Way or Another” by Blondie. Spiky guitars, a restless beat, and a relentless chase energy that mirrors Nancy and Robin’s investigation. It is a winking title match that still earns its spot on the playlist.
