Stranger Things: One Way or Another: A Nancy Wheeler Mystery

Stranger Things #10

by Caitlin Schneiderhan, Louisa Zhu (Narrator)

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.

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

Audible Audio

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

[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

[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!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d die for Nancy Wheeler

[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 immediately, let her get out of there!!!
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 💔

[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!!

[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.

[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.

[Lauraconte l'histoire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sympa mais moins haletant que les autres !

[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

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun original take on the series

[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

[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.

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars am i being biased cos i love nancy and robin maybe but who cares

hawkins would be so fucked without walk em down wheeler theyre lucky she lives there fr shes the actual one saving towns and changing lives

no one will ever understand how badly i wanna be on robins balcony drinking with her and nancy legit more than anything

jancy figuring out robin is a lesbian cos that girl does not have a nonchalant bone in her body they could tell just by how she looked at vicky🥹

robin with her police scanner so she can listen out incase any of her friends are in trouble, the amount of love in her heart sob sob sob robin youre so special

“im … not usually anyone’s first call”
“you were my first call” ☹️☹️
ronance 4 evaaaa the ship that shouldve happened if the duffer brothers werent fucking stupid

[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.

[LittleDarkbloom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Potrzebuję więcej książek o Nancy Wheeler.

[Alex | | findingmontauk1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

It feels great being back in Hawkins with this story that bridges some of the time between the 4th and 5th seasons. A great way to kick off the new year having just finished all of the final season multiple times over. I would love just more and more books like this mixed into the demo-verse, etc. Nancy is such a badass!

[Kaylee Hales · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.75⭐️ I think that if you were obsessed with the franchise, this could be a great bridge book – but it just wasn’t for me. Honestly, Nancy made me want to rip my hair out as one of the most insufferable main characters I have ever read about. I will say though that this book every single element had a purpose, and every single thing was wrapped up, which I thought was lovely.

[Stephen Liston, · Rating 2 out of 5]

reads more like fan fiction than actually linking seasons 4-5.

the writing is a little pretentious - as if the author is trying to prove shes best friends with Nancy and Robin, or at least more so than the average stranger things fan.

not sure what the point of this book was if this unveiled conspiracy theory isnt even mentioned in the show

[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).

[C.C. Bruno · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a 2.5 than a 3. Stranger Things shines best when it's groups of friends coming together to save the day.

Nancy Wheeler on her own just was not fun enough for a story. Though everything said that this would be Nancy AND Robin, there's not enough Robin to save this poor book.

[Sam Otto · Rating 5 out of 5]

very exceptional and very informative 👍

[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.

[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.

[Parker Moon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unless you are really into Nancy, this story really doesn’t add much to the existing Stranger Things canon and isn’t worth your time. I mean literally the main conflict has nothing to do with the supernatural. It’s just a small town mystery novel piggybacking off the fact that the audience already is familiar with the characters.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

nancy wheeler bisexuality is a beautiful thing

[Charlie Yarchin · Rating 4 out of 5]

They’re in love, I don’t take criticism.