Rating: 4.25 ⭐️

A clever locked room mystery where a group of writers must figure out how to survive the rules of a slasher style story. While it is suspenseful and funny something about it did fall a little short for me but it was definitely a fun read!

When famous horror author Mortimer Queen dies, 7 people are invited to his manor for the will reading. Or at least that’s what they thought. Instead they will be trapped in a game of Mortimer’s making and they might not all make it out alive.

This was SO good! The book sucks you in from the very beginning and keeps you hooked throughout. Wanting to know who did what and how their secrets are going to be revealed keeps you turning the pages and not wanting to stop! The characters are absolutely despicable and it makes the story so much better. You don’t know who to root for because you trust the characters less and less as the story goes on.

Highly recommend this one if you’re a fan of twisty horror stories filled with riddles and games and a bit of violence!

A real page-turner, this book offers a potent blend of traditional mystery, horror, and the supernatural. The compelling individual character narratives are filled with twists and turns. I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC that publishes on July 08.

This book tells the story of seven authors who are called to the reading of Mortimer Queen's will a highly acclaimed horror writer who has just passed away.

These seven writers all had some kind of history with Mortimer, though we'll find out later whether those relationships were good or bad.

When the day arrives and everyone's gathered at Mortimer Queen's enormous mansion, they quickly realize nothing is what it seems, and they're going to wish they never set foot in that sinister place.

In this book, you'll find a mix of mystery and some horror, with a haunted house that won't give anyone a break and will do whatever it takes to settle old scores.

I have to say I was quite surprised that a book with multiple POVs didn't bore me (it usually does all the time). On the contrary, the characters in this book were really compelling, and I kept wanting to discover more about what each one was hiding.

I won't deny that some characters almost had me fooled, or at least part of me wanted to believe some of them were different than they appeared.

Around the middle of the book, some things became predictable about how it might end (I actually guessed who, but not how). Still, I was pleasantly surprised by how the final plot came together, because my theory was quite different.

How to survive a horror story was a quick and entertaining story to read.

When a famous horror author passes away a group of his contemporaries gather at his home to witness the reading of the will. They quickly realize they are a trapped in the authors last horror story, Stuck in a sentient house set on exacting the authors revenge

I love a sentient house, and this book delivered! What really worked for me was the balance between the paranormal elements and the darker, very human behavior—each event could be interpreted in different ways, which made it even more intriguing. The characters were all unique and well-developed, and I especially liked that each had their own short story or background woven in. It took me a little while to adjust to the multiple POVs, but once I did, everything clicked together and made for a really engaging read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this e-ARC that I chose to read and review

A fun horror and mystery story, although I did not think the horror was elevated.

A group of writers are called together to hear the reading of the will of a fellow author. The group is given tasks to accomplish and if they are not successful, the house will response. Enter - Locked Room trope!

There were no twists that were not seen however it was an entertaining story.

This book was so engaging. 7 authors enter the manor of a newly deceased horror author under the guise of being named in his will. They are.. but things are not as they expected. Each author has done horrible things and negatively impacted Mortimer Queen’s life. I love the twists and paranormal elements to this story. The perfect segue to spooky szn.

absolutely loved this horror/thriller/mystery book! Very fun concept - but borderline on too many characters to keep track of. It's going very much escape room x monster house x ready or not

Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of How to Survive a Horror Story in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into this one. While the premise was intriguing the delivery left me bored.

There were a lot of characters and they’re all pretty terrible so once they start dropping it was like meh who was that again? Felt repetitive and lack luster enough for me to skim the second half.

Basically a bunch of bad people in a haunted house of a horror author with his own beef. The authors have to figure out various “riddles” if they want to survive.

Lots of random things happening that are “scary”, although this felt almost like a cheesy horror movie compared to something that made me feel anything other than figuring out how to survive what felt like the longest horror story ever 😅

HOW TO SURVIVE A HORROR STORY is like if the ESCAPE ROOM movie featured horror authors instead! It’s a locked-room mystery where everyone has a connection with the deceased host, but not all the connections are good. We get the POVs of all the authors, and while they are familiar archetypes, the book does try to subvert expectations. The challenges are creative and get pretty gory.

Though I liked the book’s interpretation of the horror publishing industry and the difficulties facing authors, I thought it could have pushed a little deeper. There’s an interesting point about the power of stories and how it can have an impact, but it wasn’t explored. I’m not a fan of important information being kept from the reader, so I wasn’t really satisfied with the resolution. But I still had fun with this quick, action-packed story, and I can see this being turned into a movie!

Seven writers, one haunted manor, and a deadly game where only the clever survive.

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<b>Summary</b>
A gothic horror-thriller that follows seven horror writers invited to the secluded manor of the late author Mortimer Queen. Upon arrival, they find themselves trapped in a deadly game: solve a riddle every hour or face gruesome consequences. Each writer has a dark secret tied to Mortimer, and the house itself seems to have a mind of its own.

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<b>Tropes & Themes</b>
Revenge and Redemption
Isolation and Paranoia
Locked Room Mystery
Unreliable Narrators
Haunted House

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<b>My Thoughts</b>
This was such a fun, suspenseful read! I loved the locked loom mystery vibe and the eerie, gothic atmosphere of Mortimer Queen’s manor. The puzzles and twists kept me guessing, and the characters each had secrets that made the story more intense. Overall it’s a clever, spooky thriller that fans of horror and mystery will really enjoy.

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🤍 I want to give a <I>huuugeee</I> thank you Netgalley and Mallory Arnold for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 🤍

Like Agatha Christie with a heckuva bite, Arnold kicks off How to Survive a Horror Story by bringing together a group of horror writers to witness the reading of the will of horror legend Mortimer Queen. Mortimer doesn't sound like he was a pleasant person in life, but in death he really ups the ante. He's got bones to pick with everyone in that room: the kleptomaniac, the gossip monger, the side chick, the rage addict, the good old boy, and the strangely quiet girl that no one knows. They'll all have to work together to solve Mortimer's riddles to survive a series of rooms and possibly get out alive. I loved Arnold's tense storytelling that wags a finger at the lengths people will go to in order to climb the spiky ladder of success. A splash of gore, delicious plot twists, and compulsively readable character backstories make this a must-read.

What a fantastic read! This book was a little outside my usual genre, but I absolutely LOVED every minute of it.

When legendary horror author Mortimer Queen passes away, a group of writers are invited to the reading of his will, expecting to inherit part of his fortune. Instead, they find themselves trapped in a twisted game. Solving riddles and moving from room to room in his eerie house in a desperate attempt to escape.

Such a fun concept! How to Survive a Horror Story is easily one of the most entertaining reads I’ve picked up in a while. I laughed, I gasped, and yes there were moments that made me cringe in the best possible way.

I’m not usually great at predicting plot twists, so all the turns totally got me. If you're a regular reader of this genre, you might spot some of them coming, but for me, the suspense and mystery were spot on.

The writing style was super easy and made for a refreshing change of pace. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from this author.

Seven authors enter the manor

Can they survive the story within?

When legendary horror author Mortimer Queen passes, a group of writers find themselves invited to his last will and testament reading expecting a piece of his massive fortune. Each have their own unique connection to the literary icon, some known, some soon to be discovered, and they've been waiting for their chance to step into the author's shoes for some time.

This was a fun read for a horror novel. I really enjoyed the monster house aspect of it and how you did not know what was going to come next. Along the way you learn how each of the 7 authors are connected to Mortimer and how that is used to move the story forward. To me there is not one non morally grey character in the book and I feel that all ended how it needed to.

How to Survive a Horror Story is a clever twist on the classic “whodunit.” It reads more like a deadly game of Clue than a traditional horror novel, with characters trapped, secrets unraveling, and the tension slowly building as you try to figure out who’s really pulling the strings.

I loved the concept and the way Mallory Arnold played with familiar horror setups while keeping the mystery front and center. The atmosphere is fun and eerie at the same time, and I enjoyed the mix of suspense and playful nods to the genre.

That said, after a while some of the deaths started to feel a little outlandish, which pulled me out of the story here and there. Still, it’s an entertaining, creative read that kept me guessing and gave me a few chills along the way.

If you’re into mysteries with a horror edge—think Clue with a spooky twist—this one is worth checking out.

at first i was gonna be like wow this was so predictable, blabla. i take all of that back. this book surprised the hell out of me. the characters are very interesting to read about and i was waiting to see what was going to happen. the book absolutely keeps you on your toes, and i could not even have imagined the ending. way to make a debut!

thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review

The only reason I’m giving this 4 stars instead of 5 is because it’s a premise we all know and love, and because it’s slightly formulaic. But, as far as books I’ve read this year, it’s one of my favorites. The twist is great and unique, without giving anything away, it’s not JUST an old rich man inviting people to his house to murder them… it’s slightly more than that! The reason that every person is there at the house (that they of course have to escape - or really, survive) is different but similar in the ways that they are horrible. With one exception. You can see some things coming but hey, you know what? It’s fun! It was a fun book that was graphic, thrilling, and had you on the edge of your seat throughout the whole time. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Contemporary, locked-room, haunted house horror told in present tense, with multiple POV. This book has it all; a sentient house, strings being pulled from beyond the grave, jump scares, an underlying sense of dread, a mystery that unravels as the story proceeds, carnivorous flying books, and comeuppance.

It was slightly meta; the main characters are all writers, and there are a series of short stories outlining their transgressions against the dead author who owned the house - or supposed transgressions; they’re told from his point of view. One of the characters points out that he is re-writing their stories as they progress through the house, so each character becomes an unreliable narrator, and I really enjoyed this ambiguity. This book was really entertaining and I read it in a day, I highly recommend it!

Familiar premise of a locked "room" haunted house story, but with a fun twist of using fellow authors who (maybe?) wronged the recently deceased. I would have enjoyed a chapter from the house's point of view, as it was so involved throughout the story.

I usually love a locked room mystery, but this was not for me. I gave it a go a few times and it was a bit of slog for me. Concept was there but the execution just did not work for me. I appear to be in the minority, so give it a chance. This just was not for me
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for my honest review
2.5