When world-renowned horror author Mortimer Queen passes away, seven fellow writers are invited to his estate in Vermont for the reading of his will. Each of the seven guests have some sort of connection to Queen, so some are expecting to be compensated handsomely with some sort of inheritance. But when they arrive at the Manor, instead of riches, they find a game. The writers must solve the riddles to advance, fail, and the Manor feeds. And this house has quite the appetite.

I love a good locked room trope, so when I saw this on NetGalley, I knew I had to have it! For a debut novel this was a job well done! Each chapter shifts amongst the seven writers, so while the story progresses we figure out why and how all of the characters are connected and why they were chosen by Queen. While it does start off a bit slow, it is absolutely necessary to build up the foundation and set the stage. Soon the narrative ramps up and from there on out it is steady until the last twist. I really like the mysteries and riddles with each person and the repercussions for not solving them! Overall for a trope that can be either underwhelming or overused, How to Survive a Horror Story stands out as an inventive and atmospheric bingeable thriller! Can't wait to see what Mallory does next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Mallory Arnold, and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC! Publication date is July 8th 2025.

Is this a little predictable? Yeah.... Is this kinda goofy/silly...mhmmm do you kind of feel like you are reading an episode of Scooby Doo.. sometimes. This is all what makes this book fun! If you don't go into this thinking you will be scared with every turn of the page you will really enjoy it

Following the death of prominent horror author Mortimer Queen, seven writers are invited to his manor for his last will and testament reading. Anticipation soon gives way to uncertainty and fear, as the writers find themselves trapped within the manor and are forced to play a game where the outcome truly is a matter of life and death.

How To Survive A Horror Story by Mallory Arnold is a fast-paced novel that felt more akin to a locked-door mystery than outright horror. Although there are supernatural elements in relation to the Queen estate, the manor’s attendants and its creative means of dispatching characters, I didn’t find the story to be overly frightening. Though the atmosphere and tension do build as the characters deal with one unpleasant room after another.

Told from the perspectives of the various characters, no one is quite who they initially appear. There are unreliable narrators coupled with revelations and by the conclusion of the story, a comparison to initial impressions of certain characters will illustrate a stark difference. Each character is very flawed and although they are not always very likable, moments of vulnerability and personal reflection prevented some of them from existing solely to meet their ends.

The self-awareness of the characters being horror writers and thus possessing knowledge of the pertinent tropes they might experience is a good addition to the story and while the death scenes of certain characters are inventive, I was sometimes vaguely reminded of a nightmarish Rube Goldberg machine.

The ending is slightly predictable and I found myself more curious regarding the manor and its grisly history. Although How To Survive A Horror Story isn’t a reinvention within the genre, it’s still an entertaining debut novel.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

A fun read, though I do feel like it needed a little tightening in places—I don’t want to spoil it so I won’t go into too much detail, but there were a few parts were the logic behind certain things (and some of the gory deaths) made it hard for me to suspend my disbelief.

But if you’re a fan of “guilty pleasure” horror like me—the campy kind, with sometimes over-the-top deaths and not the strongest logic—I’d definitely recommend giving it a read! For example, I read Clown in a Cornfield recently, and while that book was VERY campy, I found myself really enjoying it. I think this is the kind of horror/mystery that you read more for fun than for really dark/sensible scares.

I’d honestly like to leave a more detailed review, but since this is a mystery and has character deaths, I feel like that’d be difficult to do without spoiling things (and ruining the fun).

All in all, if you’re looking for an entertaining horror read, I’d recommend picking this up.

This was good, even though it was not really my cup of tea...
Honestly, the whole thing was kind of predictable. You can tell pretty much right away who’s going to survive, so there’s not much tension. The characters weren’t super likeable either—yeah, they’ve messed up in the past, but still, I just couldn’t bring myself to care. After a while, I was mostly just waiting to see who’d get picked off next. There was one character who seemed really interesting and could’ve had a way bigger role, but nope… nothing. This just felt as a missed opportunity.

Mallory Arnold’s debut novel, How to Survive a Horror Story, follows a group of seven writers invited to the reading of legendary horror author Mortimer Queen’s will at his decrepit manor. Each guest has a personal connection to Queen and arrives expecting a share of his fortune, except for Melanie Brown. Melanie cannot fully recall meeting Queen and questions why she is in attendance.

The group is pulled into a twisted game where solving riddles is the only way forward. As they move through the manor, the riddles begin to uncover their deepest secrets, and it becomes clear that the house has a mind of its own and is not ready to let them all leave.

This book was such a fun ride! It reminded me of a very toned down version of Saw as I was trying to uncover why each person was invited. This book got me out of a reading slump as well. I am looking forward to reading more from Arnold!

The pacing of How to Survive a Horror Story felt very enjoyable and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. There were multiple POVs, one for each guest, which I could see being a bit confusing.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

How To Survive A Horror Story shows you that even the smartest horror connoisseur can't escape a sentient home!! 💫💫💫💫💫

Mortimer Queen is a genius in everything that he does. But can he outsmart seven horror authors when he traps them in his manor? They all did something to Mortimer except that they all claim innocence or feign any prior knowledge.  But with the help of Melanie Brown, one of the women stuck in the manor, all the truths and lies will come to light.

Loved the premise of the book, the unreliable characters, even Mortimer himself grew on me. The light gore and all the atrocities that they endured were very en par with a sentient home that requires blood and souls.
Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this highly enjoyable ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

Mallory Arnold’s How to Survive a Horror Story is a witty, meta romp through classic horror tropes with a tongue-in-cheek tone. Fun, fast-paced, and full of quirky charm, it doesn’t go too deep but delivers clever laughs and genre nods. A playful read for horror fans. 3.5 rounded up to 4/5.

Mallory Arnold’s How to Survive a Horror Story is a cheeky, chilling, and clever debut that reads like a love letter to every horror trope you’ve ever screamed at...and then twisted just enough to make you wonder if the real monster... is publishing.

Seven horror authors are summoned to creepy Queen Manor for the reading of a literary legend’s will. Sounds simple, right? Spoiler: it’s not. Instead of being handed a check and a commemorative pen, they’re thrown into a deadly game full of riddles, secrets, and supernatural sass. Picture Clue, if Colonel Mustard had a podcast and Miss Scarlet carried emotional baggage from BookTok reviews.

The vibe is perfectly eerie with a side of dark humor. Arnold clearly knows her way around the genre, poking fun at its clichés while also reveling in them. The haunted house setting is a character in itself—one that creaks, growls, and probably judges your life choices.

The ensemble cast of authors is dysfunctional in the best way, though some of their voices blend together like a writer's retreat gone off the rails. Still, the group dynamic works, and the underlying themes of competition, ego, and literary trauma give the story some emotional meat behind the creepy curtain. There are some nods to some favorite horror authors here that are fun for fans to over-analyze.

A couple of the twists felt a bit telegraphed (I see you, overly helpful red herring), and the emotional payoffs could’ve been a tad sharper—but overall, the book is smart, fun, and fast-paced with a satisfying ending that sticks the spooky landing.

Regardless, this is a wickedly fun read for horror fans, aspiring authors, or anyone who’s ever wondered what would happen if Agatha Christie and R.L. Stine hosted Survivor.

How to Survive a Horror story is a brilliant horror debut novel by Mallory Arnold. As a horror fan, I can’t wait for the opportunity to read more from Mallory Arnold. I loved the premise of this novel; it felt like a perfect blend of Clue, Knives Out, and a dash of Monster House and Escape Room. I love the meta aspect of this book. Horror authors trying to survive a night straight out of the pages of a horror novel. Yes, Please! I loved how all of the characters POVs were weaved together, so we able to figure out why Mortimer was trying to get revenge from the grave. Mallory did a good job of creating an eerie atmosphere and developing tension and suspense. This book kept me hooked from the first chapter to the very end. This was the perfect book to get me in the mood for Halloween. Thanks NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

How To Survive A Horror Story is the ultimate revenge story mixed with a monstrous house filled with deadly escape-room style traps. Each room’s riddles, mysteries, and gore kept me enthralled and the book pulled me along all its twists and turns! Each character weaves an intriguing web of truth and deceit, using words (and sometimes fists) as their weapons against each other; even as they try to work together to navigate, and survive, the house of horrors and the deadly game they’ve unknowningly agreed to play.

“Seven authors enter the manor. Can they survive the story within?”

I really enjoyed this one! It was fast-paced, and the multiple character povs and flashbacks after each room really fleshed out each characters’ motivations and the overall plot! Overall, this is a fabulous debut!

This book was pure fun. Did it bring anything new to the classic locked room murder mystery tropes? No. But I had a good time reading and was very entertained. The creepy atmosphere, the puzzles, and the "book within a book" aspect was the best part of my reading experience.

I usually like books with multiple POVs to get to know the characters before they are ultimately killed off. It did take me a couple of chapters to not confuse the characters (especially the male characters) because they all seemed indistinguishable and one tone in the beginning. It become easier as more characters were murdered but I was flipping back to figure out who did what to Mortimer.

Speaking of Mr. Queen the motives of some of these characters seemed off. I could definitely see how some characters had justifiable deaths in a tale of revenge but others were somewhat unnecessary. Especially some secrets that the characters were willing to die for or cause others to die. I can't entirely fault the book for this because maybe the point was to showcase how flawed and mad Mortimer was as a person.

If you're a lover of the locked room murder mystery I would recommend checking this book out just for the entertainment. I will probably forget most of what happened and rely on the synopsis to remember key elements in this story to not mix it up with other stories of the same genre. Overall, it was good book. Slower in the beginning but makes it up with some creative deaths. Happy Reading!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, Mallory Arnold, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love a locked-room mystery. I always end up enjoying them, and this new story from Mallory Arnold doesn't disappoint.

This story is told in a Multi-POV format. I normally don't care for that, but in this book, it was the right choice and added to the story. We never really get to "know" the characters, outside of their perspectives. The characters only have brief histories with each other, none being very good. The reason I felt this worked is because it takes the unreliable narrator aspect, and then spins it around because the characters are also kind of awful.

Also, the house being a character itself was also entertaining. There were times I found myself rooting for the house, which I never thought I would find myself saying.

One aspect I will call out is this story is a bit predictable. If you read a ton of thrillers or horror, you'll probably see some of the storyline coming. But if you're new to the genre, especially if you'd like to try something with horror aspects, I would definitely recommend this book. I loved how this book was plotted out, and this is a crazy good debut from Mallory Arnold.

This was a really fun lock roomed thriller. I loved the “Clue” feel that was taken up a notch. The back and forth between the characters and their “misgivings” kept the book moving and made things interesting. There was some slight predictably when it came to the ending but it was still an all around great dead none the less. 4⭐️

Thank you to Netgally and Poisoned Pen Press for the review copy!

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was very “House on Haunted Hill” meets and “Knives Out” but in its own way. I like how the truths of each individual was portrayed, but I think it was predictable that Melanie was going to be the final author. There were times that I expected more of a mystery in regard to the riddles, so those were a little blah for me. The thing I liked the most was that the underdog seemed like she subconsciously was in on it.

Thank you Netgalley & Poisoned Pen Press for an eARC ♥️♥️♥️

Let me start by saying—wow. Just wow. I went into this expecting a clever locked-room mystery, but what I got was a masterclass in slow-burning psychological terror and the most deliciously brutal revenge plot I've read in years. Mortimer Queen might be dead, but his presence looms over every page like a shadow you can't shake. 🫨
The premise alone hooked me: a group of egotistical, backstabbing horror authors—each more morally bankrupt than the last—lured to a gothic mansion under the promise of inheritance, only to realize they're not beneficiaries. They're *prey*. And Mortimer? He's been waiting for this moment.
What makes this book so damn brilliant is how it peels back the layers of each character, revealing how their success was built on stolen ideas, betrayals, and outright cruelty toward Mortimer. The deeper you get, the more you realize—they *deserve* what's coming. And oh, does it come. The house itself feels like a character, shifting and twisting to expose their darkest secrets in ways that had me gasping. 🫢
The pacing is flawless—tense from the first page, with a slow, creeping dread that builds into full-blown horror.
Personal Thoughts:
I *lived* for the dynamics between these narcissistic, backstabbing authors. Watching them unravel, turning on each other as the truth comes out, was like witnessing a car crash in slow motion—horrifying but impossible to look away from. And Mortimer’s revenge just 🤌🏽. It’s rare to read a book where the villain (or is he?) feels so justified, so *right*, in his cruelty.
🛑Final Verdict:
If you love horror that’s as smart as it is terrifying, with a side of razor-sharp social commentary on greed and betrayal, this is your next five-star read.❗️

(P.S. If you’ve ever wronged someone and gotten away with it… maybe skip this one. Just saying.)

what do they say about revenge? it’s sweet or something like that, right? this book was absolute genius. seven authors get invited to the creepy manor of the famous horror writer mortimer queen, all expecting to walk away with a fortune. instead, they’re gathered in one place to expose their secrets and are trapped together, forced to work as a team to escape while desperately trying not to let anyone find out what they’ve done.

what i didn’t see coming was the ending. i’d call this a twisted, fun take on willy wonka, but way darker. it kept me hooked the entire time, and getting little flashbacks of what actually happened was so satisfying.

definitely recommend if you’re looking for something dark, clever, and a little unhinged.

When legendary horror author Mortimer Queen leaves this earth, he's not quite done telling his stories. 7 authors receive invitations to Queen's manor, for a will reading. Each was promised an item of great personal value. Upon arrival, they find themselves locked in the manor for the game of a lifetime... all they have to do is solve a few riddles and they'll be able to leave. Sounds easy enough... but every time they fail to solve a riddle, the house will claim one of them; and it's very hungry!

I am not big on horror but I love mysteries so I decided to give this one a go. It did not disappoint! As a debut novel, this book leaves quite an impression. Were some of the characters over the top? Sure, but even the characters we didn't spend long with were well developed. Was telling the story through 7 different POVs ambitious? Yes, but it worked. I explained the book to a friend as a case study in revenge and I stand by that description. While the book was tropey, it was still gripping and original. I can't wait to read more from this author!

Note: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

Legendary horror author Mortimer McQueen has passed away and invited 7 authors for the reading of his will. Each author has their own unique connection to McQueen and no one rejects the invitation.

After the guests arrive they are informed they are to play a game with simple rules- solve the riddles and progress to the next room of the house. However, not everyone will make it out of the house that horror stories were built on!

The premise of this was so intriguing and I felt like this was going to be one of those movies you can’t help but yell at the on screen characters (and I was here for it!!!). A real like escape room house and you know there is going to be something way more sinister afoot!

This is a locked room story of how your curiosity (and greed) can and will get the best of you! A masterpiece story of vendetta and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next in the house filled with such a variety of monsters (because monsters come in all shapes and forms!).

Open your mind (don’t be so serious!), give it a go and get to know the story or each author!

Thank you to author, Mallory Arnold, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

3.5 / 5 stars

Legendary horror author Mortimer Queen has passed away and invited seven fellow writers of the genre to the reading of his will at Queen Manor. Well, six writers and a woman named Melanie Brown, who hasn’t been published and seems equally perplexed about her invitation.

Nevertheless, Melanie is given the same charge as the other guests: solve the manor’s riddles to receive their inheritance. Failure means the house will consume one of them. Yes, these writers have walked into a real-life horror story, and if they hope to survive, they’ll need to uncover Mortimer’s clues – and his grudges.

This was a very fun read that puts a horror spin on the “cursed dinner party” and “house of games” tropes I’ve been seeing a lot lately. It reminded me of You Are Fatally Invited in structure but leaned fully into horror rather than mystery/thriller, and the group’s progression from room to room gave me The Staircase in the Woods vibes – though with a campier edge.

In addition to the group battling against the clock and one another in order to solve Mortimer's riddles, it quickly becomes evident that Mortimer has brought his guests to his manor to punish them posthumously. The house literally eats people if they fail, which is such a fun, unhinged take on this trope, and the Clue-like ridiculous character names (Buck Grimm, Chester Plumage, Crystal Flowers) add a darkly comedic flair. But the third-person-limited narrative – interspersed with short stories about each guest – keeps you guessing who’s telling the truth (or rewriting it to suit themselves). This layered structure stops the novel from veering into nonsense.

I devoured this in a few sittings – the pacing is quick, and the layered mystery of “why” keeps the pages turning. The ending didn’t quite land for me – more neatly packaged than I’d hoped – but it didn’t ruin the ride. If you enjoyed You Are Fatally Invited, The Staircase in the Woods, or the layered horror setups of The Other People or the haunted house in Phantasma, this is a fun, twisty read to add to your summerween or spooky season TBR.