When renowned author dies several colleagues are mentioned in the will and brought to his mansion. Little do these other authors know it’s not to be handed a bunch of money. This is not your average will reading.

I read the story as an ARC. Therefore, I know there needs to be a little bit more tightening up before the book is actually published. Which makes me wonder, I’m not sure how this book is going to be marketed. As a serious horror story? Or as a horror story that is slightly ridiculous, such as, the Scream movies.  

As long as we’re not taking ourselves too seriously with this book, it was very entertaining. The format of the rotating POV of multiple characters combined with the short stories was very pleasing to follow. The short stories section were not repetitive and also very entertaining. The format could have been a flop but the author did an excellent job keeping the reader engaged.

I know some reviewers mentioned they liked the supernatural side of the story. I personally think it would be better without. I mean the way the house 'reacts' you can’t help that. But the supernatural aspect that comes with the house employees I would have left out. 

Again, I’m reading an ARC so things could change by the time the book gets published. I hope the purpose of this book was a satire on horror stories and if so, it deserves my three stars. If this is a book that will be marketed as a real, true horror/slasher novel - I’m not sure my rating will stand. I would lower my rating to 2 stars. I could not take this book seriously as a true 'horror novel'.

The plot felt slow paced, but at the same time fast paced. If that makes sense? The story itself took a bit to get rolling, but once it started rolling, it didn’t stop. I was surprised, pleasantly, at some of the situations the characters are put through and what happens to those characters. No spoilers allowed, but some of these chapters were wild and unexpected in the best way.

Overall, a nice little read. It was easy. Short enough. Satisfying. I would not recommend this book. I would not not recommend this book.

**Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

This was captivating and thrilling! I will definitely be showing this to my mystery/thriller book club after it is released to the public.

Thank you so much for the ARC! I was a little disappointed in the pacing of the book. It felt like it dragged in quite a few places. I didn't find any of the characters very likeable which made it hard for me to really care. I actually thought about DNFing it in some parts, but decided to power through. Not very impressed with the ending. It was just fine. It was an escape room vibe if that's your thing. Not my favorite.

How to Survive a Horror Story is a wild ride through revenge, betrayal, and morally messy characters. Everyone has something to hide - and none of them are particularly likable. Mortimer, the self-proclaimed judge of justice, dishes out fates that seem excessive for some, yet fitting for others. The quirky names and dark humor add some levity to the twisted drama. The pacing starts slow, but once it picks up you'll be hooked, even if the characters' backstories sometimes drag. It's not your typical horror - more creepy than terrifying - but it keeps you on the edge. If you're a fan of light horror with a side of moral ambiguity, this is a book to read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC to preview.

3 Stars – A Fun Premise, but the Execution? Meh.

Look, I wanted to love this. A creepy, puzzle-filled manor? A bunch of writers competing for a dead horror icon’s fortune? A house that literally eats people? Sign me up. But somewhere along the way, the thrill of the premise got lost in execution.

First off, this book is predictable. Like, if you’ve read even a handful of horror stories, you’ll probably guess most of the twists before they happen. It’s not necessarily a dealbreaker, but it did make the tension fizzle when I already knew where things were headed.

Then there’s the writing style, which just didn’t work for me. I can usually roll with a quirky or self-aware narrative, but something about this one kept pulling me out of the story instead of immersing me in it. I’d get sucked into a scene, only for the writing to trip me up like a badly placed rug in a haunted house.

That said, it’s not bad, just not as gripping as I hoped. If you love locked-room horror with a bit of snark, you might have a better time with it. But for me, it was more of a good concept, meh execution kind of read.

Loved this story. Expertly wielding multiple POVs, Arnold pays homage to fans of Clue and The Haunting. Several seemingly random authors are gathered for the reading of a will. As usual in these types of stories, they are unsure about the how and why of being selected. Once at the house, events start to unfold to answer said question. I finished leaving satisfied by the ending.

Fast paced thriller/mystery with horror elements. I really enjoyed the chapters being in different character’s perspectives. Any Agatha Christie or horror lover will appreciate this book! Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

How to survive a Horror story by Mallory Arnold.

After finishing this book, I have to say that I have not read a book like this. It was definitely intense and a little bit confusing at first to try to figure out what was happening , but I was immediately engulfed once I figured out the end goal. A group of 7 authors are invited to a mysterious manor after a famous author dies names Mortimer Queen.

Each author that was invited has an odd connection to Mortimer in the past which it all comes out throughout the book. But once the story gets spun together, all the fingers are pointed to each one. It’s hard to know who’s good and who is bad.

Each of these authors are still hungry for fame, and as they are in this house, they are put into a series of trials and riddles and tests to see who can step into Mortimer s shoes. This book was a mind draining quest to figure out who would win the overall endgame . This was an absolute mind trip. I couldn’t figure out who would be strong enough with this and that ending, holy moly, what a trip.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an eARC copy of How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold.

What happens when a group of ambitious writers walk into a horror story of their own? How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold takes the classic premise and twists it into a deliciously errie, genre-savvy thrill ride that will keep you glued to the pages.

The novel follows a group of writers lured to the imposing Queen Manor, each hoping for a share of legendary horror author Mortimer Queen's fortune. Instead of an inheritance, they find themselves trapped in a deadly game where the only way out is to solve a series of sinsister riddles - or be consumed by the manor itself. The house, steeped in blood-soaked family history, is not just a setting but a character in its own right, alive with secrets and hunger.

Mallory Arnold does a wonderful job using multiple POV's, something that I don't often say as there aren't a lot of books to me that do this well. It allows each character to set their tone of their own motivations and to share their dark pasts, only fueling the tension and the stakes. The puzzles are cleverly woven into the narrative, making it feel like you are also apart of the deadly game. It is a wonderful blending of locked-room tension and gothic dread.

Oh man this book was so good. Fast paced, twisty, spooky, supernatural, horror and mystery. I ended up devouring this book in two setting after intending to read it over a period of one week.

I’m not totally sure what I expected when I started reading How to Survive a Horror Story, but a blood-soaked horror reminiscent of a Clue game was not it.

Initially, it was difficult to see how the story would meander with so many different viewpoints at play, but it eventually became much easier to keep tabs on (and I’ll let you read and find out why).

Mortimer Queen has died and called several acquaintances to join together at his home for a will reading. What they don’t know is they are walking into a trap, and all of their chickens are coming home to roost.

Buck, Scott, Melanie, Petey, Chester, Winnie and Crystal all knew Mortimer, and as the story progresses, we find out why each of them finds themselves within the clutches of Mortimer’s own Monster House.

Minus a few misspellings, this ARC was near-perfect. I had an idea of who would be left at the end, but did they become the new monster?

Thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Mallory Arnold for a pre-release look at what will likely be the most fun horror read coming out this summer!

An amazingly creepy, mystery, written in an engaging format that ensures that you won't want to put the book down. For as little time as we get with some of the characters, they are all incredibly well fleshed out, and the progression and growth of the main character works perfectly to hold it all together. I sincerely hope we such many more great things from this debut author!

Thank you NetGalley for the early E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!

A haunted monster mansion, 7 horror authors, and multiple mysteries to solve. I thoroughly enjoyed this! I thought it was a fun, mystery filled, light horror with some good twists! Definitely more for those who prefer fantasy/horror rather than realistic horror.

I really enjoyed trying to work out who and what to believe, and I found Arnold’s use of descriptive imagery allowed me to build a clear picture of each character and the house from the get go!

Mallory Arnold delivers a wickedly fun and spine-chilling thriller with How to Survive a Horror Story. When a group of writers gathers at the eerie Queen Manor expecting an inheritance, they instead find themselves trapped in a deadly game where every wrong move could mean their doom.

Blending locked-room mystery with supernatural horror, Arnold crafts a clever, fast-paced story filled with dark humor, sharp twists, and an atmosphere dripping with gothic dread. Perfect for fans of eerie mansions, literary intrigue, and survival-driven suspense, this book is a thrilling, unforgettable ride!

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was a fast paced, entertaining read! The plot revolves around a famed horror author, Mortimer Queen who has recently passed away. A group of authors are invited to his manor to hear and witness his will reading. All of these people have had either direct or indirect interactions with Mr. Queen. All of the authors sort of know each other or who everyone is with the exception of Melanie who doesn't know anyone in the group and is pretty quiet about how she knew Mortimer Queen. At the will reading, the group is horrified to find out that they will not be inheriting anything from the deceased and that if they don't obey the stipulations listed in Mortimer's will, they will not survive the night themselves.

What happens next is a break-neck paced horror novel filled with blood and gore. It turns out that every character has a secret about their relationship with Mortimer and he wants them to reveal those secrets to everyone in the group. Throughout the night, the group will travel to different rooms in the manor and each room has a riddle to solve. If the group can solve the riddle, they all move onto the next room alive. If they fail to solve the riddle in a hour, someone will die. Each chapter alternates from the point of view of one character to another. It was fun to read their thoughts and know what they were thinking as they were going through this harrowing experience.

The book feels and reads like a horror movie. I could literally picture all of these scenes happening in my mind and playing out a like a movie. Being that this feels like a horror movie, most of the characters are unlikeable and feel more like cannon fodder to kill off in gruesome ways than people you want to root for. There is one or two exceptions to this and it isn't a complaint about the book, in fact it's a testament to the good writing of the novel to actively root for the death of certain characters.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys horror novels and movies. It was a quick and easy read and was a lot of fun to read! I wanted to keep reading to find out how each character knew Mortimer and what their secrets were that they were hiding!

While definitely not a masterpiece, this book was an enjoyable mix of well loved tropes from the horror and mystery genres.
The story follows a group of writers who are invited to the Manor of one extremely famous horror writer, who recently passed away and cited them in his will. However, things are not as they seem and they soon find themselves involved in a deadly game, where they need to solve riddles in order to survive.
Each of the characters represent a different horror sub-genre or type (for example the erotica horror writer or the "one-book-wonder"), and each chapter is told through a different point of view. Even though the characters weren't the most original or memorable, I still found them all quite interesting to follow and I liked learning more about them through their different perspectives.
The plot was fast paced, and it was a mix of the mystery genre, because every character has a secret which is the reason they were invited to the Manor, and the horror genre, because the house is haunted and... well, quite alive. 
Personally I think the story lost a little steam in the second half and got a bit repetitive, and the final reveal was also quite lackluster.
All in all, it wasn't the most successful book, but it was also an entertaining read for the most part, and I would try this author again in the future.

Another great book. I was on the edge of my seat and I never knew what might be happening next. If you love locked room mysteries then this is going to be a great book for you.

WOW! This book was great! It was a bit monster house, a bit escape room with a touch of revenge. When horror authors are brought in to hear the last will and testament of famous horror author Mortimer Queen they have no idea what they are really getting themselves into. Hold on for a Wild ride!!

This was not a bad read at all solid 3 starts, held my attention, and was a good time.

I loved how real the characters seemed, people were messy, they acted like someone would in something like this. It was a little cheesy at times but in no way boring.

This was a slow burn, so beware if you don't like that kind of thing, but I don't mind, as long as the story itself is good, which this one is.

This was kind of a just whodoneit more then horror, some creepy tones, I would have marked this as mystery.