3.5 ⭐️
The premise of this book was what originally caught my eye - 7 authors who have a past with a deceased author (Mortimer Queen) attend his will reading, but he has some tricks for them. Overall I think this book was good and has some potential. The ending was a little predictable as the story went on and I’d have liked to have a little more interaction between the main character and the deceased author as I felt they didn’t really have that much of a relationship and was confusing on Mortimer Queen’s actions at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of “How To Survive a Horror Story” by Mallory Arnold.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It was such a unique plot, and nothing like I have read before.
I loved how each room carried a riddle and a story, and I was eager to find out why the writers had to endure the manor.
It started off a little bit slow, but when the riddles began, it quickly got quite nerve wracking.
I liked the POV’s of the different characters, and the ending caught me by surprise.
I can highly recommend this story and I can’t wait for this author to publish more books.

Seven authors are invited to the will reading of the late and great horror writer Mortimer Queen. They each have a past with the man, and he’s about to make them pay from beyond the grave.

So this was a fun read and I really enjoyed how it played out. I went into this not knowing much, but I think that worked in the books favour as I was taken in by everything happening. It was a fun take on the locked room trope, and felt like a (very) high stakes escape room.

It was a little bit trope-y at times and the ending may have wrapped itself up a bit too neatly, but I still think it was a fun ride. I really liked seeing the story from each of the characters points of view, and getting the little short stories too.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

After horror author Mortimer Queen dies, a group of people are invited to his mansion to read his will. Little do they know what is in store for them. In order to leave the house they must solve a series of riddles and only one will survive.

I thought this was a pretty fun horror story. It kept my attention and I wanted to know what would happen to each of them and I liked reading all the backstories of each individual. Although I did figure out who would be the eventual winner, I enjoyed the journey to get there. This mixes a bit of humor and gore and I thought this was a really good read overall.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of this book!

Mallory Arnold’s How to Survive a Horror Story is a clever, immersive read that leans into its eerie premise with style. The book’s conceit—while divisive for some—works brilliantly if you’re willing to suspend disbelief, rewarding readers with deftly drawn characters and seamless multi-POV storytelling. Arnold’s prose is crisp and atmospheric, making it an easy yet gripping page-turner.

Though the sun-drenched days of summer might dull its scares (perfect for horror-light readers), this one’s poised to shine even brighter during spooky season. A must for fans of playful, character-driven horror with a meta edge.

This gave everything I expected from this book and beyond ! I had such a blast reading it , I was never bored it genuinely had me hooked right from the first chapter !

A famous horror author dies and his last wish calls a bunch of horror authors to his home for the reading of his will.... what could got wrong here!?!

What a fun and trope filled read!

Several people have said How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold looks like a thriller. Those people are VERY wrong.

In a gripping debut, Arnold calls on a classic horror trope: humans are the worst monsters of them all. Not only is each writer connected to Mortimer Queen through their profession, it’s also through personal vendetta. Imagine if Stephen King was a petty bitch with a score to settle and the revenge wasn’t fully bound by the rules of reality.

Each ‘monster’ being punished has their version of events which doesn’t quite fit with what actually happened. As the reader, we get to see what really happened, how they spin it, and the lies that person tells themself to justify what they did. As the story unfolds, we see we are all capable of becoming monsters.

It’s fast paced and unsettling. The horror comes at you in multiple forms. You will not want to put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone looking to get spooky this summerween 5/5

I loved this book! The pacing was perfect—fast, creepy, and impossible to put down. The escape room-style plot kept me hooked, and the eerie manor setting gave me major haunted Clue vibes. Each character felt distinct and layered, and I genuinely enjoyed watching their secrets unravel.

It’s witty, atmospheric, and full of twists. If you’re into haunted houses, locked-room mysteries, or horror with a brain, this one delivers. A fantastic mix of suspense and fun.
Thanks @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. .

📖 How To Survive A Horror Story, Mallory Arnold
⭐️⭐️

In this story we meet seven strangers who have been requested to attend the reading of legendary horror author, Mortimer Queen’s, will. Very soon they realize that they have been lured into their very own horror story and will have to fight to survive.

I wanted to like this so much. The premise sounds great and reading horror in the summer is so fun to me. Unfortunately I thought it fell flat. Keeping up with the characters was confusing as they all sort of blended together. The parts that were meant to be gory and scary didn’t have that effect for me and I think it was from not being invested in the book.

I hate that this one didn’t work well for me, but it’s just a reminder that not every book is gonna be a winner and that’s ok! Someone else will probably love it.

Thank you to @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

#bookreviewer #bookstagram #bookreviews #bookreview #horrorbooks #horrorbookstagram

How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold  is a novel about a group of authors invited to the reading of the will of a prominent horror writer.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Poisoned Pen Press, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.




My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Legendary horror author Mortimer Queen passes away, and his estate manager, Gia Falcone, sends out invitations to a select few authors to spend the weekend at his manor.  Gia will read Mortimer's will, and each guest is looking forward to sharing in his vast estate.  But the guests are invited to play a game first.  They cannot leave, unless they can progress from room to room by answering a riddle which they must find.  They have an hour to answer correctly, or be punished....  Lives may be lost.

Attending the reading of the will are:

Melanie Brown, who has not yet published anything, and doesn't feel she has the right to be at this gathering of authors.  She barely remembers meeting Mortimer Queen.

Scott Clay, author of the Dark Skies horror series, is a good-looking, somewhat arrogant man.

Crystal Flowers, author of erotic horror, and had a close relationship with the deceased.

Winnie Roach, a 50-something woman, who invited a guest of her own, Felix. She's a gossip-monger.

Buck Grimm. a big Texan, who was once Mortimer's publishing assistant.

Chester Plumage, author of books that center around teens doing crazy things, and is currently being sued by parents of teens that try that stuff.  His motto "Feel the Fear".

Petey Marsh, author known as a one-book-wonder.

All of the attendees have a secret, and they all had somewhat strained relationships with the deceased.  All of them have wronged him, or so he thinks.  Not all will survive this weekend.   The manor was built on the bones of  Mortimer's family, and the manor is hungry.




My Opinions:
This was a fun book to read.  Not funny, just fun.  It was creepy as hell.  Very atmospheric.   Great locked room mystery...and riddles!  The manor is more than just haunted, it's got monsters!  This book really had it all.  And it worked.

The characters were really entertaining, whether you liked them or hated them, they were well fleshed out, and a little over-the-top.  The deceased Mortimer Queen was a bit of a sleazeball too, and definitely bent on revenge. The house was a character all on it's own, and Gia...wow.  Anyway,  I think the way the author told the back-ground of each character within the narrative of the whole story, was really well done.

I wouldn't say this was pure horror, although it definitely had it's moments.  But it was definitely a creepy read, had a couple of twists, and suspense continued to build.  It held my attention from start to finish.  As I said, it was a fun read, and I'll be watching for more by this author.

This is a great take on the just deserts and final girl tropes, with the manor as a familiar but unique setting. The characters are three dimensional and distinct, with Gia being the scariest thing about this book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
What a fun book, and impressive debut novel! This takes inspiration from the classic locked room mystery and gives it a horror twist. I would call this Clue crossed with 13 Ghosts - two movies that I adore, and the concept worked well. A wealthy horror author dies, and 7 authors are invited to his very weird house for the reading of the will, and the inheritance is not at all what the guests expect. There is also a book within a book, which is a big part of the twist. This does have some flaws, common in a first book. The biggest is the book within the book slows the plot down and can feel repetitive. I still really enjoyed this and I look forward to what this author writes in the future. 4⭐️

How to Survive a Horror Story is such a fun, clever twist on classic horror tropes. I absolutely loved the concept, characters who realize they’re trapped in the mechanics of a horror story and have to figure out how to survive? Count me in. Mallory Arnold creates this self-aware, eerie world where the characters are just as obsessed with survival rules as I was while reading.

The book delivers the right amount of chills, mixed with sharp humor and a fast-paced plot that kept me engaged. I especially appreciated the way the tension built steadily without ever feeling forced. The meta elements and references to horror culture were smart and added layers to the story without overwhelming it.

This was a unique, entertaining ride that felt fresh while still honoring the best parts of the genre. I definitely recommend it to horror fans who love a little wit mixed with their scares.

Thank you to the Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one

I love the story line of this book and you can never really go wrong with a locked in mystery. I also liked that the characters were writers. I thought the book was good, it entertained me. However, i don’t think it will leave a mark on me. It’s definitely good if you’re just looking for a mystery book to entertain you.

thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

2.5. I thought this started out strong, but very much lost steam. I think the killings themselves are a really good metaphor for the book, because the first death is very gnarly, terrible, and vividly described, but by the end I had very little idea of what was actually physically happening during the deaths. they just sorta happened. I also think the book couldn't really decide on its tone - was it pure horror, a horror-comedy, or simply a thriller? it wasn't bad but it never really came together.

I give the author credit for coming up with like truly terrible characters throughout and still making them interesting. they felt unique, too, which is pretty impressive with all the different POVs. that said, I think the frequent deaths probably hurt the book in that regard, because they could all get picked off at any point, and put an end to anything interesting they had to offer the story. oh and the final survivor is so, so, so obvious, but I did really like that character and thought their journey was interesting (minus the Mortimer worship I think.), so it wasn't too bad.

also what was the point of Felix? still kinda hung up on that one

3.5★ (rounded up to 4★ (for the concept and fun).

Creepy and a lot of fun to read. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the early copy!
This story drops you into a chilling mystery: a famous horror author dies, and a group of fellow writers—all successful in their own right, except for one mysterious newcomer—are invited to his remote estate for the reading of his will. But soon, strange happenings unfold, secrets surface, and the group finds themselves in a tense game of survival.
What I appreciated:

🔹 The premise was an instant hook, with a perfect locked-room/manor setting that gives the story excellent atmosphere.

🔹 The pacing steadily picks up—especially in the latter half—keeping the momentum high and my interest sustained.

🔹 Introducing a fairly large cast can be tricky, but the author handled it well: each character felt distinct, and their relationships added real tension to the group dynamics.

🔹 The writing is atmospheric and suspense-driven rather than gore-heavy—ideal for those who enjoy eerie vibes and mystery over outright horror.

A few elements didn’t fully land:

▪️ I didn’t connect deeply with some characters, so a few emotional moments felt less impactful.

▪️ A few character reactions under stress seemed slightly immature, which sometimes pulled me out of the moment.
▪️ I was hoping the danger and death scenes would carry more gravity and realism.

▪️ The ending was a bit predictable—but still provided a satisfying conclusion.

Final thoughts:
 Overall, it's a fast-paced, entertaining horror mystery with a strong concept and great atmosphere. It’s a promising debut in the genre, and I’m excited to read what Mallory Arnold does next.
—
🖤 I’m always drawn to eerie manors, closed-circle mysteries, and secrets-laden survival stories—and this one absolutely delivered.

4 stars!

I thought this book was super fun and genuinely terrifying! I love a book about a group of authors, and then you add in a little murderous game and I'm sold. I do think the outlandishness of the plot and the characters was a lot at times, but it was camp! It was fun! And that's what I'm here for! I also enjoyed how quick of a read this was, and I look forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5⭐️

It was my first dip into the horror genre for books (which is crazy coz I'm a MASSIVE) horror fan for movies.

I really enjoyed the story that Mallory created in How to Survive a Horror Story - I loved that all the characters were popular authors in the horror genre in this universe who were all bought together to to reading of the will from another high profile author who had passed. But there's more to the reading and the old home that Mortimer used to live in and it's up to the characters to figure it out before it's too late.

If you're new to the horror genre for books but are a horror movie fan like me then you'll probably enjoy this book if you were a fan of the Escape Room movies (starring Taylor Russell)

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me early access to this book! I thought this book was great and I did not want to put it down. I love the spooky vibes. Just reading a horror book in the middle of summer, who am I? Lol great book definitely recommend.