This is a modern-day Clue if Clue had a haunted house that was out to get the people inside. I will say I don’t quite know if this is truly a horror story. I found it to be rather tame, which isn’t bad but if you’re looking for true horror, I can’t say that in my opinion this book truly delivered. I still loved it. I enjoyed getting a back story for all the characters inside the house. It truly tied the story all together beautifully and allowed us to get a much better understanding of all the characters involved.
Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgally for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Such a fun read!
This book was so freaking fun to read. Not one where you can guess what’s happening at all. It starts like an old school story— rich man dies, requires group to come to his estate for will reading— then it started to deviate. The rich man in question was a horror writer and is toying with them from the grave. Every chapter was a delight. I loved the different POV style writing and learning about the characters little by little as they play a twisted riddle based game with their lives literally on the lines. Would recommend to anyone, it was extremely well written.

I have to prefaces to this review: 1) it will not be spoiler free, 2) it won't be positive. As much as I dislike giving poor reviews, I am also not willing to fib.

How to Survive a Horror Story started well. We were introduced to a woman shrouded in sadness, with some light mystery in her backstory, and a crowd of glamorous, possibly sinister horror writers. We were also introduced to a house, so creepy and unsettling it bordered on cliché, and a cast of creepy servants. Not long after this the plot diverged, becoming closer to Escape Room (2019) than I had expected, and then action began.

Melanie Brown has been invited to Queen Manor, the house of late horror legend Mortimer Queen. Having met the man only once, an afternoon of which she has little recollection, Melanie is shocked when her invitation arrives: Mortimer has left her something in his will. Joining her for the reading are horror authors highbrow and erotic, social media mad and virtually reclusive. There's Petey, whose bestseller sits on syllabuses around the world, but who has never published anything else. Hugely successful country boy Buck, who left the shiny, fast-paced world of publishing to return home to his rural small town roots. Chester, who started his career as a children's author and revels in the controversy, and clicks, generated by his increasingly cult-like following of impressionable youths. Crystal as cold and hard as she is sultry and forward, an erotic horror vixen sharp with ambition. Scott a horror heart-throb off his meds, splitting his time between magazine covers and book-signings, whilst holding onto tenuous calm with both hands. And Winnie, horror's resident gossip, a bitchy, backstabbing, lecherous woman of a certain age, and pedigree. Together this unlikely eight-some must make it through Mortimer's house of horrors, solving devilish puzzles, and trying not to lose themselves, or their lives, in the process.

This was an ambitious work, with seven POV characters, and asides into short stories. I applaud Arnold's ambition, but unfortunately I don't think the potential of this story was realised. The characters fell flat, the house, although suitably scary, was nonsensical and under developed, the pacing and quickly realised motivation stripped the story of tension and suspense, and the voices were abundantly samey.

Multiple POVS, in a story like this, are sink or swim, and in this instance I think they sank the story. The first issue is the similarity. If it wasn't for the name at the top and the content of the chapters - shifting of perspective in a literal sense (the POV character is now looking at everyone else), and the sojourns into backstory - I would not have been able to tell who was speaking. Given we were moving between gender, age group, upbringing, class, and a litany of other differences, it seems ludicrous that this people should sound so similar, yet they are. They even use the same turns of phrase, although to her credit Arnold shoehorns in some obvious southern-isms for Buck. You might think, 'well, the content is different, isn't it obvious?' to which I'd answer 'yes, but there should be other signs.' I shouldn't need to read the name on the chapter, or wait for Scott to start detailing his anger episodes, or for Petey to tell me about his sad life, I should know from the tone, the voice, I should sense the essence of the character whose head I'm in!

Another issue was the supposed unreliability of the narrators. One of the comp titles used for this was Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, which is one of my favourite mystery series. I have read all of them (even the Christmas short) and they are rife with unreliability, but what works about those is that we are in one mind. Ernest is unreliable because he doesn't know everything, and he is coming from a specific Golden-Age-tinged point of view. The others are unreliable because they have motives to lie. We understand both of these things, and it creates a layer of tension, or uncertainty. We are aware that, at any moment, the other shoe could drop. Arnold does not manage to construct this same tension, rather, in moving between POVs, we are left wondering if any of them are unreliable. They all seem to have a version of events in mind, which differs hugely from that Mortimer has constructed, but we get no answer on whose version is accurate. At the end, when Melanie is confronted with the alleged proof of these actions, she doesn't question it. Why would Mortimer have this stuff, all this proof, and have done nothing with it? It seems especially odd, as Petey and Chester seem to have definitely done what they are accused of, which we are asked to believe based on their POV, but the other five, who claim in their own minds not to done what they're accused of (would they lie in their own heads?), we are meant to disbelieve.

It must also be said that the sins which have brought them to this house of horrors are not exactly equal. Petey, Chester, and Crystal have allegedly done quite big, quite awful things to Mortimer. Scott has done a violent thing, or quite possibly hasn't, but in the scheme of things it hardly seems worth killing over. Winnie, whilst unpleasant, has possibly damaged Mortimer's reputation - except she hasn't, actually, because her rumours had no meaningful negative impact on his career. An then there's Buck, the least guilty of all, who has supposedly "blackmailed" Mortimer into... agreeing to publish his book, which was already under offer, and which made Mortimer thousands of dollars, by... alluding to the affair Mortimer actually was having... and then never asking him for more money, or using that against him in any real way, or revealing the affair... bit of a shit blackmailer. For his trouble, Buck is then starved to death by Melanie in a series of events which seems utterly ludicrous, in an already cartoonishly ludicrous novel.

Speaking of, if there was ever a two dimensional, utterly stupid, wet wipe of a woman, it's Melanie Brown. She questions nothing, she learns nothing about the world, the house, any of it, she kills two people because she believes the word of a man who was demonstrably untrustworthy (affair, hello), and yet does not cut off her nasty, abusive mother. She supposedly earns great success with her collection of boring, pedestrian 'short stories' (which are some of the worst examples of fiction within fiction I've ever read, as they do not build character, or encapsulate an episodic narrative, but rather hip-check 'real' people and otherwise fail to meet the technical or structural tenets of the short story form), but needed to be a victim turned murderer in order to have a story to tell. That itself tells you everything you need to know about Melanie - she is a nothing. A no one. A vehicle of a revenge for a character we barely get to meet. An aspiring writer who has nothing to say, and seemingly no imagination.

Moving on though, from the elements of this which were subjectively poor (in my opinion) I think it's time to be objective. The characters were poorly constructed, as signalled by the similarity in narrative voice. The setting, although allowed to be sprawling and confusing, was also confused: there was little sense of place, I didn't understand where I was in relation to anywhere else, nor was I especially fearful of what seemed like a large, deadly escape room - complete with props. There were issues with SPaG, sentences were fragmented and never picked up again, and on more than one occasion incorrect conjugations left me attempting to parse meaning from nonsensical strings of words - this is a Galley, but the issue was widespread enough to ruin immersion.

How to Survive a Horror Story was, ultimately, poor. Weak in too many ways to leave me with overall satisfaction, and neither scary nor funny enough to make up for those weaknesses. 2.5 stars, rounded up.

Read this story when it rained outside.
This book is a fun read during rainy days. The rain outside gives the right vibes when reading.

You’ll like this book when you love:
- dark mansions
- mystery
- riddles

I liked the book but the plot was not for me.
I really like a page turner and a ‘what?!’ plot, but this wasn’t one of them.

But overall a fun read 🖤

I just finished How to Survive a Horror Story, and honestly, I kind of slogged through the end. The premise had so much potential—a chaotic, horror-themed escape room setup—but the execution leaned way more thriller than horror. I kept hoping for more time actually surviving the house, but instead, the focus stayed on backstory and internal monologues. Some of it felt confusing or emotionally flat, like it didn’t land the impact the author was going for. The pacing dragged the deeper I got, and by the end, I just wanted it to wrap up. Fun concept, but not quite the ride I hoped for.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this novel ahead of release in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going to break tradition on my reviews and do a TLDR; this book was one of the best novels I've read in over a year. Hands down. I inhaled this book and didn't want it to end. Fairly startling for a first-time author to pull off.

The description of the novel hooked me from the jump, and I was very eager to dive into the novel. The will of America's favorite horror writer, Mortimer Queen, has gathered together some of his most famous peers in his eerie mansion, naming them in the process for some form of bequeathment. They all show at the appointed time and jump through the will-mandated hoops (such as a meet-and-greet to get to know everyone, etc). When the reading goes down, it's revealed that the only thing these people will be getting is a 'game.' The game is to survive their way through a hungry mansion - yes, the house is alive, and it's hungry - to the top floor and escape. An hour per room, or somebody will not move to the next room, and the mansion will feed. I won't say more than that, but it plays out amazingly. All of the characters are unique and have very detailed backstories about how they came to know the recently deceased Queen, and how their lives interplayed. Each chapter is told from a different surviving character's perspective, which works quite nicely, and allows Mallory Arnold to pay out more details as each new puzzle or riddle plays out, leaving the reader pleasantly guessing about how things need to play out, along with the other characters working their way through the mansion. I'll put a pin in the review at this point because you NEED to explore this delicious novel yourself and pull all the juicy morsels from the bones as you go.

I will say I was floored by the quality of the writing, the story, the characters, all of it. Reading through this, I had to constantly remind myself that this was a first-time author because it was just that good. I can't wait to see where she goes from here, but I know one thing: I'll be queued up day one to find out.

How to Survive a Horror Story is a gripping debut that takes familiar horror themes and breathes new life into them. It’s clever, creepy, and full of surprises.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen press for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a bit of a departure for me, have read some horror before but not monsters, blood and gore horror. However on the whole the book was an enjoyable locked room murder horror told from multiple POVs, the majority of which were very well rounded characters, each with their very clear flaws.
It did drag in places and I found myself wishing away a few chapters, but everything tied up very well in the end making a very satisfying conclusion.

The kind of book that grabs you by the collar and drags you through every horror cliché on purpose and makes it ridiculously entertaining along the way. It's clever, campy, and surprisingly thoughtful beneath all the chaos. Arnold’s writing is sharp and self-aware, like a love letter to horror fans who’ve seen it all but still crave the thrill.

The scares aren’t too intense, making this perfect for readers who like horror with a comedic twist. The stakes and mystery rise with every locked door. Each room is its own mini thriller: solve the challenge to advance, or the manor claims you. This structure gives the novel the tense pace of a locked-room thriller but injects genuine gothic horror thanks to the house’s malevolent history, built on the bones of Queen’s ancestors .

Character-wise, Arnold excels. Each writer has a unique, tangled past with Mortimer, revealed through alternating POVs. These layers of deceit and revenge keep you guessing who can be trusted and who’s hiding something dark . Supporting characters shine: the brooding types, the techie, the ambitious writer all flawed, compelling, and believable.

There are a few moments where the pacing stumbles, and one or two jokes miss the mark, but overall, it’s a fun, imaginative read.

“𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙌𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙧. 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙫𝙚... 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡…”

The premise? Intriguing. A group of writers summoned to a legendary horror author’s creepy estate to claim their slice of his fortune — only to find themselves trapped in a deadly, riddle filled game orchestrated by a house with a very real hunger. Honestly, it sounds like something right out of a late night thriller or one of those twisty horror movies you can’t stop watching. That’s part of what drew me in.

That said, it took me a few tries to really get into it. The opening didn’t immediately hook me — it felt a bit dry and slow to pick up steam. But once the story found its rhythm, I was definitely along for the ride. The writing style is sharp and clever, and I found myself enjoying the atmosphere and pacing more as things progressed.

The manor itself was a standout — eerie, atmospheric, and practically a character of its own. The riddles and room-by-room setup were definite highlights — tense, creative, and kept me curious about what challenge would come next. The “solve or perish” rule added real urgency, which I appreciated, though I wish the death scenes and challenges had been a bit more fleshed out. Some big moments felt rushed, like the book was racing through its most suspenseful parts just to reach the next twist.

The seven POVs were ambitious — some characters clicked with me, others not so much. To be honest, I didn’t really care who lived or died, which might be a sign that we didn’t spend enough time getting to know them. Either that, or there were too many players on the board without enough depth. The way their pasts were woven into the story made sense narratively, and some flashbacks were compelling, but it also contributed to uneven pacing — a little too fast in some places, repetitive in others.

Overall, kind of a mixed bag. It starts off slow and even gets a little boring at times, but there are also some fun, creepy bits and a cool concept underneath it all. I’d still be interested in seeing what this author does next.

- 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘗𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘦𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.💐ᡣ𐭩

What a fun mystery in which all characters are morally grey and nobody has their hands clean.

If you love locked murder mysteries, riddles and uncovering people’s secrets, this will be up your alley.

Famous horror author Mortimer is dead. A group of writers are invited to the read of his last will and testament. They are all surprised to be there even though they all have a unique connection with the horror writer.

They arrive at the manor and they are all invited to play a game. Whoever makes it out of the house alive, will inherit it all. In order to do that they will have to solve a riddle to get to the next room and keep going until the very last riddle is solved.

What they thought was just a silly game to mess with them, turns into a deadly and desperate fight for survival.

The story is told through the perspective of all the different main characters and it changes as we move through the rooms. We also get to discover the connection they all had to the deceased Mortimer and this will explain why they were called to the manor.

This is a debut novel and it is such a solid locked room murder mystery with great characters that are unreliable and make the overall story all the more fun. The kills are fun, creative and bloody.

The only thing I would have loved to see is to hear more about the house, the history of it and also to learn more about Gia’s story since all of this left me with many questions.

One thing is for sure. Nobody is a saint and not everybody will make it out alive.

An enjoyable escape-roomesque story, centering on sweet revenge.

Many thanks to the publisher and author for the eARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this novel.

How to Survive a Horror Story was very interesting. It revolves around 6 people who are intertwined with the deceased Mortimer Queen. In order to escape they need to reveal what they did before the actual house kills them.

All 6 characters were unique and flawed enough where you kinda hate them. It worked really well for a book that I knew most weren’t going to survive. I did guess the twist at the end but overall I had fun.

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

This story was so intriguing from the beginning. I connected with every character and every chapter left me in shock. It has the perfect amount of funny but still gory and scary that I like in a horror book. It totally reminds me of Ready Or Not and Knives Out, which I love. I can’t wait to buy my shelf trophy of this book next month!!

i really enjoyed this book. The characters were so flawed, yet so intriguing. The twists took me by surprise. It was my first horror book and it really made me excited to read more in this genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC. This book was everything I hoped it would be and more! I know this is one that one will stick with me for awhile and I'll be on the lookout for more work from Mallory Arnold.
This book is about a haunted house, REAL monsters, betrayal, greed, lust and a girl learns how to stand up for herself. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Press for sending an ARC copy!

This book had such a fun and clever premise. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite deliver. While the concept had loads of potential, the execution fell flat for me.

The characters were a major sticking point, they felt more annoying than endearing, and I struggled to connect with or root for any of them. Their dialogue and decisions often came across as forced or exaggerated, which made it hard to stay engaged.

Pacing was another issue. The plot dragged in places and lacked the tension or suspense you’d expect in a horror story. There were moments where the humor felt a bit too try-hard, and the story leaned too heavily on clichés without offering enough of a fresh spin to make them feel clever or purposeful.

It took me much longer to finish than I expected, mostly because I just didn’t feel excited to pick it back up. Overall, it was a fun idea with a lot of promise, but sadly, the execution didn’t land for me.

Seven people receive a letter to advise Mortimer Queen has included them in his will and they will need to spend a weekend at his manor to receive their interitance. However, things aren't as they seem. All 7 people are part of Mortimer's world, but not in the way you would expect. Now, they are part of his wicked game, exposing secrets they thought were buried deep. But, one person is not like the others - a nobody, and she has been specially chosen to play a role only she can.

This book is very clear with what it is - I wouldn't actually classify it as a horror (although there is some bodily harm/gore and a decent amount of murder/death, it's not "scary" in the typical sense). Each character is very clearly defined and you know exactly what you're getting with them.

Although the story was quite predictable and you can assume how it's going to end, I still enjoyed it. There were points where I didn't want to put it down or it was all I could think about while doing other tasks (Darn having to work for a living!), but there were also other parts that felt quite slow or wordy.

I knew which characters I was rooting for from the beginning, and certain events made me feel quite badly for them, but they also got what they deserved. I also do have to say that Mortimer was actually a really terrible person - This isn't a story where you feel badly for the "victim." He does some truly atrocious things in his life, and this is very much his revenge/power play over the people he feels has wronged him.

My only (slight) critique?I can understand how Melanie went from meek/mild to doing what she had to do to survive, but I also don't understand how she killed 2 people seemingly without issue and then just.. never did anything with her mother. Part of me understands because obviously killing 2 people you've known for only a few hours and you're trapped in a house with is VASTLY different than your mother, but also.. I think it would've been a much better way to show the change in her character at the end to see her also clear up some loose ends, shall we say, closer to home.

Thank you Netgalley for the early access to this book.

How to Survive a Horror Story takes inspiration from countless mystery novels and the movie Cube. Yet the author also managed to make it mostly unpredictable, which really made me enjoy it.

It’s hard to believe this book was penned by a debut author. It’s like the author wrote herself into the story and then brought it to life. Highly recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

One of my favorite books of the year!

Imagine Clue on evil horror steroids. Seven morally ambiguous writers show up to a will reading of a notorious author at his creepy mansion. What could go wrong? Very quickly they realize they are trapped and this is a deadly game where their long held secrets will be brought to light. Who will survive?

I honestly loved the tropey, humourous aspects to this book. I loved this take on the locked room novel and all of its twists, turns and reveals. This was a fantastic debut and can't wait to see what else Mallory Arnold will come up with.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an e-arc for review.