A group of successful and aspiring horror writers are invited to Queen manor to hear the last will and testament of legendary author Mortimer Queen. Each of the writers has a fraught history with Queen. Instead of a will reading, they are tasked with surviving a night in the manor by solving a series of riddles to prevent the house from literally eating them. Who is going to make it out alive and with a hell of a story to tell?

'How to Survive a Horror Story' tries to be clever and fails spectacularly. I'm going to be vague in order to avoid spoilers.

The conceit is that Mortimer Queen has beef with each of our POV characters for varying different reasons. Via the POV chapters from the authors, we hear their side of the story and then there are short stories interspersed throughout the book that purport to tell the 'truth' of what really happened. But honestly, it reminded me of the AITA posts from Reddit where the ruling is everybody sucks. All of the characters are terrible people (except Buck, the precious Southern bear) and the moral judgements that are being made just aren't equivalent. I'm sorry but murder (or manslaughter) is not morally equivalent to blackmail. And also in what world is death a fitting punishment for blackmail? Or gossiping? Or aggravated assault? Queen is supposedly passing judgement on these people for their wrongs but he is equally a shitty person who treated everyone around him like crap.

I'm just confused as to what Arnold was trying to say with this story. One of the recurring themes is that those we love can turn out to be monsters. Except everyone (except Buck) is a monster? And some of these people are obviously suffering from untreated mental illnesses that in part effect how they act? If the conclusion was to be that everyone is secretly a monster in human clothing, then Arnold did not stick the landing. Because again, not all of the actions that these people took were morally equivalent!

So long story short, all of the characters sucked which made the book that much harder to read since you didn't care about anyone (except Buck). Plus none of the riddles or their solutions were clever or engaging. There was very little atmosphere or ambience to the manor that made it creepy or scary. At least the plot was paced fairly well?

Overall, just a disappointment.

Reviews going live on Goodreads, Storygraph, Fable and Tiktok on 7/14.

How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold delivers a fun blend of classic mystery with a supernatural twist. The story follows six characters as they navigate the eerie, unpredictable rules of horror tropes—and try to make it out alive.

The concept is clever and had me hooked early on, especially with the way it plays with genre expectations. There’s a good balance of suspense and dark humor, and the horror elements add a nice layer of creepiness without going overboard.

That said, by the end, it did start to feel a bit long-winded. With six main characters, the story occasionally got muddled, and there were a few moments where I had to pause and figure out what was actually happening.

Still, it’s a solid read for fans of genre mashups, especially if you enjoy horror that doesn’t take itself too seriously. A good pick if you’re in the mood for something spooky and twisted.

3.5 stars, rounded down. Overall, the book was an entertaining horror / thriller. The story centers around seven authors - all of whom receive an invitation to the reading of the will for recently deceased and infamous author Mortimer Queen at his estate.

Upon arrival at the manor, we get a bit of a “dump” of the backstory of the various authors. This is where the story slowed down a bit for me, because there’s a LOT of characters that get their own POV and/or backstory: 7 authors, one uninvited guest, Mortimer, plus several side characters. With just over 350 pages, there was a lot to keep track of, and I do wish the story would have focused more on the most important characters in order to build a deeper relationship (and frankly, care about whether they lived or died).

Overall, would recommend. Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for an early copy. Opinions are my own. It’s out now!

This book wasn't what I expected at all, and i'm not entirely mad about it. The book was full of suspense and gruesome murder. I think the plot had some holes taht could be patched but overall I really enjoyed this book. The ending was not what I expected and I personally would not like to get locked in a manor, so I can't say I'd survive this one either.

Horror/Thriller fans, this was a fun read! Pick it up! Enjoy!

Esteemed horror author Mortimer Queen has just died, leaving behind countless classics, a huge legacy, and a strange, isolated house. When a group of mostly well-known authors arrive at Queen's mansion to hear his will read (not sure why they were invited in the first place), they instead find themselves trapped in a deadly game - solve the puzzles in each room or die.

This book is super fun! I loved the escape room aspect, and the deaths were unique and unsettling. Arnold fleshes out the characters' pasts as the book goes along, and most of them felt like real people (there were a couple that leaned too hard on stereotypes for my liking). While I wasn't a fan of some of the plot points near the end of the book, this one held my attention and I read it in a day. Highly recommend it for an entertaining summer read.

.

CW violence, death, murder, blood, gore

I always love a good horror story, especially with a locked room, or in this case house, mystery. This is a great book for fans of Grady Hendrix and How To Sell A Haunted House.

Famous horror author Mortimer Queen has died and for the reading of his will, seven authors have been invited to his estate to find out what they aim to inherit from him. The question is, why them? All have some sort of ties to Mortimer throughout their life and their own stories that intertwine them. After arriving and learning the rules of the game - solve a riddle in each room or someone won’t make it out alive - they all question the true intentions of Mr. Queens invitation.

I loved the premise behind this novel, it engages you quickly. Told from the perspectives of all seven authors in the house together, you slowly piece together how each one knew Mortimer. It becomes apparent early on that this isn’t just an ordinary will reading and Mortimer is out for more than just giving each an inheritance. A quick paced, spooky horror novel that in my opinion wraps up extremely well.

A fun ride. A bit more YA than anticipated, but once I got past that aspect, I had a great time with this. Would make a fun movie from a24 (which is a big compliment imo). Loved how fast paced it was.

Starting this book I was briefly concerned that it was going to turn into one of those books that’s just ok but not amazing. I was so wrong. Once the game actually begins things get crazy fast. This was exciting and interesting, and has just enough strange horror going on to be entertaining but not confusing. This is absolutely worth a read!

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I unfortunately had to DNF this book. i got around 4 chapters in before realising this wasnt the book for me. i got overwhelmed with keeping track of all the different characters and their motivations, and im gutted that i couldnt make it further into it. i think this book would be perfect for fans of mystery books, which unfortunately is not me. the writing was great and the setting was cool but it just wasnt for me.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.



ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝟑 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

❝𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐡, 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬.❞


The Premise

જ⁀➴ After famous horror author Queen Mortimer dies, six authors are invited to come to his house for the reading of his testament and last will.
All of these writers have a personal connection to Queen Mortimer, which some of them know about — and some don’t.
Instead of inheriting a fortune like all of them expect, they are invited to play a game inside of his grand manor. They have to solve riddles — if the answer is right, they progress to next room. If they don’t, they are taken by the house. The house that is built on Mortimer’s dead family’s bones, and is still very, very hungry.


𝙈𝙔 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒

Okay so first of all, I am so thankful to have been given the incredible opportunity to read this book before it is even published on July 8th, 2025. I was giving an E-Copy of this by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premise sounded so, so good to me, and I was so excited since this was my first ever ARC — but I was sadly a little bit disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, I gave this book 3 stars so it was still good, but it sadly just didn’t really get me.

We have some characters that Mallory Arnold tried to make us like, and some that she tried a little too hard to make us hate. Reading this, I just felt like she was trying to tug me into a direction my mind wouldn’t naturally go to, and that made the book lose me a lot of times.

Sadly, that’s also the reason I didn’t really care about mist of the characters. Actually, the two characters I liked were killed off absolutely unfairly.
I’m not going to say names since I don’t want to spoil anything — but there was one character’s story that really upset me. The character truly didn’t even do anything too bad (like hello we’re all humans and make mistakes, so what the fuck?) and our surviving character just let them die so cruelly.

I kinda think that was what ruined the ending to me, because our surviving character just didn’t matter to me at all. What they did to win was sometimes understandable (like hello it’s about survival) but what they did to earlier mentioned character just wasn’t needed and just absolutely unnecessarily cruel. They were just so unlikeable to me.

Something else that really upset me, was how poorly anger issues were represented in one of the characters. I have suffered with diagnosed anger issues for a big part of my life, and how this character was portrayed just really rubbed me the wrong way. No one with anger issues act like that. No one.

Enough negativity, because I definitely loved the plot and story overall! I loved what happened in each room, loved how we got answers and definitely loved how all of it just felt like a fever dream — especially after looking back at the ending.

The writing was a little choppy at times, but it actually didn’t bother me at all — because it brought some kinda tension with it.



After all, I still absolutely recommend reading this book as soon as it comes out. <3


❝𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭?❞

I love when a thriller is full if drama and feels tense. This book was just that. Tense and gruesome. The characters are full of secrets that you slowly unravel over the course of the book. This book was just plain fun.

Perhaps no one is more surprised than Melanie Brown herself when she receives an invitation to the will reading of famed horror author Mortimer Queen. She’d met him only briefly, but their conversation – what little she can remember of it anyway – seems to have had enough of an impact on him that she’s been written into the acclaimed, and now deceased, novelist’s will. Melanie hopes that he remembered her confession of how difficult it’s been for her to become a published author herself, and left her something to help with that.

Her mother Cynthia, however, had been less than thrilled at the idea of Melanie driving out to Mortimer’s remote manor for the reading:

QUOTE
There’s an ache in her neck that comes only from a conversation with Cynthia. The whiplash of her message was clear through the phone: I do not approve. It’s why Melanie had waited until last night, while they were out to dinner, to tell her about the letter she’d received about a week ago. Cynthia nearly choked on her charred brussels sprouts at the news that Melanie was not only named in a wall but in a wealthy man’s will and would be leaving the next morning to hear what she was bequeathed. One would think a mother would be excited about this, but Cynthia preferred when her daughters were slightly down on their luck, just enough that they still needed her.
END QUOTE

Having been a wallflower for most of her life – partly due to personal inclination, partly due to her mother’s narcissism – Melanie is happy to hang back once she arrives at the manor, the better to observe the other, much more colorful guests. Everyone else is a published horror author of some renown, from Petey Marsh the one-hit wonder to Crystal Flowers and her bestselling erotic fiction. The seven guests endure an awkward dinner together before finally being made privy to the terms of Mortimer’s will. From beyond the grave, he informs them that they must make their way through his manor, finding clues and solving mysteries in order to progress from room to room. If any of them manage to escape, they’ll inherit his vast fortune.

But there’s a very deadly twist. If they can’t solve the riddles presented to them in each room before an hour has passed, one of them will die.

Understandably, the seven authors scoff… until people begin to actually perish. Soon, Melanie and the other survivors will have to face not only Mortimer’s challenges but their own darkest secrets, if they’re to have any hope of making it out alive.

Told from the point of view of each author, this book feels vividly cinematic as it switches neatly between each (unreliable) narrative. The imagery is wild, as when our main characters are confronted with a creature out of nightmare in their quest to escape what’s swiftly becoming a house of horrors:

QUOTE
But even when his vision has returned, he’s sure it’s been damaged somehow because what stands in front of him can’t be there.

A huge deer with bulky, muscular shoulders and milky-white eyes blocks one of the two pathways before them. It has a massive crown of antlers with bloody strips of deer skin hanging off the sharpened tips[.]

The deer stamps a foot and slowly turns its head, cockeyed. Then it stands. Not in the kind of wobbly, humorous way a dog might get on two feet, but in one confident, swift movement. The deer straightens, towering over them. On its belly is a wooden sign nailed into the skin.

DOESN’T FEEL NICE TO BE FORCED INTO SOMETHING, DOES IT?
END QUOTE

Feeling like a cross between Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting Of Hill House and Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, this twisted tale of a haunted house and its tortured, trapped protagonists is a worthy addition to the horror-mystery genre. Mortimer’s vengeance against the people he believed wronged him makes for compelling reading, especially as those same people forge indelible bonds with one another in the crucible of his manor. The puzzles they face are both clever and absorbing, with frighteningly gruesome results.

But most of all, I enjoyed how Mallory Arnold explores how people create palatable narratives to help them deal with harsh realities, even if I did prefer her mid-book twist to the final ones. I was also fascinated by Melanie’s growth in confidence, as the story progresses and the dark secrets of her companions are revealed. Ultimately, How To Survive A Horror Story is a novel about the deadly toll of unchecked ambition and the price that some people are all too happy to pay in order to cultivate fame and success.

This was such a good read, just as I thought it would be. A house that has a mind of its own and kills people? I’m totally here for it.

When seven authors are summoned to the Manor for famous author, Mortimer Queens, last will and testament reading, they are all wondering exactly why they are in his will to begin with. All but one of them have wronged him and this was his final wish and final “story” to seek revenge. Each room they enter contains a riddle that they need to solve in order to survive. Each time they fail, the house kills one person in such a gruesome way. The riddles are based on what each author has done wrong and it’s up to them if they want to admit what they did, or die for it.

I so was not expecting that ending at all and it really made total sense. This book had me hooked from the very start and had the perfect eerie/creepy feel to it. I finished this around 1am last night and I actually had a dream about it that I was stuck in the monster house 😂 I highly recommend this one if you like a bit of gore and haunted house vibes 🖤

This was your typical whodunit, which is not my favorite type of thriller. If they are yours, I recommend. It was well written with mulitple view points and many twist I was not expecting, but I was because of the type of thriller.

Thanks to the Penguin Random house, Canada Netgalley for this eARC.

A gleefully gory romp through genre tropes with a heart beneath the bloodstains...

Mallory Arnold’s How to Survive a Horror Story is a meta-fictional, genre-savvy novel that reads like a survival guide penned by someone trapped inside a slasher flick. Think Scream meets Shaun of the Dead, but with the emotional intelligence of a therapy session and the pacing of a caffeine-fueled escape room.

Our protagonist, a self-aware teen named Haley, finds herself in a town where horror clichés aren’t just tropes—they’re rules. If you split up, you die. If you’re the comic relief, you’re doomed. And if you’re the virgin? Well, you might just make it out alive. Haley’s mission isn’t just to survive—it's to rewrite the script.

Haley is a standout: snarky, vulnerable, and armed with a pop culture Rolodex that would make Randy from Scream proud. Arnold gives her a voice that’s biting yet tender, allowing readers to laugh at the absurdity while still rooting for her survival. The supporting cast—ranging from the brooding love interest to the expendable best friend—are intentionally archetypal, but Arnold injects just enough depth to make their fates sting.

🧩 Narrative Technique
Arnold plays with structure like a director with a shaky cam. Chapters are interspersed with the “rules” of horror survival, which double as plot foreshadowing and thematic commentary. The pacing is relentless, but never chaotic. It’s a rare feat: a novel that satirizes horror while still delivering genuine suspense.

Beneath the blood and banter lies a surprisingly poignant exploration of anxiety, trauma, and the desire to reclaim agency in a world that feels scripted. Haley’s journey mirrors the experience of anyone who’s ever felt trapped by expectations—genre-based or otherwise. Arnold uses horror as a metaphor, turning survival into a form of self-discovery.

How to Survive a Horror Story is more than a clever genre send-up—it’s a love letter to horror fans, a critique of narrative determinism, and a surprisingly heartfelt coming-of-age tale. Mallory Arnold doesn’t just deconstruct horror tropes; she weaponizes them, crafting a story that’s as emotionally resonant as it is riotously entertaining.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. This book is an escape room for horror authors that all have dark secerts. It alternates between multiple POVs and goes back in time to replay the authors secerts. I ate this book up in a few days and am excited to see what else Mallory Arnold will come out with in the future.

When Melanie receives an invitation to the horror king Mortimer Queen’s manor after his death for the reading of his will she has no clue that her and the six other invitees will have to embark on a deadly game to escape. Filled with suspense this book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I loved the multiple points of views, feeling like it really added to this story. I thought the characters were well written and the ending, while a bit odd, wrapped everything up nicely.

I was a little surprised by some of the lower reviews and am glad I gave this book a chance. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sometimes you read a book and you immediately think ok this needs to be a movie, this is one of those books. The characters in this book all have secrets and they’re not willing to own up to them. Mortimer Queen included these people in his will for a reason and when that reason is revealed sometimes it’s shocking.

This is one of those classic locked room horror stories but it’s anything but cliche. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I would think twice before stepping foot in a creepy house for a will reading after reading this book. The characters suck you in and you find yourself on their side rooting for them in the beginning. As the story unfolds and their secrets are revealed you discover they are completely flawed and some are truly horrible people.

This was a fast paced roller coaster ride of a book. It was full of surprises and held my interest from start to finish. I’m team Melanie all the way. If you like horror I highly recommend this book.

Summary: A famous horror writer dies and seemingly random people are called to the reading of his will at his strange estate. Upon arrival, they all begin to realize this will not be a quick event, and all there seem to be hiding something. Soon, they are instructed that there is no way out of the estate, and they must play a game to solve clues and riddles in order to move forward to the next room. If the riddles aren’t solved within a hour, there are dire consequences. If that wasn’t enough, the house itself seems to be alive… and it’s very hungry.

Review: I loved this fun romp into a monster house with “Clue” vibes! The author wrote interestingly flawed characters that I really enjoyed figuring out. Throughout the book are backstory chapters that give clues into each character’s past, which I found to be a unique way of foreshadowing what may come and giving clues to solving the mystery. This was such a fun horror mystery and well written to keep the reader guessing and turning the pages. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. This one just released July 8, so go grab your copy now!

Wait, didn't I just read this book? Debut novel featuring a group of so-called "famous genre writers" trapped in an isolated location via the invitation of mysterious grand master of said genre... check. Dumb riddles, convoluted backstories, prose that reads like someone is poking you with a stick, similes that are downright insane (though not in a good way), no atmosphere whatsoever and a narrative that manages to be completely OTT without being in the slightest entertaining? Check, check, check and check... so basically this is Ande Pliego's "You Are Fatally Invited" in a new box with new wrapping paper and a spiffy new bow tied around it. And, surprise, it's still the same sorry mess of a book.

First of all, what was with the gay sidekick (who promptly ends up dogmeat, because he's just. Too. Handflapping. Gay, darlin'), aren't we kinda past this type of depiction of LGBTQ+ folks?? This was just so tone-deaf, it boggled my mind. I'm guessing it was supposed to be, I don't know, funny? (It wasn't.)
Then again, the other characters don't fare much better, they all feel like feeble attempts at stereotype by a writer who just can't quite pull it off (and how sad is that, I might ask). I mean, there's the proud Texan who speaks with a "Southern accent" that goes like this: "Are yeh okay?" (not "y'all"??), "Maybe 'ss stuck", and, when fondly quoting his granny admonishing him regarding his lack of truthfulness, "You're fixin' to lie like a rug in a church". Which isn't even correct usage of Southern vernacular, where, you know, "fixin' to" indicates futurity. NOT a current state of action or being. Nothing about this dude sounds even remotely Texan.
But, really, none of the characters come close to sounding even believably *human*, so fine details like speech patterns and dialect might be a bit much to ask for. Although I have to say, I can't help but feel sorry for Ms. Arnold's creations; just take a look at the names she's saddled them with:
Mortimer Queen; Melanie Brown (Scary Spice???? What happened?); Buck Grimm; Scott Clay; Petey Marsh; Chester Plumage; Crystal Flowers; Winnie Roach (somehow pronounced "Roashay"... no, me neither); Liotta Queen; Waldorf Queen; Regulus Queen.
What madness is this????? Are we in a Tim Burton film? A porn movie? A chapter book? Some short-lived streaming show? I'm confused.

Impossible as it may seem, Ms Arnold's idea of the author's life and "the industry" might be even more crackpot that the ones featured in Ms Pliego's book. How's this for a career: not only is this guy a best-selling horror writer, "Magazines feature his photo on their covers, he's pulled onto talk shows to discuss his dating life and fitness routine, and Hollywood agents are at his heels about starting an acting career." When's the last time you heard Stephen King entertain breathless millions with the details of his prowess on the Peloton? Who in the world cares about an author's dating life? And why would a writer have "Hollywood agents" hound him about starting acting??
Then again, that whole writing thing just seems to serve as a door opener for all kinds of side-gigs; as another writer introduces herself, "I'm a bestselling author, a hand model, and an active guest on several daytime talk shows."
Phew! Busy days. Hand modeling and acting and talk show appearances, a writer's life is not an easy one. And yet, the public seems to be set on one thing, and one thing only: reducing a writer to their looks. It's enough to drive one mad, as referenced by Cynthia in her reaction to this awfully superficial dying lady complementing her on her "pretty complexion and lovely hair":
"'I'm a writer', Crystal bursts like an angry pimple after it's been poked too much. 'I've published twelve books, a few of them landing on the New York Times bestseller list.' Humiliation blushed the apples of her cheeks, and she wishes she could suck the words back up with a straw."
Yes. She bursts like an angry pimple. And who can blame her. (Also, "a few" of her books... ouch. And what's this about her face containing produce?)
Incidentally, this is what you're up against if you decide on wading into this stylistic cesspole of a novel: bad writing imbued with even worse similes. Just a few choice examples:
"Melanie can't help but tense, her muscles bunching like rusted mattress springs under the weight of the manor's eye." (Bunching like rusted mattress springs?!?)
"The wind picks up, bending trees like asparagus stems." (Asparagus stems?!?)
"The road is strangled by a thick forest, with trees bearing down on it, giants bending over to inspect something squashed on their shoe." (On their shoe?!?!?)
Someone is "certainly jumpy [...] like an overweight rat"... wouldn't those be, I don't know, a tad more stationary?
"His pupils take up most of the real estate in his eyes, making them deep pools of tar." (Real estate IN HIS EYES?!?!? Go see a doctor, NOW)
"Her nerves are throwing an unbridled dance party in her chest while wearing sharp heels and heavy loafers." (There are nerves in her chest? And they're wearing different types of footwear? Why? Do nerves even have feet?!?)
Someone is suffering an allergic reaction to a between-the-eyes eyebrow wax: "Which is why she's wearing her beanie low: 60 percent of her face looks like it was stung by hornets." That beanie: how low exactly, down to the neck? And, um, 60%? What size was that monobrow???

A lot of the sentences don't even make sense, because it's, like, huh?...
("[H]is dad was a vocal Churchill fan, a man so obsessed, he kept stacks of World War II books and autobiographies in their living room like he was building a replica of London circa 1940." Er... he was building 1940s London out of *piles of books?* And isn't there more to Churchill than London, 1940? And why "books and autobiographies"... aren't they all books, and won't decent biographies do just as nicely? Autobiographies by whom, Churchill himself? The whole sentence does not make an iota of sense. Also, it's absolutely irrelevant to the novel. EDITOR? EDITOR????)
...or just plain clunky and amateurish:
"A few feet away, an older woman hasn't reached Melanie's same conclusion".
After her pixie cut, "Melanie tries to curl a piece of hair behind her ear and finds it's no longer there"... oh no! Another trip the the ER...
Gay Redshirt Guy discovers a secret door in one of the walls, which is then referred to as a "trapdoor" by multiple characters throughout the book, notwithstanding the fact that it is, you know, located in the *wall*, whereas a trapdoor by necessity is something covering a hole in the ground. Oh well.

Apart from architectural features, the author displays glaring ignorance concerning the details and trajectory of 20th century horror fiction, as evidenced by one character's whining about her career struggles:
"When she began writing back in the early eighties, so many publishers wouldn't even take meetings with her -- because she was a woman who wrote scary books about serial killers and vengeful female protagonists, the industry was unkind."
I'm sorry, we are talking about THE EARLY EIGHTIES?????? As in, the 1980s on planet Earth? Like, that time when you literally couldn't breathe for all the wild, crazy, cheap, *highly profitable* horror fiction that publishers kept saturating the market with until it finally collapsed under its own weight??
Back then, a *dung beetle* could have gotten a book deal, as long as it kept pumping out shlocky fiction with a high enough body count and/or gore quotient. But nooo. That poor, poor lady couldn't get published because "the industry" did not like women. Sheesh.

The group's deceased host, being male, fared a lot better, seeing as he's the "author of beloved classic Monster House, among other classics". I see. That classic Monster House (the animated kids' movie from 2006?), among other classics. So I'm guessing the Monster House classic is even more classic-y than those "other classics" that remain unnamed? Or are they just not as beloved? Are there some classics more equal than others? What a dumb, dumb sentence.
And, while in this book's interpretation of the literary world, women authors can be hand models, but not get a serial killer novel published, there is no limit when it comes to the cultural appreciation of horror fiction. Not only are there unnamable scores of "classics", one character even made it into the upper echelons of highbrow culture by penning "'Shrieking and Shrinks', a well-known horror classic that's so highly acclaimed, college professors include it in their fiction curriculum and lit snobs constantly cite its merits."
Wow. Must be the title.
I'll just say, this is not something the author has to worry about with this book.