Finished this book a little bit ago but forgot to send in my review! I was intrigued by the premise and the book cover but unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book. It felt a bit recycled and something we've seen before which is no problem at all! It just didn't feel new and exciting for me to pick up.

I enjoyed this book. It was an easy read and moved at a quick pace. The reason I did 3 stars is because it was pretty easy to figure out where the storyline was going, so it was just a little too predictable for me. However, I loved the idea and there were some pretty spooky parts that got me.

The story follows seven authors who have been included a major author’s will. But, when they get to the manor to get their goods, they’re thrust into a game of riddles and survival.

Seven strangers are invited to a legendary horror author's creepy castle after his passing. All 7 of these strangers have a history with Author Mortimer Queen and they think they are there for a reading of Mortimer Queen his last will and testament. But actually it's all a game or riddles and death.

There is a lot of characters and storylines in this book and honestly I think it would have flowed better if written in 1st person for each POV but for a debut novel this was decent! The characters were unrelatable and annoying and I did feel like this was not as much horror was a I expected but we did get a lot of backstories and build of characters/scenes which was nice. This book was not rated as high because I felt like the twists were very predictable and kind of lackluster but the attention to detail in this book was great.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! I wanted to love this so much but just couldn’t get there. Maybe reading at night when I was tired didn’t help with keeping track with all the characters. I’d get a little lost on who was who. There were some good parts that kept me going, and I think the storyline had a lot of promise, but overall I couldn’t get into it.

This was my first horror read in many, many years, and I absolutely devoured it. The story was engaging, with so many storylines woven through it, and the characters practically came alive—even the bad ones made me go between liking them and disliking them; they were so real, so grey. The author did an amazing job of showing how nothing and no one in the world is black and white. I would really have liked an epilogue though. A little bit more about the manor and Gia would be 👌

I really enjoyed this book. I love the idea that each character is telling their side and we have Mortimer’s detail of his side through the stories. Due to the tales it’s hard to tell who is the unreliable narrator and that’s what makes this book intriguing and a page turner. I am not typically a horror reader but this one was really had me wanting to know what was happening. It’s a bit of a “haunted house mystery” on top of a horror story. I wish we got to know more of Mortimer’s story that didn’t include the other characters because I still don’t know what to make of him.
There’s definitely some gore but I thought it wasn’t to hard to read. There’s even a little humor to this group which helps move things along as well.
Overall I really enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend.

Wow! This is a debut novel. That is unbelievable. Everything is right on point, not something that all first books are. The writing is engaging, the plot is perfect and the pace is perfect for the book. I'm looking forward to Mallory Arnold's next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the oppurtunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Part escape room, part terror- but all scary! I had not heard of this author, and was surprised after reading that she is a new author. She is permanently on my must read list now!

There is truly nothing better than picking up a debut novel as there are zero expectations or preconceived notions going in -- you get to start reading blindly. Overall, I enjoyed How to Survive A Horror Story. The plot was well-executed, and I appreciated the inventive spin on the usual murder mystery, whodunnit genre. Very much looking forward to seeing what Mallory Arnold writes next!

Thank you for the ARC! I really enjoyed this book!

I loved the premise as I love the horror genre and I thought the characters were well fleshed out!
My only discrepancy is that there was lots of room for some twists but there weren’t any

Interesting premise and characters. Written well, just was also predicatable and could've used more actual twists.

The premise is very interesting—seven authors enter a manor, but can they survive the story within? I like how the author portrays the stark differences between the characters. Their distinct personalities and character tropes are easy to imagine, and I found myself liking them despite their questionable morals. Chester gives off cult-leader vibes, Winnie plays the gossip girl role, Petey embodies the nervous UPS man, and so on. They've all arrived at the manor for mysterious reasons following Mortimer Queen's death.

However, as the story progresses, it falls flat. The tropes become repetitive, and there's no special dynamic between the characters. What happens to them is exactly what we expect. While I understand this is a horror book, I needed some explanation of why the manor is alive and how it does what it does. Without this context, the story becomes less compelling.

This book was hard to get through for me. It didn’t really draw me in at any point. I found it to be slightly predictable. I think this could have been a great one but just fell flat for me.

I absolutely loved How to Survive a Horror Story! It had such a fun and unique premise that immediately pulled me in. The setup reminded me a bit of Knives Out—a clever mix of mystery, suspense, and dark humor.

The riddles were a standout for me. I had so much fun trying to solve them alongside the characters, and it was fascinating to uncover why each person had been lured into the game. Every reveal added a new layer of intrigue.

Overall, it was a thrilling and entertaining read that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Rating: B-

Digital ARC provided by NetGalley. I requested this months ago and then they got back to me. God knows why.

Have you ever wanted 80s horror to return, felt like the Mystery Gang should make a comback, or that Escape Room (2019) was tapping into something great? If so, then the book to read to relive those emotions is How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold.

Seven people are invited to the mysterious Mortimer Queen's mansion after his death for the reading of his will. Each one came in contact with him in life, but not in the best way, which is why the visitors remain confused and on-edge the entire time. Each is a horror author in their own right and together with their wits and drive to live, they must solve riddles to escape the manor.

"OMG, are these real? Winnie, this is so castle-core in here. You should see."

What I enjoyed about this book was that it was a return to the pulpy horror of old. Despite the lack of flourish and detail, the characters being quite flat, stereotypical and comical, it reminded me somewhat of Walkers by Graham Masterton. It was a quick read, and really easy to follow. I think as far as novels go...it was quite unique, but that's where my enjoyment ends.

I felt myself just following this book along, not really attached to anyone, not excited for anything and not anticipating any big twists. As soon as the book starts, you can practically tell who is going to survive. The group of characters are so one-dimensional - I just have this intense feeling of the villains from Scooby Doo or the kind of hijinx you'd see in Looney Toons. The dialogue is so stilted, it feels like two people reading lines at each other and never once did I feel like anyone had any agency. Not to mention the riddles and puzzles...there's basically nothing there, there's no mystery or intrigue.

I felt the meme-y dialogue was awful and will date the book incredibly hard.

"I'm Gen Z. It's what we do. A freaking newborn baby could get fifth thousand subscribers in a day. Half my friends have reached a million, and they don't even care. None of us do."

The book also has inconsistent italicising (recorded dialogue is italicised once and then not, the reading of the will is sometimes italicised and then not) and the wrong word used (tussle?? instead of tousel?) - please fix this for the final copy. This one was not a hit with me and as such a prolific horror reader, it's much more campy than scary or gory. I thought that some of the traps were interesting and the house itself was a different villain than other monsters I had come across...

I wish the author success and hope they find their niche; if people like Grady Hendrix can drop weird comedic horror, why not other people?

How to Survive a Horror Story is a clever, introspective take on fear and storytelling, blending humor with darker themes. The writing is sharp, and the characters feel authentic, making the emotional moments stand out. Some sections are a bit uneven, but overall, it’s a thought provoking and entertaining read. Perfect for readers who enjoy a mix of horror, humor, and self-reflection.

Oh my gosh. I had so much fun with this book! The book starts with a group of seven meeting at an old manor owned by the famous author Mortimer Queen-who has just died. Promising an inheritance for everybody in his will that he invited, things go south real quick. Everyone in this book was terrible, and you are rooting for them to die by the end, I loved it. Very well worth the read, I read it in one sitting and I could not put this book down. I will absolutely be purchasing a physical copy on release day.

Mortimer Queen as a famous horror author and he has just died. In his will he invites seven strangers to his bizarre house for the reading of the will. All of these strangers have ties to Mortimer when he was alive and each is hiding a deadly secret. After getting to know each other a little, they are invited to dinner and the mystery is revealed to them. Each room of the house contains a riddle. Solve the riddle and move on to the next room. Fail to solve the riddle and the house will claim a victim.

This book was easy to read and I liked the connection each character had to the dead Mortimer. The riddles and flashbacks were a fun way to read the storyline. What I didn’t like was the sentient house factor. There was other ways to accomplish the goal and this felt almost silly and not well flushed out.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!

This was an interesting book, I requested the arc to this series because it reminded me of the book "the most wonderful crime of the year" however, in that book the person sending invites is alive and goes missing whereas here the invites are sent by someone who has died and the invitees are coming to hear the will and have a connection to the deceased and then learn they have to play a game to make it out of the house. It's gripping, and I especially adore the multiple POV chapters, which give me all the viewpoints into the story, and that is my favorite thing to have in a book. I enjoyed this book, and I am so grateful for this ARC book; it got me out of the reading slump I was in, and I am so thankful for that.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Seven authors have been invited to the home of Mortimer Queen, a legendary horror author, to hear his last will and testament. Each of them has a history with the author that makes them question why he would even leave them in the will. But how can they resist.
They are soon to discover that they are actually there to play a game. Play if you want to survive.
This was a unique twist on the locked room trope. I enjoyed the way it all played out and the short stories thrown in. I thought I knew how it would end but I was wrong and am not disappointed. I could tell from the first page it would be good and was immediately hooked.