The great horror writer Mortimer Queen is dead. As a final request, he invites seven writers to his manor for the reading of his will, promising that he’s left something for each. Soon after arrival, they learn that what Queen has left behind is a game. And the only thing the winner will receive is their survival.

I devoured this book (pun VERY much intended.) This book felt as if my best friend constructed a story including all my favorite things. An infamous horror writer in the vein of Stephen King? A spooky house filled with riddles? Questionable characters all harboring secrets? Grisly deaths? A Scooby Doo reference? Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes!

I was sucked into this book from the start, thanks in large part to the author’s great writing. Right away we get a beautiful, yet unsettling description of Mortimer’s manor and the surrounding area, describing the road as an “uneven spine” and the windows like “sagging eyelids.” We then meet the characters in relation to chess pieces, and as someone who knows nothing of chess I felt I had a good grip on each of the characters because of the author’s imaginative writing.

As for the characters, this book has seven POVs (eight if you include the mysterious “author” of the short stories at the end of the chapters), which is not something I typically like in a novel. But the author makes each voice unique and important to the overall story that I actually preferred getting to hear from each of the main characters. They are flawed, but fleshed out to understand their motivations. Getting to hear their side, juxtaposed with the short stories has the reader questioning who is reliable and who is being dishonest, which goes well with one of the major rules to surviving a horror story: trust no one.

While the plot of this book is not completely original (Agatha Christie, Knives Out, Saw and the aforementioned Scooby Doo all seeming to inspire), this author took her passion for the horror and mystery genres to create something memorable and a lot of fun.

As for negatives, there are only a few minor things. First, there was an odd attempt at a romance that felt unnecessary and out of place. The second was a writing style choice that was overly used where she broke up sentences to punctuate a point. It’s fine every now and again but she did it. All. The. Time.

I give How to Survive a Horror Story 5/5 stars. The minor critiques listed above did not detract from the fun and immersive experience I had reading this story. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

In this book, we follow seven authors, who are invited to the estate of legendary horror author Mortimer Queen. Once they arrive, they find that they have been forced into playing a game; solve the riddles Mortimer left behind, or the house will sacrifice one of them. This was a really unique and fun premise, and I really enjoyed the story.

How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold was pure FUN to read! 📖🏚️

I was prompted to read the description because the pink/purple lettering and wax seal on the cover alone had me captivated (the physical copy is a deluxe edition so I'm sure if the cover didn't get me the rest of it would've)! And with judging a book by its cover always comes the caveat that the inside might not be as good, but I absolutely loved this story and had so much fun reading it. 💌

This falls into a few genres/categories
✨Horror
✨Mystery
✨Thriller
✨Paranormal
✨Dark

Famous and legendary horror author (in my head he is Stephen King-esque) Mortimer Queen dies, and a group of writers find themselves invited to his estate to the reading of his will. The assumption is that they will inherit something, and each of these characters has a unique connection to this literary legend. When everyone arrives, they find that they must play a game - a game where they must solve a puzzle to get to the next room, or the manor will take one of them for itself. ✍🏻📝✒️🏚️

I enjoyed this book because of the character development and each person's connection to Mortimer Queen. Trying to determine whose story was the truth and which secrets behind the secrets were the truth made this story pure entertainment 🍿. There was some gore and some paranormal elements that made the reader have to suspend some disbelief, but in the end I devoured this book in a day and had a fun time doing it - and isn't that what we're all here for? 🤷🏼‍♀️

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This releases July 8th! 💖

This was such a fun blend of horror, mystery, and riddles, with just the right amount of creepy.
It gave me everything I wanted from a spooky, locked-room read.

Anything with a game or challenge element to it mixed with horror - I"m there! This wasn't a new favorite, but I sure had a fun time with it.

“How to Survive a Horror Story” is my first novel that I’ve read by Mallory Arnold. I am not usually a horror reader, but I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it.

When the famous horror author Mortimer Queen dies, 7 authors are invited to his manor. They all question why they are there. Did he leave them something? Is this just a dinner? But Mortimer was always known to have tricks up his sleeve, and instead, they are all asked to play a game.

I enjoyed this one because each chapter goes through each author and you eventually find out their connection to Mortimer through riddles. There are definitely some horror elements to it, but nothing that I couldn’t handle. I loved the ending and felt like it came full circle, which is ultimately why I gave it 4 out 5 ✨

4.25/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold releases on July 8th.

This book was such a page-turner. I have to say I’m usually more into thrillers than horror, but I thought this was a great mix of both. I also loved the cast of characters. They were all really distinct, so the multiple points of view were easy to follow, and I found myself getting attached to a few of them. I was super invested in the story and couldn’t put the book down.

You should read this book if you like:
- The house-as-a-character dynamic 🏠
- Multiple POVs 👥
- Riddles 🧩
- Mysterious wills 📝
- A sprinkle of horror/gore 🔪
- Locked room/ isolated setting vibes 🔑

The only part I liked less was how things turned out toward the ending. Without giving anything away, something happened that felt a bit unnecessary and left me feeling a little disappointed.

That said, I’d absolutely recommend this book. I think it would be a perfect read during spooky season!

i was given an arc for this book, and omg it had me hooked!

a stephen king-level horror author dies, and invites 7 other horror authors the will reading and it just goes downhill from there.

suuuper immersive, creepy, and gripping! it gives serious monster house vibes and i loved it!

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Poisoned Pen Press.

Welcome to Queen Manor. If you survive well, that is quite a story to tell.

When legendary horror author Mortimer Queen passes, a group of writers find themselves invited to his last will and testament reading expecting a piece of his massive fortune. Each have their own unique connection to the literary icon, some known, some soon to be discovered, and they have been waiting for their chance to step into the author's shoes for some time.

Instead, they arrive at his grand manor and are invited to play a game. The rules are simple, solve the riddle and progress to the next room. If they do not, the manor will take one of them for itself.

You see, the Queen estate was built on the bones of Mortimer's family, and like any true horror story, the house is still very, very hungry.

How to Survive a Horror Story is a bright, biting, thrill-ride that begs us to contemplate how the best horror stories come to be. The premise of this one sounded really interesting, but the execution did not live up to it. I am usually a huge fan of multiple POVs, but all the authors with different relationships to a horror legend should have meant different personalities, tension, secrets, and conflicting agendas. But they all sounded the same and I just wanted some character development from each of them. If the characters, were more fleshed out it would have been easier to spot who would survive and who would not. This book was still pretty decent, combing a lot of different elements, but it does not quite fully deliver on the depth that could have made it exceptional. I do think this could be a good entry to horror books for people who are new to the genre, and want a bit more mystery than horror.

How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold is a mix of mystery, thriller, and horror and though it takes a while to get going, it does eventually become a gripping, gruesome tale. The novel gradually establishes the characters before plunging into a game of riddles and survival inside a haunted house. Each room presents a new challenge and as the body count rises, the tension escalates, revealing dark secrets and the connections the characters share with celebrated horror writer Mortimer Queen. Once the story got going I didn't want to stop reading and though there were gruesome parts, I didn't find it too scary, however it was an entertaining read.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

The premise of How to Survive a Horror Story was very interesting to me as I love reading thriller books like this one. The aspect of the novel that most interested me was the group of writers having to solve riddles in order to progress throughout a house that was owned by a well known horror author, who has left a last will and testament of interest to the writers. The writers' lives are at stake if they are unable to solve the riddle and advance to the next room in the house. I thought this novel was a fun one and the beginning quickly grabbed my attention. As the story progresses, it gets more interesting and I grew to really like the characters. Some people might think the plot style of the novel is overdone but I enjoyed it and felt like a lot of aspects of the book were unique. Certain parts of the book do require you to suspend your disbelief in order to get through the story, which I personally did not mind doing. Overall, I enjoyed this book and thought it was well written. I am looking forward to reading more of the author's work in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

How to Survive a Horror Story is a clever, fast-paced thrill ride that breathes new life into the horror genre. Told from multiple character viewpoints, it keeps you guessing at every turn—who will survive, who can be trusted, and who’s hiding something. The shifting perspectives add real depth, letting you get inside each character’s head and watch their development unfold in real-time.

The story masterfully balances suspense, dark humor, and horror tropes in a way that feels fresh and unpredictable. Just when you think you know where it’s going, it twists again. If you love smart, character-driven horror with a self-aware edge, this book is an absolute must-read. Five stars, without a doubt!!!

How to survive a horror story

As soon as I read the premise of this book, I knew I wanted to read it. It totally gave me 'House of Usher' vibes from Netflix and that vibe continued throughout the book.

7 horror authors lured to a will reading byba fanous author in a creepy old mansion and then made to participate in a game to survive the night.... need I say anymore - this was everything I needed.

I had no expectations as I havent read anything by this author and I believe its a debut but this book delivered it.
There is a paranormal elements to this book which may not be for everyone but this allowed my imagination to run free and wild with every page turn.

I will be recommending this to anyone who loves a good, fun horror story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐️

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Publishing, NetGalley, and the author for allowing me to preview this title.

This is a story about 6 people who are summoned to a will reading of a well-known horror writer, under the guise that they will inherit something from this author. Turns out, the visit is much more sinister and everyone's secrets start to get revealed.

The book is told through the POVs of each of the characters involved. And while their version of the secret is told during the narrative, the truth is revealed in the form of a short story at the end of various chapters. This book was very interesting, and often quite creepy. The plot moves along quite fluidly, never really having a slow point. I did not necessarily see the ending coming, which was surprising. And I very much enjoyed the journey to get there. The characters were well developed and the reader is made to both like and despise them.

While I read this book in print form, I think that if done correctly, this would make an excellent audiobook.

When a will reading turns into a game of life or death - what would you do?

How to Survive a Horror Story is a fun, fight for your life story that throws together 7 horror authors who have been summoned to find out their personal inheritance of a legendary contemporary.

I loved the way this story unravelled and the characters’ stories became apparent. I never knew what to think or who to believe! What could go wrong in a creepy manor built on the graves of its inhabitants, anyway?

A group of horror authors walks into a creepy mansion… and quickly realizes they’re not inheriting anything—they’re contestants in a deadly game where each wrong answer costs a life. Think Clue meets Saw meets a very hungry haunted house.

Tropey? Yes. Over the top? Also yes. But so much fun. The dark humor, morally grey characters, and riddles make it deliciously campy and compulsively readable. Some deaths are outrageous, some eerily satisfying, and the short stories woven in add a brilliant meta layer.

It’s more creepy than scary, with a slow start and a few logic gaps, but once it gets going—it’s addictive. I couldn’t put it down!

This one’s for readers who love locked-room mysteries, twisted games, and a story that knows exactly what it is: wildly entertaining horror with teeth.

This book is a captivating read that draws you in and leaves you wanting more. It features seven main characters who are trapped in a house owned by a famous author. Six of these individuals have wronged the author, but one has not. Get ready to discover who that person is, as well as the reasons behind their actions and the unfolding drama.

Ooooh, this book was an absolute blast—I devoured it! The best part? I went in with zero expectations, and it completely blew me away.

A deceased writer assembles a carefully chosen group of people at his mansion—each with a unique connection to him. The promise of an inheritance draws them in, but once inside, they realize they’re not beneficiaries —they’re contestants in a deadly game of survival.

Think escape room meets Clue meets Disney’s Monster House —only the house isn’t just haunted, it’s hungry. Solve the riddles to move through each room or someone dies. Horribly. Their sacrifice feeds the house. And in the end, only one walks away—with everything.

Eerily reminiscent of Wendig's recently released Staircase in the Woods, the 'players' quickly realize the only way out is through, and each riddle unearths a secret so damning, they’d sooner lie, betray, or kill than confess.

It was deliciously campy and entertaining—light on scares but wound so tight with tension that putting it down wasn’t an option. This was exactly the book I needed after the streak I’d been on.

You’re going to read it, right?! Tell me you're running out to buy it when it releases in July...! Trust me, you don’t want to sleep on this one.

A story that is cloaked in mystery from the very beginning. Seven writers are invited to the will reading of legendary horror author Mortimer Queen at his grand manor.
Some of the group had close or long relationships with Queen for example Buck- his former assistant. But others aren’t quite sure why they were invited, especially unpublished author Melanie. In fact, she can’t quite place how or when she met Queen.

But of course, everything is not what it seems. And in order to leave the eerie manor, they must play a game, concocted by Queen, where dark secrets will be revealed and survival is not guaranteed.

You never quite know which way things are going to go. As the story unfolds more and more is revealed but I had some lingering questions after the conclusion. I felt the ending was quite anticlimactic because I wasn’t quite sure what to believe.

Maybe the point is to not know which version of events to believe, because we know Queen can basically make anything happen. So I don’t quite believe that the evidence Melanie finds in the cabin is legitimate.

Plus we have the fact that both Crystal and Winnie mentioned Queen abusing his wife. And they don’t seem to know each other that well, so it’s not like one would have found out from the other. What are the chances they both happen to mention that in their own version of events and are lying. So are we just glossing over the fact that he probably was abusing her?

I just don’t like that Melanie didn’t take all of this into consideration and immediately believed Queen.

This one was going so well until the last few chapters. That being said, I did enjoy the majority of it.

I overall enjoyed this book. I found the plot pretty predictable for the most part, but the characters drew me in and I enjoyed reading the "short stories" about each one. The haunted house setting was great, and I liked how varied each room was.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.