Several strangers receive a weird invitation from Mortimer Queen, famed horror writer and now deceased author. They are to be present at a reading of his will. All of them are accomplished horror authors in their own right, well all except one. While seated for dinner, Queen's executor tells them why they are all there. Let the feast begin!

I had a lot of fun with this book. Each chapter is told from the perspective of one of the characters wherein you gain special insight into how they perceive the actions of the others. Everyone lies, abundantly, so it's hard to pick out the truth from the fiction. The plot combines an escape room with a haunted house and it's just so much fun. None of the scenes are too gruesome. And...I wasn't expecting the ending, at least not as it played out.

The writing was playful and evenly paced. I really liked how the author ended each chapter with a teaser that made me say, "Oh just one more chapter before bed!" It was really well done. I will probably buy a hardback copy when this publishes.

Horror author Mortimer Queen's death lures a group of writers to his mansion for his will reading, each hoping to inherit his fortune. Instead, they're trapped in a deadly game: solve riddles to advance, or the house, built on his family's remains and hungry for more, will claim them. A blend of locked-room mystery and ghostly terror, this story explores the origins of great horror.

I really liked this book. The characters were great and it was very easy to read. The only reason why it wasn't a 5 star was because i don't think i'll think about the characters anymore after finishing this.

I would highly recommend reading this once it's out.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Honestly, pretty good book. Like I don't read a lot of horror, but this one was something that legit felt like a movie and had some fantastic twists especially with all the narrators being unreliable.

I'm not sure how I feel about the ending; is he a ghost or is he back?

DNF @ 25% . Sadly this was just not for me. It felt like I was reading campy YA a bit and I was hoping for something more gritty and scary. I was also looking for more relatable characters and they were all pretty annoying.

I really enjoyed reading this book, kept me interested and guessing until the very end.i would read more books by this author.

This book was such a fun and engaging read! It had its scary moments, but what stood out to me most was how well the characters were written—their depth, their flaws, and how much more there was to them than what first meets the eye. I loved the plot twist, the mysterious atmosphere, and the way the narrative kept me guessing.

I was genuinely surprised to learn this is a debut novel—the writing felt confident and polished, and the overall execution was impressive.

The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that around the halfway point, the story started to feel a bit repetitive. Thankfully, it picked up again and pulled me right back in.

All in all, a great read with strong characters, clever twists, and a solid sense of suspense!

Mortimer Queen famous horror writter has passed away. Seven different characters are invited to the Queen estate for the reading of Mortimer Queen last will and testament., but why?; to play a game where no all of them will survive.

Definitely a compelling horror story worth of reading just remember there is always two sides from the same story.

Thanks to NetGally for the ARC!

I love both the cover and the premise of Mallory Arnold's How to Survive a Horror Story. Locked room mystery set in a manor on a private island populated by horror writers? Sign me up! Unfortunately, the set-up stank, the characters were one dimensional and hard to keep straight, and the rotating point of view just didn't work.

Extra star for giving the genre a new twist--the originality is much appreciated, even if the execution lacked oomph.

Talk abour entertaining horror stories!

I just loved the concept! The locked room atmosphere and the dark secrets that gets revealed in every chapter keeps you guesing about what will happen next. There are no characters that you would like to root for but they all are well written and playing their roles til the end.

I am not a fan of long chapters so this was a harder read for me because of that although the story went on in a quite fast pace.

This one is good for those who doesn't like gory or very graphic horror stories.

Very strong debut book, will definitely look forward for next works by Mallory Arnold.

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Initially this book just felt fun- it's put right out there in the blurb that the house will be eating people, and it's easy to hope that it's people who deserve it. The how's and why's of the manor are left extremely vague, particularly in regard to the human-esque creatures manning the house, which isn't really what the story is about so I mostly let it go, while also wondering how many of the specificities of the rooms were accomplished.
I read another book recently that focused on the quote "There's three sides to every story. Yours, theirs, and the truth." And with a story packed with unreliable narrators, this was especially true. While it's clear early on that one character has been added to the group with only the best intentions, even they are an unreliable narrator and their saving grace is both a bit of deus ex machina combined with a touch of darkness that feels both disappointing and yet warranted.
A tiny bit tedious in getting to the point, and full of horrors that are mostly darkly fun rather than something to keep you up at night if you're a horror reader.

2.5 Stars – Killer concept, but it didn’t quite deliver

How to Survive a Horror Story had me hooked from the jump—a creepy old manor, a bunch of authors playing a deadly literary game, and that perfect blend of locked-room mystery and gothic horror. It sounded like a dark little dream for horror fans. But sadly, the execution just didn’t keep up with the promise.

My biggest gripe? The multiple POVs. With seven writers, you'd expect distinct voices, juicy tension, and secrets bubbling under the surface. Instead, they all kind of blurred together. No one stood out, which made it hard to stay invested in who was talking—or who was in danger.

I wanted to love this one. I really did. The ingredients were all there—it just needed more bite.

Really happy I managed to stumble upon this book, I was drawn in by the cover and title even though I don't read too much horror. The book was definitely more gentle horror so will be more enjoyable to more people.

The idea I really liked, characters getting their comeuppance - rightly so - and the constant wonder of what the hell Melanie had actually done...

It was a quick read and pleasant read but I would have liked to know more about demon ghost.

Mortimer Queen has been the #1 writer for the horror genre as long as anyone can remember. However, he has recently passed away. Eight people are invited to his home for the reading of his will; people that don’t know one another *and* are unclear why Mortimer would have left anything to them in his will. Upon arrival, the guests phones and car keys are taken and light conversation ensues. We learn that the majority of the guests are also authors in the horror genre; competitors of Mortimer’s for that #1 bestselling spot, if you will. The host for the evening, Gia, moves them from drinks to dinner, before the reading of the Will. At dinner, the dining room is locked and the guests learn that Mortimer has left them one last challenge - get out of the house alive. The group has an hour to clear a riddle in each room, otherwise the carnivorous house will take a guest as payment. Will anyone make it out of the house alive and at what cost?

3-4 stars!

A meta-horror story centring on a group of horror authors called to a famous dead author's house for a will reading where everything goes so, so wrong. It plays with human nature and our thirst for survival, specifically addressing the premise that people will do anything to stay on top. The comp with THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (whether the OG story or the Netflix mashup) is particularly suitable, as the disgusting and horrific turn of events and the imagery throughout the novel are vivid and thrilling. Unlike EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE, it's less comedic and much more backstabby.

It was clear to me who would survive from the get-go. The opening POV choice, the character's stakes, the mystery surrounding said character's connection, and the title made me deeply suspicious. Nonetheless, I enjoyed most of the twists, though I was only particularly surprised by two of them. The main standout for me is the manor where the novel takes place. The atmosphere and characterisation were fantastic. I lowkey almost wish we get to unravel more mysteries of the manor itself, but I suppose some mysteries are better left undisturbed.

As someone who doesn't typically read horror, this book was easy to run through not only for its decent pacing but also its moderately short length (to me!) A solid horror debut.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with the e-ARC/DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Was reading this as an eARC, however, it just wasn’t my jam! I was really excited but it was too close in plot to another book I’d read recently that I disliked. It reminded me of the “Murder Mystery” movies on Netflix but in a book form. Unfortunately, a little too tropey and not enough mystery for my liking. Maybe better for the right person!

Slow burn with lots of horrific visuals. This was an interesting premise where the characters melted together and there is this fantastic element of supernatural. A complete roller coaster ride.

3.5 stars.

I was pretty excited to get into this book because the description reminded me of a cross between Clue (1985) and House on Haunted Hill (1999), which are two of my favorite films and I love the plot conceits of both and the humor and cheesiness of them... so I was thrilled when I first started reading the book and it was cheesy. Then I realized the humor was lacking, but the cheese continued, and I was disappointed.

This is a very easy to read book, the action keeps you wanting to read more and the chapters are action oriented to keep up the excitement. The kills are also rather creative and gruesome in a fun way. The characters are very strong archetypes and stereotypes though, which helps a little when you have a large cast but then it was just soooo... cheesy. Overly so, even for me. I would've liked it more had it had more humor and took itself less seriously because this is literally a book about a man-eating house.

I also didn't like that we learn nothing about the house really. When did it come into the Queens' possession? How did they feed it, if they did feed it? Is it sentient. Who is Gia??? I was left with more questions than I started with, and while I don't want all the answers and everything spoon fed to me, I don't like ending with more and more questions. We even get an epilogue but without answers.

But overall I enjoyed my time with this book and it was a fast read (5-10 minutes a night for a two weeks). I would read a sequel even. And it DID technically still vibe with Clue and House on Haunted Hill, which I loved. It's also technically an escape room book, though the traps and puzzles aren't that complicated, which is something even the characters pick up on pretty quickly. I also loved the concept of all these horror writers kind of working together, and how they all specialize in different kinds of horror.

For fans of: Clue, House on Haunted Hill, escape rooms, cheese

“When legendary horror author Mortimer Queen dies, his will draws seven writers to the secluded, crumbling halls of Queen Manor. Each guest believes they’re here to claim their piece of his fortune. Some admired him. Some hated him. All of them want something.
But Mortimer’s final gift isn’t wealth, it’s a challenge. The rules are chillingly simple: solve the riddles in each room and survive the night. Fail, and the house takes one of them. Because, this manor? It’s alive. Built on the bones of Mortimer’s past and pulsing with unfinished business, it’s more than just haunted, it’s hungry.
And it’s ready to feast.”
Mallory Arnold, take a bow. For a debut, How to Survive a Horror Story doesn’t just deliver, it devours (See what I did there?).
This isn’t the kind of horror that keeps you up at night; it’s the kind that makes you grin at the sheer chaos of it all. It reads like a horror movie you want to watch with popcorn and a group chat blowing up in the background.
The setup is gloriously familiar (dead author, creepy house, sketchy guests), but Arnold owns it. What makes this book shine is the attention to character: Every character feels real, messy, and malicious in the best way. There are no redemption arcs, everyone is here for a reason, and no one walks in clean. The tension is delicious: every conversation loaded, every alliance suspicious. It’s not just about surviving the house, it’s about surviving each other.
The star of the show isn’t a person at all, it’s Queen Manor itself. This is a haunted mansion with serious attitude. From the moment the front doors slam shut, trapping our cast inside, the manor starts toying with its new guests.The manor isn’t just setting the scene; it’s actively participating, a malevolent dungeon-master enforcing Mortimer Queen’s rules. I loved how the house felt alive, it doesn’t merely watch these characters, it hunts them
And while the plot may seem straightforward on paper, the twists and turns are executed with such tight pacing that you never really know what’s coming next. It's not trying to reinvent horror, it’s having fun with it. Think Clue meets Haunting of Hill House with a sprinkle of Squid Game energy.
If you love haunted houses with a grudge, riddles with blood on them, and watching terrible people get exactly what they deserve, mark your calendars, How to Survive a Horror Story drops July 8.

I did go blind in this and boy, this was so much fun! It gives you a kill creek book vibes because all the horror authors but this so much more than that. Normally I love horror stories where the characters are trapped in creepy houses. So this was definitely my kind of story.

7 guests aka horror authors are invited for late Mortimer Queen’s will hearing because they are included in it. At first they don’t have any inkling why the hell they are in it but over the course of the book you will discover just exactly why they are in the will.

They eat, they drink and they don’t think there will be a race to win, puzzles and riddles to be solved in order to save themselves. Have to say these characters are so complex and so annoying that it’s hard to understand any one of them and my thoughts on Mortimer are still mixed up.

But overall I loved it and hope to see another one like this from the author soon.

Sadly, I didn't love this and almost DNFed it at one point. It was really slow in the beginning, the story felt so clunky throughout the entire book, and I just didn't care. I didn't feel any sort of suspense and some descriptions felt way too drawn out. I think the idea is interesting, but the execution fell short for me. I do appreciate the ARC, though!