How to Survive a Horror Story tells a clever horror story of a locked house of riddles and people die if you get the answers wrong. Mortimer Queen, a famous horror writer, has died but not before he had invitations sent out to a group of horror writers to be present for his will reading. They find themselves the main characters in a game of truth and betrayal.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy mystery and horror genres. It’s a chilling and suspenseful read with high stakes. The book reminds me of the Monster House movie with the house being a terrifying character capable of taking care of heinous people. As the characters navigate through the house of horrors, their stories reveal their true nature and motivations.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Seven authors have received notices that they have all been left something in the will of the recently deceased greatest horror author of the day. They have all been summoned to his crumbling mansion in the Vermont wilderness from all over the country. They soon discover that in order to escape the house (never mind find out what they supposedly inherited), they must solve a riddle in each room or face a punishment. Once in a room, there is no way to escape and so they work together to try to solve the riddles. This proves to be more difficult than it should be, as each riddle seems to reveal a secret that one of the players would like to keep hidden. If they don't reveal the secret is about them, none of the others know and bad things start to happen. As the ravenous house begins to collect victims, the remaining players must try to use their wits to survive. While most of the players are horror authors, like the deceased Mortimer Queen, one, Melanie, isn't a published author and has no idea why she is there. That is another mystery she must solve to get out of the house alive.

The story was very fast-paced and I enjoyed learning the backstories of all of the characters and what they had done to be included in the "games" set up by the dead author. While the events can be quite gory at times, there is enough mystery to keep the reader guessing as to what's really going on and what the end game might be.

“I’m not a writer of thrills, but of horror. So bring on the fear”

How to Survive a Horror Story is a captivating horror mystery by Mallory Arnold. When a renown horror author, Mortimer Queen dies, a group of writers are notified they are in his will and must attend a weekend at his manor for the reading. Upon arrival, the group of authors soon realise rather than claiming the will, they are here to play a game. The rules of the game are simple, to escape the manor, each hour a riddle must be solved to allow the group into the next room. Should they get the answer wrong - they will be punished. If they run out of time - the manor will claim a person.

The fact that I read this entire book within one day says everything! This book is so fast paced once the game begins that with the use of back stories as a way to develop the story and add depth to the characters, you cannot fault it. Mallory really knows how to create characters that you feel strongly about, whether it be Mortimers wife who you feel a sense of justice for, or Chester, the character we love to hate. The plot has sparks of originality, as although there are various tropes throughout, the plot development of all of the books aspects allow the tropes to fit in nicely. There wasn’t a single point where I considered putting this down or I knew exactly what was going to come next.

The only thing I can say is that this is such a fun read, some of the characters have hilarious moments and there are some gnarly and gruesome deaths.

Thank you very much to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in advance!

How to survive a horror story was such a suspenseful book and my first great horror book of 2025. I would recommend to anyone needing a page turner.

Melanie Brown and a group of authors are invited to Mortimer Queen’s manor under the guise of an inheritance. However, the famous horror author Mortimer Queen has other plans: a deadly game of riddles. Each room presents a new challenge, and failure means succumbing to the sinister powers of the manor itself. This was a thrillingly fun horror read.

Truthfully I’m not totally sure how I feel about How to Survive a Horror Story. It’s a plot ( think locked house, And Then There Were None) that’s been done over and over and much better in other novels. The characters are unlikable so I really didn’t care what happened to them. There was something that had me reading to the end, and for the life of me I can’t figure out why. But this book is really being hyped by publishers in an excellent marketing campaign, so maybe I’m missing something. 2.5

This premise of this sounded like good, goofy fun, but the execution was so juvenile. As a handful of other reviewers have noted, the characterization is incredibly flimsy and caricature-ish, when it's not downright cartoonish and nonsensical (a famous horror author who agents are hounding to become a film actor?) It read like a not-particularly-precocious-teen's take on the horror industry and adult behavior, not like someone who's done any degree of research about publishing.

How to Survive a Horror Story is a wild ride through revenge, betrayal, and morally messy characters. From Scott Clay to Melanie Brown, everyone has something to hide - and none of them are particularly likable. Mortimer, the self-proclaimed judge of justice, dishes out fates that seem excessive for some, yet fitting for others. The quirky names and dark humor add some levity to the twisted drama.
The pacing starts slow, but once it picks up you'll be hooked, even if the characters' backstories sometimes drag. It's not your typical horror - more creepy than terrifying - but it keeps you on the edge. If you're a fan of light horror with a side of moral ambiguity, this one's for you.

"How to Survive a Horror Story" is a horror fiction novel by Mallory Arnold. A group of people with secrets to hide (in this case authors) are invited to the will reading of prominent horror author Mortimer Queen at his creepy house. They are surprised to learn that they are not receiving anything from the will unless they solve Queen's riddles and survive all of the rooms in this supernaturally evil house. Lots of twists and secrets are revealed as the flawed characters try not to die. A dark and fun read, this is a suggested purchase for fiction collections where horror is popular.

If Clue and Knives Out created a monster, How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold would be it. A locked room (or locked haunted house) thriller with horror elements, this book is dark, macabre, and seething with mystery.

Mortimer Queen one of the most legendary horror authors has died inviting 7 guests to his last will and testament reading at his manor. Each guest has a connection to Queen making them each nervous and excited for what he has bequeathed them. The manor itself is straight out of a horror novel, with its eerie decor and foreboding feeling. The guests quickly learn that they have been invited to play a game...solve a riddle and they move on to the next room. But the game has deadly consequences, doling out punishments for every wrong answer whilst exposing the guests nefarious connections to Mortimer Queen.

This book was wildly entertaining. The mystery kept me on the edge of my seat and the supernatural aspects created a visceral feeling. The creepy atmosphere of the manor and diabolical nature of the game had my eyes glued to every page. Propulsive and repulsive, this story took classic horror tropes and made it into its own thrilling and frightening read. The originality and shock factors made this book hard to put down. The characters were well developed and were some of the scariest elements of this story. This would make a great tv show/movie as well.

If you are a fan of horror, escape rooms, or haunted house mysteries, How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold needs to be consumed.

Welcome to Queen Manor. Seven authors enter but how many will leave? Can they survive the story within? If they do, well then, that would be quite the story to tell.

A clever and deeply unsettling locked room thriller with elements of ghost horror, a sentient house creature and humans being the worst monsters after all. Definitely a novel made me contemplate how the best horror stories came to be and if anyone could have lived through all the horror they endured.

May only be new to fantasy horror but it's already become one of my favourites genres. Perhaps you can lock the door behind you on your way out cause I believe I'm going to stay awhile.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐝

Wanted to love it based on the premise, but sadly not my favorite. Grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc though!

How to Survive a Horror Story is a hilariously spooky debut that I could not put down. I loved the reveal of the truths through the different POV's of the characters as the night unfolds.

3.75 stars (rounded to 4).

I love a book that has authors as the main characters. The multiple POV’s really kept the story on its toes because you truly couldn’t trust anyone. There were times when I thought, “wait, why did that person go first?? You should have killed someone else!”

But the payoff at the end was worth it. The later I got in the book, I was a bit adrift, but the book did finish up nicely.

An intriguing and original premise, but sadly, by the 25% read point, this book felt more like a mystery than a horror story. I'd have enjoyed more nods to the horror genre, and more tension built so that by the time the horrific elements surfaced they felt plausible. I always love a "closed circle" cast, but I found these characters a little hard to distinguish from one another, and I found the writing of the Texan's dialect/regional accent very distracting - he probably didn't need that at all. A fun concept but a story I just couldn't get swept up in.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advance copy of this book.

Description
Welcome to Queen Manor. If you survive... well, that's 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've 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 don't, 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.

What an absolutely fun ride this book is! One by one, each author's secret is exposed, and one person's life is taken by the house. Who will make it to the end of the challenge set by Mortimer Queen. So many twists that I didn't see coming, including the ending.

Great book, I'd definitely recommend reading this one!! 4 out of 5 ⭐️

This book was a quick and engaging read that kept me hooked from start to finish. The characters aren’t particularly likable, but their flaws add depth and tension to the story, making the plot even more compelling. Their questionable choices and personalities create a unique dynamic that kept me invested in what would happen next.

What I enjoyed most was the setting. It turns out I have a real love for books about haunted houses, and this one did not disappoint. The eerie atmosphere and supernatural elements were woven into the story beautifully, keeping me on edge and wanting more.

If you’re into fast-paced reads with morally complex characters and a touch of the paranormal, I’d highly recommend giving this book a try!

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“How to Survive a Horror Story” by Mallory Arnold is a dark and suspenseful take on the locked-room mystery and haunted house tropes. Combining elements of horror, humor, and a touch of camp, this debut novel immerses you in a deadly game set in a sentient, man-eating mansion. The sentient mansion is definitely the best part of this story as characters are taken out one by one.

The story follows seven horror authors invited to the mansion of the late Mortimer Queen, a legendary (and vengeful) author, for the reading of his will. But instead of riches, they find themselves trapped in a house bent on exacting revenge for Mortimer’s past grievances. To escape, they must solve riddles tied to their own sordid secrets, all while dodging the mansion’s deadly traps. One by one, their skeletons — both literal and figurative — are unearthed, as the body count rises.

The book’s premise is delightfully sinister and unique, and the sentient house is a standout character in its own right. With its eerie ability to detect lies and manipulate reality, the house serves as both antagonist and stage, creating a uniquely unsettling atmosphere. The riddles and short story interludes tied to each character’s past add an intriguing layer of mystery, though the revelations occasionally feel uneven in their impact. Some characters’ crimes seem deserving of punishment, while others’ fates feel excessively cruel, adding moral ambiguity to the story. The book makes you doubt who exactly is the real victim of the characters’ interactions with Mortimer: Mortimer himself or the other characters. The stories of the characters’ pasts may reflect the truth or may be unreliable coming from Mortimer himself.

Arnold does an excellent job weaving themes of revenge, trust, and the toxic relationships that bind the characters to Mortimer. However, the pacing was a bit inconsistent with a slow start introducing the cast before the tension ramps up. While Melanie and Buck emerge as the most likable and sympathetic characters, the rest are unapologetically flawed, often to the point of caricature. This adds to the campy charm but occasionally makes it hard to invest in their survival.

The writing strikes a balance between creepy and humorous. Some of the gruesome deaths require a suspension of disbelief with the riddles and modifications of the mansion, and a few plot twists — particularly involving Melanie and her amnesia — tread familiar territory. Despite these minor shortcomings, the story delivers plenty of suspense and a reasonably satisfying conclusion.

Overall, this is a must-read for fans of light horror, locked-room mysteries, or haunted house tales with a twist. Arnold’s debut offers plenty of chills, thrills, and dark humor, making it a perfect pick for a spooky evening. If you’ve ever wondered how to survive a horror story, this book will entertain you with its answer — even if survival is not guaranteed.

I love locked-room mysteries and this was no exception. While typically it's family that gathers for a will reading, in this story, it's a group of fellow writers invited to Mortimer Queen's. He was an infamous writer of horror stories and the invitees are eager, if not a bit confused, to see why they were chosen and what they will receive. Because Queen was a fan of puzzles and intrigue, the invitees aren't too surprised to discover that it's no simple reading of a will that they will participate in. They're gathered in his mansion which is pretty macabre and unusual, so that fits for Queen. But the people working there are a bit...off and you can just feel the uneasiness start to seep in. When they're informed that Queen has invited them there to play a game, it still doesn't seem too bad, until they realize they have no choice in the matter. And that winning the game is essential if they want to stay alive. And that's when the fear sinks in.

At this point, the horror part of the story is let loose. As someone who typically likes logical answers to mysteries, I had to suspend my disbelief and remind myself that this is a horror story and not a typical mystery/thriller. And that's great if it's your thing, but if it's not, this isn't the book for you. The blurb doesn't reference any of the specific characters or why they're there, so that has to stay a mystery, I think. But the way they are linked to Queen is ingenious, as is his reason for creating this game. Each character has skeletons in their closet and Queen is determined to let them out in a series of disturbing ways. I loved the consistently creepy atmosphere and how the characters aren't just stereotypes to kill off one by one. They're realistic and down-to-earth people who are only human, after all. I can't say the same about everyone in the book. But the story and its setting are very much alive...

I really hope this author continues to write stories like this - I devoured it in one sitting. I couldn't wait to see how it would play out and I wasn't disappointed. It was fun and entertaining, but also dark and creepy. A winning combination!

“How to Survive a Horror Story” was a good read that blended horror and the supernatural in a unique way. I wasn’t expecting the supernatural twist, but it added to the story. I couldn’t decide who to trust—the characters or the author—which kept me engaged.

The book was well-crafted and made me think. The unexpected ending left me surprised. Even though the characters were meant to be villains, I found myself sympathizing with them a tiny bit sometimes because I couldn’t tell who was lying.

The start was a bit slow, but once the game started, the story picked up. The clever concept kept me hooked and eager to see what unfolded next.

If you’re into horror-themed locked room mysteries, “How to Survive a Horror Story” is definitely worth a look.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book.