How to Survive a Horror Story

By Mallory Arnold

Seven authors enter the manor

Can they survive the story within?

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.

With the clever, locked-room thrills of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone with the ghostly horror of The Fall of the House of Usher, 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.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 146425253X
• ISBN13: 9781464252532
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

The manor awaits!

This story hit all the right points for a fun horror with a good touch of gore, creepiness, and an awesome sentient manor just waiting for its next meal! I will say, if I am not on good terms with someone famous and then they die and leave something for me in the will, I for sure would not go to their house and hand over my phone! But it made for entertaining reading and hard to put down as I waited to see who might be next to die and what their crimes were against Mortimer Queen! Some of the deaths were quite satisfying and well deserving and though the riddles were not really riddles, it continued the story and you get the confessions (or are have they been twisted/rewritten?) of the authors as they travel from room to room to escape or die. So, a mix of escape room (with deadly additions if they can get the answer before the clock runs out) and mini stories that are Mortimer Queen's version of what happened and why theses authors were chosen to enter the house. And I did enjoy the ending for justice is served for the guilty parties and the manor is always ready for another meal! I think Mallory Arnold did a good job with this first story and I am looking forward to seeing what she will write next.