How to Survive a Horror Story

Name: How to Survive a Horror Story
Brand: Penguin Random House
Availability: InStock
Author: Mallory Arnold
ISBN: 9781464256110

Author: Mallory Arnold

Narrator: Gabra Zackman

Unabridged: 10 hr 35 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Published: 07/08/2025

Categories: Fiction, Horror, Gothic

Synopsis

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.

About The Author

Mallory Arnold is a magazine editor and writer who lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and three cats. When she’s not penning a scary story, she can be found curled up with a book, running, listening to podcasts, painting, eating pickles and Diet Coke (not together), or bopping her head to Southcourt’s music. This is Mallory’s debut novel, and she hopes to continue writing until the cows come home (though she wonders where the cows went in the first place).Feel free to follow her journey on Instagram—if you dare. @malwriteswords

Reviews

Goodreads review by Susan Carolynn on August 09, 2025

An enjoyable horror x mystery book! How to Survive a Horror Story felt like a combination of Clue the board game, Escape Room the movie, and Monster House. While it was a bit predictable and there weren't massive reveals/twists, it was fast-paced and kept my interest throughout. I also loved the mor......more

Goodreads review by Debra on July 04, 2025

Seven authors have been invited to legendary deceased author, Mortimer Queen's home for the reading of his last will and testament. Each has some form of connection to the late author. Each are invited to play a game.... I enjoyed the creepy and eerie vibe of this book - a grand manor, a game where......more

Goodreads review by OutlawPoet on December 17, 2024

Okay, this is fun. Yes, it’s kind of a tropey plot. And, yes, the characters are a little much. But the author has given us something quite unusual in the *who* behind everything and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are gruesome deaths – some that do require you to suspend your sense of disbelief just a......more

Goodreads review by Lackof_shelf_control on August 29, 2025

This book was an interesting one. There is a large cast of characters here and I actually had to cast them in my head in order to keep them all straight. It took a bit for me to get my bearings here, but once I did and the action started - it was an enjoyable ride. This is a locked room mystery with......more

Goodreads review by JaymeO on July 12, 2025

Not what I expected. This debut gothic novel’s premise is enticing. Six authors are invited to attend the legendary horror author Mortimer Queen’s last will and testament reading at his grand manor. Each are expecting to inherit part of his fortune. While all of them have a connection to the author,......more