One of the most impressive debuts of 2025 thus far is Mallory Arnold’s HOW TO SURVIVE A HORROR STORY.

The book opens with a page that depicts seven silhouettes in the form of hand-drawn cameos featuring the seven individuals who are the “players” in this macabre tale. On the opposite side is a copy of the note from the office of legendary horror author Mortimer Queen that they have received. It informs the recipients that Mortimer has passed away and invites them to his manor to accept the items he has willed them.

Each person is the focus of the chapters that make up this puzzle of a novel.

• Melanie Brown: a fledgling author to whom Mortimer had provided mentorship
• Crystal Flowers: a one-time neighbor of Mortimer who allegedly had an affair with him
• Winnie Roach: a gossip columnist who enjoys revealing celebrity secrets and crushing dreams
• Scott Clay: the author of the successful Dark Skies horror series
• Buck Grimm: a bestselling horror writer and a one-time assistant to Mortimer
• Chester Plumage: a polarizing author with a checkered past
• Petey Marsh: the elder statesman of the group who wrote the horror classic Shrieking and Shrinks

"One of the most impressive debuts of 2025... HOW TO SURVIVE A HORROR STORY is great fun from start to finish. I will not forget it any time soon."

They all arrive at Mortimer’s grand manor and are greeted by Gia Falcone, an odd woman who happens to be the groundskeeper and was responsible for sending the invitations to the guests. She also responds to questions about the manor and the stories about it being haunted, which may stem from the fact that it was built on an ancient burial ground. It is not your typical British manor, and everyone is immediately suspicious.

Following dinner, Gia gathers the group in the lounge to reveal the contents of the will. Much to everyone’s surprise, Mortimer has decided to have some fun from beyond the grave by subjecting them to a series of games before bequeathing his entire estate, including the manor, to the eventual winner. These activities are not mere riddles but life-or-death scenarios in which wrong answers will find a random person literally fed to the house. Yes, you read that right --- the house is alive and very, very hungry. Gia makes it clear that there is no way in or out of the manor, and it’s impossible to communicate with anyone from the outside world.

I will not reveal the specifics of the games or why Mortimer believed that each of the attendees had wronged him in some way, for they are so brilliant and unexpected. What I especially loved is that the subject of each game was not necessarily the individual who would be punished if he or she answered incorrectly, which makes the situations so much more nerve-racking for the participants and the reader.

HOW TO SURVIVE A HORROR STORY is great fun from start to finish. I will not forget it any time soon.