Book Review: How To Survive Your Murder

How To Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine is a novel that reads exactly like the transcript of an engaging horror movie. After going to a party hosted by one of the most popular kids in school, the main character Alice and her sister Claire lose each other in the crowds. In an attempt to find her sister, Alice goes looking through a corn maze. There she finds four things: a bloody chainsaw on the ground, the host of the party missing an arm, a janitor that was stabbed, and her sister Claire on the ground in front of him. A violent series of events happens directly in front of Alice’s eyes, and she becomes the sole witness.

A year passes by and Alice is in a court trial. Even though she witnessed it all, Alice is still fighting to prove what she saw and finally restore justice. Then, out of nowhere, Alice is transported back to that night to have one last chance to save her sister. The rules are that she cannot die, she must find out the truth, and she has to do all of this before midnight. One of the things that is most interesting about this book is the controversial ending. Reviews of the novel vary between those who love the ending and those who hate it. Regardless, critics have described How To Survive Your Murder as “a delightfully twisted story” (Kirkus Reviews). If you are a fan of horror movies and thriller books, this might be the book for you.