Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die: A Novel

by Mallory Arnold

From the USA Today bestselling author of How to Survive a Horror Story comes a biting slasher perfect for fans of John Tucker Must Die and The Final Girl Support Group, following three women who lure their cheating boyfriend to a remote mountain cabin, only to realize that darkness lurks within the very walls, waiting to pick them off one by one.

One isolated cabin. One cheating boyfriend. One plan to get even.

When Nora, Ruby, and Cham discover that they've each been dating the same man, what starts as outrage quickly spirals into a plot for revenge. Together they hatch a plan to lure their boyfriend to a romantic getaway in a secluded cabin at the top of a snow-covered mountain.

Only what was meant to be harmless payback soon takes a chilling turn when their not-so-adoring boyfriend is found dead in the cabin. 

Stranded and snowed in, the women begin to look at each other with increasing suspicion. And as tensions rise, hidden motives come to light. To survive, each woman must confront her own demons as they fight to uncover if one of them is the killer, or if something else lurks in the freezing wilderness, waiting to pick them off one by one. 

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Adult, Horror Thriller, Fiction

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 14, 2026

About the author

Mallory Arnold is an editor and writer who resides in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and three cats. She's part of the Women's Fiction Writer's Association and enjoys writing drama, thrillers, and horror.

Reviews

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 Stars — 🔪 Trash Men, Cult Ties, and the Power of a Group Chat

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! This book was absolutely bananas. I’ve heard of scammers, but a man successfully dating three women at once for six months to three years? That is a level of "trash man" behavior I wasn't prepared for.

The Breakdown:

The Trio: I actually really liked Cham, Nora, and Ruby. They were all so different and had their own unique voices, which made it easy to root for them as they bonded over getting bamboozled. The "women sticking together" energy was easily the best part of the book.

The "Wait, What?" Factor: This story goes from 0 to 100 very fast. We have fugue states, adoption mysteries, and potential cults, which was a lot to take in. While it was definitely original, there were so many twists that it actually felt like it took me forever to get through, which is rare for me with this genre.

The Ending: The main conclusion was earned and I liked how it wrapped up... but then there was a potential cliffhanger at the very end that made me majorly eye-roll. I’m happy with where it ended; I definitely wouldn't read a sequel.

A solid "popcorn" read if you want to see three women take down a world-class jerk, just be prepared for a lot of plot.

[Heathers_readss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! I was a huge fan of the authors previous book and I knew this one would be good.

Three women’s POV leading up to their paths crossing with one common denominator.. they all have the same BF and he has lied, cheated and stolen from all of them. What starts out as a bid to get a confession of his crimes turns into a ploy for revenge and things get messy!

Short fun chapters, fast read, entertaining loved it!

[Rebecca]

thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for access this ARC

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was nonstop female revenge fun! Three women unknowingly were dating the same man. How far will they go to get back at him?

This book didn’t skip a beat! Multiple POV, short chapters, and I loved the police transcripts scattered throughout!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOL. This book is just ridiculous, silly, unhinged fun. It starts off pretty grounded by quickly establishing how the three very different (but I think all likeable) GFs of Love Fraudster Jason meet, discover his perfidy, and consider whether and how to seek collective vengeance. Anyone who consumes a lot of romance scam content will appreciate this premise, as did I. From there, the book admittedly goes off the rails in a few entirely different directions, with additional and seemingly random subplots and characters, but I’d say in an overall enjoyable and unobjectionable way where you’re like, Well… alrighty then. Whatever you say! I was sick when I read this, and it all felt very fever dreamy, like “…wait, what is even happening right now again…?” — so I waited until my own literal fever subsided to review it, but it seemed to hold up okay. This was a good couch and Kleenex, reading-while-ill book, which I imagine is akin to a beach, airplane, or popcorn read? There was a bit of uncertainty and perhaps even sweetness in the end that I appreciated. 3.5 all-over-the-place stars. And please keep the wonderful dad joke punny titles coming!

Many thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of this book, scheduled for release on July 14, 2026.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know.... good for her. And by her I mean all 3 of these lovely ladies. The revenge might not have gone as planned but, Jason got his... And yes, Jason was hit garbage but I still kind of want to know what led him to the lifestyle that ultimately got him killed. I know there's no excuse for doing horrible crap but it would still be interesting to know his background. I really enjoyed the fact that this was a true women supporting women book(except for that one b*tch). Moral of the story? Cults = Bad. Cheating = Bad. Skipping the organ donation line = Bad.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book only knowing the basics about it: three women find themselves dating the same man and they get him up to some cabin to seek revenge. I was NOT expecting everything else that went on. This was an edge-of-your-seat thriller that I could not get enough of. However, the very ending left me wanting more, but I’m sure that was the author just playing with our heads.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc!

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big thanks to netgalley, Mallory Arnold, and Poison Pen Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review!!

my first arc, and this book did not disappoint in the slightest. The concept was so interesting, and for once, it actually delivered extremely well. Think john tucker must die meets a culty horror with tons of female empowerment.


-plot
the scary, spooky vibes were definitely not lacking in this book and in saying you should definitely read this at night in the dark for the full experience. I was hooked from the beginning straight to the end, and the writing style was well paced and easy to understand. I personally would never have gone up that mountain, but that's just me. Also, that ending was absolutely diabolical, thanks.


- Nora, Cham, and Ruby
These girls went through a literal shredder like jesus. These girls deserved so much better and so much more. I loved their friendship in the end, and it definitely saved them.

-Jason
This man was so evil and truly haunted the narrative, which made him so much worse.

Overall, this book was so easy to get into, and it genuinely shocked me that it was quite that good.

[Carrie Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆...𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎. 𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒓."

Female rage, a snowed-in cabin, and one spectacularly terrible man all collide in Mallory Arnold's latest offering. Nora, Ruby, and Cham discover they’ve all been dating the same cheating boyfriend, so naturally they do what any reasonable women would do: lure him to a secluded mountain cabin for a little revenge. But things go from “petty payback” to “oh no, he’s actually dead” shockingly fast. Now they’re stranded in the snow, side-eyeing each other, and trying to figure out whether one of them snapped or if something even darker is at play.

This book absolutely leans into its dark comedy in the first half. The female rage is messy and at times, oddly cathartic. There are definite 𝑱𝒐𝒉𝒏 𝑻𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒓 𝑴𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝑫𝒊𝒆 vibes at the start, except instead of a glossy teen revenge romp, we get a much bloodier, twistier version. The dialogue is sharp and biting, and the suspicion between the women adds this delicious layer of paranoia that made it impossible to put down.

What I loved most is how it balances humor with genuine suspense. It’s fun, but it’s not fluff. As secrets unravel and motives come into question, the story digs deeper into jealousy, insecurity, and the cracks in female friendships. The second half took a turn with some darker elements, but it worked with the pacing and plot already established. It’s dramatic and a little unhinged in the best way and wildly entertaining from start to finish. Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for this early copy that publishes July 14, 2026.

[mo • lesmotsdemo · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up for Goodreads and Netgalley.
It was alright. The first half of the book was a little bit better than the second. The second half felt more predictable, cliché and messy. The atmosphere was good though. I did like the friendship of the three female characters, it was quite refreshing. But I didn’t necessarily connect with the characters and some plot points felt like they could have been removed and the book would have been better — if that makes sense.

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

[Trisha]

the way I am SO excited for this!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Art the Bookworm]

A novel of revenge that goes off the rails in all the best ways! When three women, Ruby, and Cham discover that they've each been dating the same man, they decide to plan revenge to teach him a lesson and hopefully get the money back that he stole from them. So they set a trap for him up in an abandoned cabin in the woods. And that's when things start going south, and quickly.

Each chapter is told from the POV of one of the three women, and the author manages to give each character enough distinction that it wasn't hard to follow along. As they begin to lay their trap for him, little things keep going wrong, until it gets wildly out of control. At first, I wasn't sure if the cabin was haunted, if one of the three women was a ringer, or if something else was going on. But the pressure builds beautifully, and I raced through the book to get to the conclusion. I thought the very last page of the conclusion felt a bit open ended, and wasn't quite sure what to make of the final sentence. But over all it was exciting and thrilling. Half the time I wasn't sure I could trust any one of the characters. I have not read anything by Mallory Arnold before, but I'm definitely going to read more of her.

A special thanks to the publisher for supplying this book on netgalley for review.

[Karolay Capellan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

First, thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book ended up being a bit of a rollercoaster reading experience for me. At the beginning, I honestly wasn’t sure if I was going to like it. Some of the dialogue felt sooooo cheesy and unrealistic, which took me out of the story a few times.

But at the same time, once the story really got going, I found myself completely hooked.

What really stood out to me was how engaging the story became once the plot picked up. Around the middle of the book, the tension really started to build and I became fully invested. At that point I was honestly eating this book UP. My eyes were glued to the page and I couldn’t stop reading.

One of the struggles I had early on was connecting with the characters. Some of their decisions felt incredibly naive and unrealistic to me, and there were definitely moments where I kept wondering if these women had any sense of self-preservation at all, but I still found myself invested in seeing how everything would play out.

One thing that didn’t fully work for me was the synopsis. I felt like it gave away a little too much, because fairly early in the book I already had a sense of the direction the story was heading. Without exaggerating, the synopsis gives away around 60% of the book, so that leaves way too little room for real surprise.

Another thing that didn’t quite work for me was the horror aspect. This book is tagged as horror first and thriller second, but I honestly felt like the horror elements were extremely short. I kept waiting for those moments to really hit, and they just never fully did. I wanted so much more from that side of the story.

Toward the end, there are several twists, but unfortunately none of them felt particularly shocking. They weren’t bad, but they didn’t land with the impact I was hoping for. I didn’t necessarily predict them exactly, but the way everything unfolded felt more expected than surprising.

By the time I finished the book, I felt a bit disappointed because I thought this had the potential to be at least a 4-star read based on how invested I became during the middle of the story. Still, for a large portion of the book I was completely engrossed and couldn’t stop reading.

[Annelise]

Reminiscent of "John Tucker Must Die" and "The Other Woman", we follow Nora, Cham, and Ruby on a wild ride of revenge after finding out they're all dating the same loser, Jason. Banded together with their mutual hatred and broken hearts, the ladies venture to a mountain cabin to craft their own revenge horror movie made especially for him.
Layered with dark humor, female friendship, mounting dread, and buried secrets, The story does take several unexpected turns in the second half. I would go into this expecting a psychological thriller with some horror elements and not a full fledge horror novel, but certainly a fast-paced entertaining time!

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the E-ARC!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die by Mallory Arnold.

This book pulled me in right from the start. After the first chapter, I thought I had the storyline figured out, but the twists and turns kept surprising me and made it hard to put down.

I almost forgot this was a thriller in the beginning. Some readers may not like that it starts out with romance vibes, but I loved it! Mallory did a great job introducing the main characters early on and giving readers a clear sense of their personalities.

While there were a few predictable moments toward the end, it was still an enjoyable read for me overall!!

[Nicole Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book/Story: ⭐⭐⭐.5 (rounded down)
Book Cover: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Trigger Warning(s): Murder, Gore, Infidelity, Organ Donation. Misogyny, Domestic Abuse, Mental Health, Death Of Sibling (Off Page), Death Of Parent(s) (Off Page), Drug Use, Violence/Gore
POV: Multiple, First Person
Series/Standalone/Duet: Standalone?
First In Series: Yes?
Cliffhanger: Yes/Open Ended
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥.25
Safe or Dark: Dark ️
Expected Release Date:July 14, 2026

Quick Take Review💥:

This female revenge thriller is fast, twisty, and wildly addictive. The pacing keeps the tension high, and the story is so easy to fly through you’ll find yourself plowing through chapters. Making it nearly impossible to stop at just one.


In Depth Review 👇


Summary 📖: 

An isolated cabin. A cheating boyfriend. A carefully crafted plan for revenge. 

Outrage turns into a calculated plan for revenge when Nora, Ruby, and Cham discover they’re all dating the same man. Their idea is simple: lure their cheating boyfriend to a secluded cabin atop a snow-covered mountain under the guise of a romantic getaway. 

But what’s meant to be a little harmless payback takes a deadly turn when he’s found dead inside the cabin. 

Stranded by a brutal snowstorm, the three women are cut off from the outside world, with no idea what really happened. Suspicion quickly takes hold, and they begin to turn on one another. As tensions rise, Nora, Ruby, and Cham are forced to confront their own secrets and fears, all while trying to answer one chilling question: Is the killer among them, or is something else hiding in the frozen wilderness, ready to take them out one by one? 

Writing 📝: 

Mallory Arnold’s writing is super easy to get into but still really engaging. The style is simple and clear, so you never feel lost or overwhelmed, but she still manages to build a ton of tension. It’s the kind of writing that pulls you in right away and keeps you hooked without making you work too hard to keep up. 

Thoughts 💭: 

“People are unpredictable, complicated, stubborn as hell.”

 

Nothing hits quite like a healthy serving of good old-fashioned female revenge, especially in 2026. 

Some men (NOT all men) can be a flaming bag of dog poop, and Jason was absolutely one of them. Watching him finally get his was incredibly satisfying. 

You know what? GOOD FOR THEM! 

Oh, how fun, a little John Tucker Must Die story...nevermind. 

This story features short, punchy chapters, which work wonderfully. Combined with the simple yet engaging writing style, they make the book quick and easy to get through. I often found myself surprised by how much I’d read in a single sitting. I devoured it in chunks. I absolutely loved that. 

I loved how the prologue opened with a police interview. It immediately throws us into the aftermath of whatever happened at the cabin, with the women already at the station. Showing it as a transcript document was entertaining and engaging. It hooked me right away and made me want to keep reading. 

I really liked how Arnold introduces each of the female characters and their relationships with Jason at the beginning of the book. We get three individual glimpses into their lives before their stories ultimately intersect. Although this part of the novel feels somewhat like a romance (it doesn't last long at all, though), since it focuses on building their individual personalities and relationships, it’s still fun and entertaining. 

“There’s something about this mountain air that’s causing my body to revolt.”

 

Ruby, Cham, and Nora each have distinct personalities, and each feels very much like a different person. Arnold did a wonderful job of giving the three of them their own voices and motivations. They each had their own reasons for what they chose to do to Jason; it wasn’t just a simple “he played all three of us, let’s get him” situation. There was more behind it. That was clearly shown through each of their individual points of view. Even if each chapter wasn’t the name of whose point of view it was being told in, I would’ve known who it was.

I liked all three of the women, but Cham was my favorite (even if her full name was a bit stupid). I really enjoyed her personality and getting to see things from her perspective; she was the most interesting of the trio to me. Being inside Nora and Ruby’s heads was engaging too, and I never felt bored with their chapters. Cham just stood out to me despite her sometimes trying too hard to come off as a badass. 

Thalia really got on my last nerve; I didn’t find a single thing about her enjoyable. I thought she was just the worst. 

I’ll be honest, I initially thought the women were dumb as hell. From the start, it was clear Jason was feeding them a whole bunch of crap. He was throwing up so many red flags they were impossible to ignore. As soon as he started talking about his job, family, and money, I had a feeling he was full of it. It felt like the three of them were too gullible and trusted him too easily. I mean let’s be real, the dude wasn’t an amazing liar. 

“People don’t really understand the manpower that goes into juggling three women for as long as I did.”

 

Nora might have been a bit of an idiot because I think at one point she called Jason a “top-notch manipulator," but this guy couldn’t remember his lies or keep his stories straight to save his life. Top-notch where, girly? 

That said, we as readers already know Jason isn’t a good person and that he’s manipulating all three women, which probably makes it easier to see through his lies. 

It starts off as more of a slow-burn plot, which isn’t usually my favorite, but in this case it really works. The gradual buildup creates tension beautifully, making the eventual chaotic breaking point all the more enjoyable. 

Once we arrive at the cabin, the story hits the ground running. The tension rises quickly, and the stakes immediately climb. Arnold sets the atmosphere perfectly; the snowy cabin feels remote, and the sense of isolation is unmistakable. These elements make the sense of danger feel even more intense and ever-present. That vivid setting makes the plot all the more engaging. 

Although it was entertaining and fast-paced, the twists fell flat. They felt cheesy and seemed thrown in just for the sake of having a twist, like, "Here are the obligatory plot twists." I wasn’t surprised or caught off guard. The reveals, and the way they were handled, came across as a cheap cop-out. It felt like this was information that should have been revealed earlier; readers should have been in the know as soon as the character involved was. 

“It was starting to feel like the world’s worst rave.”

 

Honestly, it took a bunch of convenient coincidences and everything lining up just right for any of these things to even work. It was all just too perfect, if you ask me. 

While I somewhat enjoyed the cult aspect of the story, I wish it had been elaborated on a bit more. I would’ve liked to know more about the cult, how it started, why it believed what it did, and stuff like that. To me, it felt as if it was thrown in there just for the sake of adding something into the jumble of the messed-up stuff that was already going on. I’m not sure if it was needed in the story, and things could’ve been taken in a different direction. Like I said though, it was enjoyable enough. 

As the book goes on, it becomes increasingly far-fetched before completely going off the rails. You’d think that would be a bad thing, but it’s not. It’s outrageous in the best possible way, a whirlwind of pure, entertaining chaos. Honestly, we all need a dose of that sometimes, especially given the reality we’re living in today. 

I truly think the author wasn’t sure what direction she wanted her book to take, so by the end, it felt like we had gone in eighty different ones. 

The ending honestly pissed me off. The main plot wrapped up fine, I guess, nothing amazing, but then a cliffhanger is dropped in for the overall story arc. I can’t even tell if it was meant to be open-ended and the readers are supposed to decide what happened or just a straight-up cliffhanger. If it’s the latter, I’m annoyed as hell, because I simply don’t care enough to read a sequel. 

I LOVE slasher movies, so Arnold gets bonus points for the vibes and references. 

“A McDonald’s hamburger doesn’t go through as much change as my life has in nine days.”

Final Verdict ⚖️

[ ] You NEED to read this book! DO IT!

[✅] You won’t regret picking up this book but also won’t regret it if you don’t.

[ ] Don’t make the same mistake that I did. DO NOT read this book!

Just a reminder: reading is totally subjective, and that’s what makes it so great. What speaks to one person might not to another, and that’s okay. There's never a reason to put someone down for loving a book you didn’t vibe with or vice versa. Be kind, the world is already cruel enough. 😊

I would like to thank Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

This is my voluntary, unbiased, and honest review.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suspend belief with this one. A little bit of Dirty John meets John Tucker Must Die. This story started off strong but quickly derailed and couldn’t decide what direction it wanted to take.

[Rary ⏾ ❤︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC: NetGallery and Poisoned Pen Press

Three women Nora, Ruby and Cham band together after discovering Jason their boyfriend is dating all three of them at the same time. They all want their money back and Jason makes a run for it. The women all seek revenge until it goes off the rails and turns full on slasher thriller with cult like vibes. Which suddenly thrown me for a loop with the sudden plot change towards the end.

[VeroniCanRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 ARC Review - This book is John Tucker Must Die meets slasher meets creepy cult in the mountains with a revenge plot that goes totally wrong.

🏔️ For Fans of:
- slasher horror thriller
- multiple POV
- snowstorm on abandoned mountain
- revenge plot gone wrong
- creepy cabin
- back and forth timelines
- isolation thriller
- lots of drama
- cult vibes
- twists and turns
- Fast paced

✏️ Spoiler-Free Review
There are so many twists and turns in this book that I went from John Tucker Must Die / revenge plot to a full-blown slasher horror book in which I’m racing through the pages to find out what happens next.

There is SO MUCH that happens in this book that it’s almost overwhelming but I honestly loved the chaotic way it all unfolded. There was so much to unpack and loved seeing how each nugget of information plays out throughout the book.

The only thing keeping this book from a 5-star for me was a couple of moments (like the police interviews) that leaned a bit more campy and obvious then just conversational, plus the quick ending.

For following the slasher flick vibes, the pacing and chaotic plot honestly just felt right. It was fun, it was intense, and it kept me guessing!

🖤 Thank you to author Mallory Arnold, Poisoned Penn Press, and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy. As always, my reviews are honest, my own, and voluntary!

📚 Book: Cross My Heart I Hope You Die by Mallory Arnold
📅 Release Date: July 14, 2026
⭐ Rating: 4.75 out of 5

[Scott Nickels · Rating 4 out of 5]

NetGalley allowed me to get a taste for Mallory Arnold’s “Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die.” My short and pithy review is that I had …dare I say it…fun reading this novel although I wanted to dislike it. Why in the world would an old male curmudgeon like me enjoy a book about a bunch of women stuck in their own horror/ slasher story with a bunch of “chick lit” elements? I’m puzzled. But the story moves along at a great pace and I kept waiting for surprises along the way and sure enough when I believed the narrative was going to zig instead it went zag! And we also received a surprise ending which I didn’t see coming. (That’s why it came as a surprise.). So don’t begin chapter 1 expecting a William Faulkner Great Book but just melt some butter and pour it on your popcorn.
4 Stars for “Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die.”

[Brittney Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a tense, snowy thriller that pulled me in immediately. What starts as revenge quickly spirals into paranoia, secrets, and nonstop suspicion. Dark, twisty, and seriously binge-worthy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

[Susmita Dhara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die was an absolute adrenaline rush from page one.

Three women discover they’re dating the same manipulative nightmare of a man… and decide revenge is on the menu. But what starts as a confession trap spirals into paranoia, secrets, cult whispers, and a snowbound nightmare where no one can be trusted 👀

✔ Short, bingeable chapters
✔ Multiple POVs
✔ Claustrophobic winter setting
✔ Twists that kept punching me in the face

I loved that the women didn’t turn on each other — instead we get messy, furious female solidarity and a survival story that goes completely off the rails in the best way.

After loving How to Survive a Horror Story, I knew Mallory Arnold would deliver again… but this? Even better. Dark, twisty, addictive, and seriously fun.

If you like revenge thrillers that mutate into full-blown horror chaos, add this to your TBR immediately 🩸🏔️

Highly recommend!

[Jessie-Punkersfictionreads · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. I loved hearing all three of main characters stories. But then we got to part two and the story started to feel really ridiculous. So many things were happening that felt so unbelievable that it kept taking me out of the story. I think I will still check out more from this author in the future. This one just had to much going on for me.
2/5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Lanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know how every publisher or studio is marketing things as “x meets x” or “like a cross between this wildly popular thing from 2 years ago and this other wildly completely unrelated thing from 10 years ago!” This is the first time I’ve read a book in a while where the marketing comparison actually made sense.

If you’ve ever seen John Tucker must die, well this is pretty similar. A group of women who all find out they’re dating the same man who has no remorse over the way he’s screwed them over join together to get revenge. Except now add a creepy town with a creepier history, a remote cabin, and some genuinely messed up secret family history and you have “Cross my Heart I Hope You Die”

I was genuinely entertained all the way through the book. I won’t say that I didn’t see any of the twists coming because you kind of could from a mile away, but I also think that was the point. I think if you’ve ever wanted to read horror, but you weren’t sure where to start because you didn’t want something extreme, this is a pretty great place to start. It’s a little gory, but in my opinion nothing is described in such detail that it’s “too much.” And the humor throughout the book helps to add levity when needed.

Overall, a very solid entertaining novel!

[Victoria Eickhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! It felt like the slasher version of John Tucker Must Die! Three women all meet by chance and realize they’re dating the same man. This man has also swindled them out of thousands of dollars so they decide to get revenge.
I will start by saying, I know this is an ARC and there are bound to be a few errors, there were a lot here. A lot of spelling or grammatical errors. There were also times when the author used the wrong name and I had to check and make sure I was reading the right persons perspective. Overall the book was hard to put down because it was so good!! I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.
I loved the multiple POVs and the short chapters! The ending left me wanting more and I’m hoping that means there will be a sequel!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love a good revenge book especially when it’s women getting revenge on a man. However, this book just wasn’t it for me. I did like the three women coming together to get revenge on their scamming and cheating ex boyfriend. I did like each of the women and appreciated they each had their own strengths in the book. The cult part is where you lost me.

Cham, Nora, and Ruby have nothing in common…except that they are all dating Jason. And have all been scammed out of thousands by him. Once the three meet, the plan to get revenge quickly comes together. But when they turn up to the cops with a dead body and a crazy story who is telling the truth?

Thank you to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Melissa Tostevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die by Mallory Arnold completely exceeded my expectations. After really enjoying How to Survive A Horror Story, I went into this anticipating a strong thriller, but this one was on another level. Darker, more intense, and packed with gore.

This story leans heavily into female revenge, heightened emotions, and deeply twisted plotlines that keep the tension building with every chapter. The pacing is sharp and addictive, it’s the kind of book that has you telling yourself ‘just one more chapter’ at 1am. There were unsettling moments that left me feeling genuinely out.

What stood out most to me was the dynamic between the three main characters. Although their stories intertwine, each woman feels completely distinct, with her own personality, motivations, and secrets. They’re written in a way that feels realistic, like versions of people you might actually know, which makes the betrayals and revelations hit even harder.

I also loved how unpredictable the plot was. I truly thought I had it figured out, but the twists proved me wrong. Without giving anything away, the direction the story ultimately takes was both surprising and incredibly satisfying.

Overall, this was a gripping and fast-paced dark thriller that kept me hooked from beginning to end. I would highly recommend it to fans of revenge-driven thrillers.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read this ARC 🖤

[Kelsey Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this completely blind and I’m so glad I did, as it took me on such a rollercoaster.
3 women find out they’re all dating the same guy. What do they do? Plan to get revenge, not in the way you think, but just to scare him by luring him up to a secluded cabin in the mountains. That’s until things take a turn for the worst.

I really enjoyed this. It started off slow at the start but I feel like it needed to, as it builds up the tension and makes you on edge the whole time, as you’re wanting to know what’s going to happen next. It reminded me a bit of the movie ‘the other woman’ but make it darker and twisted.

I loved the cult element to this too. I love cult horror and thriller so this really hits that spot. I do wish we got a bit more of the cult though and I feel like this would’ve made a great extreme horror book, especially because some of the scenes made me go ‘woahh’ so I do think this could’ve possibly been expanded on. But overall it was really enjoyable, despite being a little predictable at times.

Thank you NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for the early ARC!

[Deana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! There’s a bit of a slow burn to start, but it’s necessary and gives a good glimpse into the main characters. I enjoyed how the tension escalated and how layers were peeled back and ultimately revealed throughout. I also really enjoyed the structure of this novel in order to keep curiosity and tension high without being overwhelming. Definitely recommend!

[Benjamin Wilde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I’m a fan of Mallory’s now! This is the 2nd ARC I’ve gotten from her and both were great! I love that her books bring you in to the point these become hard to put down!

This was a great female revenge story! Not gonna say more than that but it was a fun read and a good mystery to unravel!