Royal Gambit: A Novel (The Checquy Files, #4)
By: Daniel O’Malley
My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars
Best For: 18 and up

Royal Gambit: X-Men, X-Files, and a Whole Lot of Tiaras

The Checquy Files are my favorite guilty pleasure! They are SO much fun to read, and this book is no exception. I laugh out loud and enjoy the fun story at the same time—these books really are a treasure. While technically each story can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend you read them in order as the characters and background story revealed do build on each other. So do yourself a favor and start with The Rook right now!

What’s it about?

Alexandra “Alix” Dennis-Palmer-Hudson-Gilmore-Garnsey, the twelfth Lady Mondegreen, is a pawn in a game she never chose to play. A reluctant aristocrat and a Checquy operative, Alix’s supernatural ability to shatter bones with a touch made her the property of the Checquy, the secret British government agency that deals with the supernatural. Now, when the Prince of Wales suddenly dies under mysterious circumstances, Alix is assigned to be the lady-in-waiting and personal bodyguard to the new Crown Princess, Louise. Alix must navigate the halls of power and privilege while investigating the supernatural murder of the Prince, all while juggling her Checquy responsibilities and her loyalty to Louise. It’s a hilarious and fast-paced mix of supernatural police procedural and royal intrigue.

What did I think?

This book is a great return to form after what some (but not me!) might have called the “slog” of Blitz. It had all the grossness, hilariously specific powers, and supernatural shootouts I’ve come to expect and love from this series. I absolutely loved Alix as a new protagonist. She’s a compelling and fun character, and I felt so bad for her for the majority of the book. She’s stuck between her awful parents, her Checquy masters, and the royal family, all while trying to find her own place in the world.

The supernatural murder mystery was the best part of the book for me. It was so interesting to follow, and the world-building, as always, is what I love most about this series. I also got a kick out of seeing characters from the previous books, like Felicity Clements and Odette Leliefield, return for this adventure. The ending was intriguing, and it left me with a strong feeling that there’s more to come. I’m definitely interested in seeing where this series goes next.

Sensitive Content:

Swearing: If only he wasn’t such a potty mouth I’d be able to recommend these books to the world. As it is, I can only recommend them to the adult world.
Violence: Plenty of slimy, oozing, liquefied people, and more X-Men than the X-Men.

Should you read it?

This series is a treasure, and Royal Gambit is a fun, fast-paced entry that delivers on everything that makes these books so great. If you like your sci-fi weird, your humor irreverent, and your mysteries supernatural, then this is for you. Boring people—don’t even bother. This dad says Royal Gambit is best for 18 and up.

Happy Reading!