Mystery Royale
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3.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
THE INHERITANCE GAMES meets HOTEL MAGNIFIQUE in this genre splicing YA fantastical mystery.
The only thing sixteen-year-old Mullory Prudence has left of her mom is a warning: "Run if the strange finds you." But mysterious warnings don't pay the bills or help take care of her sick Gran. And they certainly don't make her miserable after-school job any more bearable. When unexpected letters start appearing in peculiar places––sealed in bags of dog food and hidden in the refrigerator––Mullory knows she should avoid them to heed her mother's warning, but her curiosity thinks otherwise. She uncovers an invitation from Stoutmire Estate to compete in a game of Mystery Royale for the chance at a sizable inheritance.
Dizzy with the prospect of billions, Mullory enters the game only to unearth the true prize––the illusionary magical properties of Xavier Stoutmire, a recluse without an heir. A recluse who was expected to keep his magic in the family, especially when there isn't enough for each member. With a prize worth killing for, the game is simple: be the first to solve the mystery––who killed Xavier Stoutmire? One week full of lavish parties dripping with enchantments, in a mansion brimming with clues of the past, and everyone's a suspect. To win, Mullory will need to untangle a twisted family web and decide who she can trust…
Whitaker Stoutmire, the golden boy who's harboring deadly secrets?
Ellison Stoutmire, his closed off twin, who saw something she shouldn't have?
Lyric Stoutmire the youngest sibling, exiled by the family and burning with resentment?
Or Mateo Cruz, the only other outsider whose reserved manner allows him to hide in the shadows... At least at first.
But most of all, Mullory must ask herself, why? Why her? A question most strange, indeed.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Cavalancia spins a web of magic and deep-seated familial trauma in this dazzling fantasy murder-mystery debut. After a lifetime of heeding her missing mother's warnings to run from the "strange," 16-year-old Mullory Prudence accepts an invitation to take part in the Mystery Royale, an illusion-infused game in which participants must deduce the culprit of billionaire recluse Xavier Stoutmire's death by unraveling the details of his murder to inherit his magic and wealth. Eager for money to pay for her grandmother's medical expenses, Mullory teams up with Xavier's caustic 16-year-old great-nephew Lyric, who was sent to live with him following an incident in his youth. But as the Royale grows increasingly deadlier and feelings spark between them, the pair must soon choose between each other and the grand prize. Chapters alternating between multiple narrators result in a fast paced read that doesn't sacrifice characterization, particularly of the Stoutmire family members and the cruelties they inflict upon one another for their own gain. The memorable set pieces, unique magic system, and enthralling puzzles will beguile readers, who won't want this spell to be broken anytime soon. Characters are intersectionally diverse. Ages 12–up.
