Royal Gambit

The long-awaited fourth instalment in the acclaimed Checquy Files, Royal Gambit is O'Malley at his brilliant best, perfect for fans of The Umbrella Academy and The Dresden Files.

Alexandra 'Alix' Dennis‑Palmer‑Hudson‑Gilmore‑Garnsey, the twelfth Lady Mondegreen, has never had any control of her life. Her supernatural ability to shatter bones with a touch made her the automatic property of the Checquy, the secret British government agency that deals with the supernatural. Her aristocratic ancestry made Alix the perfect asset for the Checquy to deploy close to the royal family.

Since childhood, Alix has been coached to befriend Princess Louise, second in line to the throne, but despite all machinations, the two have never been close. Now an adult and a full Pawn of the Checquy, Alix is a skilled investigator unravelling supernatural manifestations for the security of the nation.

Everything changes when Louise's brother, the Prince of Wales, dies abruptly, and all signs point to an unnatural assassination. To protect Louise, the new and unwilling heir apparent, Alix is assigned to be her lady‑in‑waiting. Thrust into the limelight overnight—both in the everyday world and in the underground world of the Checquy—Alix must juggle her responsibilities and her loyalties as she attempts to unravel the murder, keep Louise safe, and learn how to smile graciously while eerie threats loom around every corner.

'It is extremely difficult to explain just how thrilling, entertaining, witty, and jaw-droppingly original the Checquy novels are. O'Malley's world-building is astonishing: he's created a version of our world that is simultaneously wildly different and comfortably familiar, and he's populated it with characters who, even with unusual powers, are abundantly human. For anyone who enjoys a good supernatural fantasy, Royal Gambit is required reading' Booklist

'An entertaining blend of fantasy and humour ... As always, O'Malley imbues his imagined world with realistic details and finds plentiful humour in the clash of the supernatural and the bureaucratic. Series fans will be delighted' Publishers Weekly

Praise for Daniel O'Malley and the Checquy novels:

'Endlessly imaginative and stupendously diverting' Australian Women's Weekly

'You know you have written a remarkable debut novel when two of the biggest-selling queens of the fantasy genre—Charlaine Harris and Stephenie Meyer—embrace your work' Courier Mail

'Complex, funny and fascinating. I love this book!' Charlaine Harris on The Rook

'Utterly convincing and engrossing—totally thought-through and frequently hilarious' Lev Grossman