This is the fourth book of the Rook series, which is about the Chequey a secret division in the British government which deals with the supernatural and super powers. O’Malley does a great job mixing the absurdity of the super powered agents and the situations they find themselves in (one character in this books power is that he can turn into a tree and talk to other trees) with a relatively centered real world plot plot. Here the Chequey is looking into the mysterious death of the Crown Prince. Each of the books have a different protagonist within the same world, so theoretically could be enjoyed separately, get them all though just incredibly fun reads.

When the heir to the British throne suddenly dies under mysterious circumstances, Checquy operative and reluctant aristocrat Alix is assigned to be lady-in-waiting/personal bodyguard to the new Crown Princess, and must navigate the halls of power and privilege while investigating the supernatural murder of the Prince of Wales. 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.

This is the fourth book of the Checquy Files series by Daniel O'Malley and I enjoyed the latest addition. I really loved Alix and I felt so bad for her for the majority of the book. She is put in a terrible position by her parents (who are awful), the organization, and the royal family. Aside from the supernatural murder and the ins and outs of existing within the royal sphere, this is really a story about finding your place in the world and finding somewhere to belong.

The best part about this book for me was the supernatural murder mystery. It was interesting to follow and the worldbuilding is what I always enjoy about this series. I was far less interested in the English royalty aspects. I don't follow the royals in real life and those stretches where she was navigating her way a lady-in-waiting tended to lose my interest a bit. But overall, a very fun read and I really liked the ending of the book and her eventual connection with Princess Louise. If he does continue this series I am definitely interested in continuing on.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the fourth book of the Checquy series, Daniel O’Malley continues to expand on the supernatural world of Great Britain and the people who handle it. Alix, a minor member of the British gentry, has been assigned to the Chequy since she was a child who manifested an ability to break bones without touch. The Chequy has played the long game with Alix, positioning her in the social circles of the Princess Royal in order to be able to plausibly assign her as needed. When the first in line to the throne, the Prince of Wales, dies of no discoverable external cause, it’s Alix’s time to shine, and within 24 hours, she’s a lady-in-waiting to the princess, and the first line of defense. But she’s also still a Chequy operative, expected to complete her regular duties and training in between teas, society events, and royal family dinners. As more bodies turn up dead in the style of the prince, the King of England and the Lady of the Chequy become more and more impatient that Alix finds the perpetrator before they strike again.

I adore that O’Malley doesn’t return to the same characters– previous Chequy main characters appear, but never as point of view characters, and only to support Alix’s journey. While this could conceivably be read as a stand-alone, I won’t recommend it as one, but will definitely continue recommending this series. The humor inherent to the series is lovely, and O’Malley’s recognition that not every story needs a romantic subplot horned into it is a rare gift (speaking as someone who reads a ton of romance).

This is the best book in the series since the iconic OG installment. Though the pacing sags a bit in the middle & I personally was not into all the royal talk, this had a really compelling main character and a fantasy police procedural plot that kept things moving. The ending was intriguing in terms of where the series could go, which is the first time I've felt that way since The Rook. This made me so happy to be back in the world!

Daniel O'Malley, just take my money. Believe me when I say that I absolutely *devoured* The Rook, etc. Those are definitely some of my favorites of all time. I was feral when I heard about another book from O'Malley on the horizon. And it absolutely didn't disappoint. While The Rook holds a special place in my heart, there's no denying that this book was fantastic. The plot was compelling, the supernatural elements were fantastically woven in and I never had any moments of being pulled out of the story. The characters were engaging and really came to life within the setting. Ugh, I need more. I'm going to be thinking about this book/series for a while again.

I love when a new Daniel O'Malley and Checquay Files book is no the horizon. These books are fun, witty, and pretty action packed.

In this installment, Alix's past of growing up with the royal family comes into play when the heir to the throne, Edmund, dies with no outward signs of why. Even Odette, who has special abilities, is unable to revive him. Alix must now help comfort the family and is chosen as one of the lady's in waiting for Louise who must now be the next heir to the crown.

Information of what happened to Edmund is kept under wraps but once he is examined, a granite cube is found in his brain. The odd thing is, this is not the first time this has happened. Apparently someone else died from these circumstances quite a few years ago in in the United States. Edmund is also not the last to suffer the fate as a tech billionaire and a soccer player also seem to die from the same circumstances.

Now Alix must try to balance her duties as a lady in waiting with the royal family as well as being a Checquay Agent who needs to remain objective in who could be pulling the strings and targeting these victims. There's also a rampaging stegosaurus and an agent who turns into a tree to talk to the neighborhood. I always love the quirky powers which arise in these books and how the agency is able to keep everything under wraps.

I thoroughly enjoyed this newest entry in The Checquy Files. I think The Rook will always be my favorite, when O'Malley introduced us to this delightful world of an agency in London that governs supernatural abilities and events, but this book is a close second to that one. And as a bonus, there aren't any of the long historical screeds that interrupted the action in previous books. This book follows Alix, an aristocrat and Checquy pawn, who has to balance her loyalties to her employers alongside her loyalties to the Royal Family when the Crown Prince is murdered through supernatural means. I loved her character and the plot was thoroughly engaging. Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for a digital review copy.

Alexandra "Alix" Dennis-Palmer-Hudson-Gilmore-Garnsey, the twelfth Lady Mondegreen, has had little control over her life due to her supernatural abilities. As a member of the aristocracy and the supernatural British governmental agency, the Checquy, she is called upon to become a lady in waiting and body guard for the new Crown Princess Louise after her brother dies under suspicious circumstances. Alix must protect Louise while investigating the supernatural murder for the safety of the nation.

This is such a fun series, it is one of my favorites. I have lost count the number of times I have read The Rook. I wasn't a huge fan of the third book but this one was a real return to form. I can't say enough about the unique world that Daniel O'Malley has created. The characters are also top notch. Alix fits right in with the other incredible women that populate this series. The plot is fast paced and has so many twists. I was on the edge of my seat and giggling the entire time. I have already pre-ordered the audiobook and have been counting the days until I can do a reread.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

This is number 4 in the Checquy series. However, you do not have to read them in order to enjoy them.
The group is a part of the English Government that handles supernatural events and utilizes people with extraordinary, and unusual powers.

This time, the heir to the throne has been targeted. He dies in the library when no one else seems to be around.What initially appeared to be natural causes is found during his autopsy to be murder. Things heat up when several other people are found to have been murdered in the same manner.

Alix, a member of the Checquy and personal friend of the royal family is enlisted to help solve the murder. She also must adjust to her new role as lady-in-waiting. The story is a good mystery. There is also humor and likable characters. This book goes very quickly as you will want to see how the murder was carried out and by whom.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Royal Gambit (The Checquy Files, Book 4) by Daniel O’Malley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 407
Genre: Fantasy Thriller
Release Date: July 15, 2025

Alix was made the twelfth Lady Mondegreen thanks to her uncanny ability to shatter bones with a touch. Her supernatural power made her the perfect companion and protector to Princess Louise, second to the throne. She was trained and placed in the royal court by the Checquy, a secret British government agency that handles anything having to do with the supernatural. Alix was able to separate her work with the Checquy and her personal relationships with the royal court until the Prince of Wales dropped dead under suspicious, most likely preternatural, circumstances. Who’s the threat, what are they after, and how can she protect Princess Louise?

This exciting series combines the British royalty with supernatural heroes and villains and I’m all in! This is the fourth book in the Checquy Files series, which I didn’t even realize until I started putting this review together. I will definitely check out the previous books, but I was able to jump right into this one and enjoyed it thoroughly.

The Rook is one of my favorite books, so I was thrilled to see that a new entry in the Checquy Files. While the whole series has been fun, it’s a bit uneven. Fortunately, Royal Gambit is absolutely a high point. O’Malley is back in top form and has written a hilarious, weird, and rollicking story. I was absolutely sucked in - I literally stayed up way too late trying to finish it because I couldn’t put it down. There’s a fabulous balance between the Royals, the Checquy, and the proper mystery plot. I will, once again, be forcing people to read this series.

I absolutely loved this installation in the Checquy Files. What a fun read! I loved the storyline and now that I've read all the books, I was not nearly as disoriented when the characters shifted around. I really enjoyed reading Blitz and coming into this book knowing more of the story of the Lord and Lady of the Checquy and also learning more about Alix. As a fan of the UK Royals, this was a really fun way to explore the world of royalty through a Checquy lens.

Thanks to NetGalley, Daniel O'Malley, and Little, Brown and Company for the eARC of Royal Gambit in exchange for an honest review.

A secret occult ministry that protects an alternate England, and the murder of the Prince of Wales by supernatural means forces an agent to not only investigate the murder, but also become a lady in waiting to the new Princess of Wales. Enjoyed the book and will be recommending it.

Sure, there were a few plot holes here and there. But I enjoy Daniel O'Malley's writing and humor, and the Checquy world, so much that I'm willing to be less critical than usual. Royal Gambit was really quite fun, and funny. I think it was also a nice change of pace to have the main character (Alix) be someone who was already familiar with, and established in, the Checquy (instead of having a large portion of the story focus on someone learning about the existence of the organization and/or their own powers). I really, really hope that this series doesn't end anytime soon!

Royal Gambit is the 4th entry in the Checquy Files series, and it's every bit as good (if not better than) as its predecessors. In this book we meet Alix, whose parents basically sold her to the Checquy when she was a small child. For those who haven't read the previous books in the series, The Checquy is a secretive British organization made up of people with various supernatural abilities who fight back against supernatural threats to society.

In this case, Alix is tasked with responding to the sudden and mysterious death of the Prince of Wales. In order to investigate, she must take on the role of lady-in-waiting, which poses its own set of issues.

The book does a wonderful job of balancing supernatural suspense and action with more down-to-earth emotional dramas. I eagerly turned the pages to see how Alix would balance her many responsibilities. The supernatural element adds a fun twist to things--the range of abilities is truly astonishing.

Can't wait to see what comes next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alix was born with an aristocratic title and the ability to break bones with the touch of a finger, so the supernatural government agency known as the Checquy snatched her away from her narcissistic parents at the age of six and shoved her into the orbit of Princess Louise. When the Prince of Wales dies in a decidedly spooky manner, Louise becomes heir to the throne with Alix as her lady-in-waiting/bodyguard. Book four is much more focused than previous volumes: one timeline, one POV, hardly any digressions into aggressively wacky background information, just the investigation into an impossible murder.

The Rook was one of the first unnecessarily gross and very weird urban fantasy reads and it opened my eyes to the genre. I was, therefore, delighted to be given the opportunity to read and review the latest entry in the Chequy files series. As this is book four in the series, let's go in order. If you are already an avid reader of these books, should you sign up for the latest? To make a long story short--yes! This one has all the grossness, hilariously specific powers, political intrigue, and supernatural shootouts you could want. Go forth. Enjoy. In fact, if you were, as some readers (but not this reader) turned off by the split timelines of the third entry, this one is a return to usual structure, so don’t worry.

If you are a potential new reader to the series, let’s discuss if you should pick this up. I’ll say this--it’s kind of a James Bond/The Avengers send up. It’s funny and irreverent. Do you like The Atrocity Archives? Do you think the super powers available to The Avengers make too much sense? Do you think something like “can turn into a very particular kind (just one species) of tree” might be funnier? Then yes you should try these out. Do you have a weak stomach? Do you like your books to make sense? Then pass on and look for greener pastures.

I was provided with an advance copy of this book in exchange for this honest review.

great, fun, fastpaced book with some interesting ideas and fantastic vibes! the ideas are impeccable throughout. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

This HIGHLY anticipated read was really what I needed to get me out of a reading slump. I always enjoy delving into the world of the Checquy. I liked this book a lot better than the previous. I enjoyed Alix and her complexities of being part of the Checquy but also being a lady who was treated differently because of her roles. Some parts seemed slow moving but when it picked it up it got awesome. Unique powers and fun reveals at the end. I was angry with some of the characters actions towards the end of the book! Love when a book makes you feel all the emotions. Overall wonderful book! Cannot wait to get it in the hands of friends so we can discuss,

Alix was groomed by the Checquy, a secret organization protecting Britain from supernatural threats. Her special talents were discovered when she was young, but due to her family background, it was decided that she would be raised more with her family instead of the Checquy like her supernatural peers. She was encouraged to be a playmate and friend to Princess Louise, the sister of the Prince of Wales.
If life had gone as planned, at the very least Alix would be expected to provide covert security for the Princess when the utmost discretion was required. However, when the Prince of Wales dies under suspicious circumstances, Princess Louise becomes the new heir to the throne, and Alix's role as covert security is upgraded to full-time. Now, she must juggle keeping the Princess safe, fulfilling her duties as one of her ladies-in-waiting, and assist in the investigation into the Prince's death.

This is the fourth book in O’Malley’s Rook series, but it can also be enjoyed on its own. While there are references to characters from previous books, they are minimal and do not significantly impact the overall story for new readers

Royal Gambit is a captivating fantasy thriller that keeps readers engaged from beginning to end, and I highly recommend it.