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.

I do love the world of the Checquy! O'Malley has written a novel that can absolutely be read as a standalone, but that falls solidly within the existing universe of his Rook series and carries over a number of characters. I have not read the original books in some time, but found myself falling right back into their world and now am eager to go back and revisit books 1-3.

The world-building here is magnificent. Truly. Having just finished watching The Crown recently, I found the choice of a royal death to be fascinating and allow O'Malley to blend together actual physical magic with the magical elements of royal life in a way that was, well, magical. I found the characters and their talents to be as fascinating as always, and when you overlay that with the daily realities of being A Royal (and being royal-adjacent), you wound up with a series of opportunities for drama and action that were intriguing, often hilarious, and full of twists and turns I didn't anticipate.

I do hope O'Malley keeps writing in this universe - and that the next installment comes soon!

I’m a huge fan of O’Malley’s Checquy books, and this novel is no exception. It’s always a treat for me to pick up a book that delves into a mixture of supernatural and real-world plot elements, and that’s what this does, with a whole lot of humor and style. There’s suspense, supernatural abilities, and various brushes with the British royal family--you’ll love it!

"Royal Gambit" by Daniel O'Malley is the fourth volume in The Checquy Files series. The Checquy is a secret intelligence and law enforcement agency that polices the supernatural happenings in the UK. Each book in the series is linked thematically and focuses on a different member of the Checquy. Lady Alexandra Mondegreen, or Pawn Mondegreen as she is known in the agency, is tapped to investigate the death of the Prince of Wales through supernatural means. Given her status and friendship with the royal family, Mondegreen is pressed to become a Lady in Waiting (and covert bodyguard) to the new heir to the throne--a duty which comes with it's own app--as she navigates both the protocols of royal life and her investigation. O'Malley's ability to create ever more odd supernatural powers and resulting situations makes each volume in this series a treat to read.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for allowing me to read and eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, the Checquy Files series is one of my all-time favorite series' and I recommend it to EVERYONE who even remotely enjoys reading sci-fi. I discovered the series in 2017, so the first 2 books were already out and #3 (Blitz) came shortly after. I honestly thought at the time there wouldn't be any more book, so I was SO STOKED to hear that O'Malley not only had a new book, but it was #4 in the series! I couldn't get my hands on it and read it fast enough! Royal Gambit can be read as a standalone, but I HIGLY recommend reading the first three for character backstories and context.

Royal Gambit starts off with the death of the Prince of Wales, which is determined to be of a supernatural cause. Enter They Checquy, the top-secret British agency in charge of investigating all things supernatural. Lady Alix Mondegreen, a Checquy Pawn and aristocrat that has been friends with Princess Louise since childhood, is deployed into the Royal Family as a lady-in-waiting. As more and more suspicious deaths pile up, it seems to be the work of a supernatural serial killer (of sorts) and it's up to Alix and her team -- which includes an adorable "crime scene" quokka -- to solve the mystery.

This book was AMAZING! Full of action and suspense, and very likeable characters. Alix is a force to be reckoned with and the quokka literally steals the show. The supernatural abilities in this book are also hilarious and impressive and I found myself pitching "would you rather" scenarios with them to my husband while I was reading. For example, would you rather be able to turn into a stegosaurus or a tree? Walk through people's dreams or be able to break people's bones? Etc... I also really enjoyed that they brought Odette's character back (from book 2) and added another Grafter doctor and an American from the Croatoan. Such a good group, except Pawn Sweven, whose personality sucks.

This book was such a good read, and I HIGHLY recommend it and the reast of the series. I'm going to try not to hold out my hope for a 5th book (??) but I would really love it if there would be one in the near future. I will read anything O'Malley writes! Definitely check his books out if you love sci-fi and secret supernatural organizations and cool supernatural abilities. You won't be disappointed! Royal Gambit is one of the best books I've read so far this year!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this ARC.

OMG, I only regret that I have to use words to convey to you how much I love this book and this series, and I can't just beam my thoughts into the universe and make you read it.

This is the fourth entry in the Checquy Files series, a series that I liken to the X-Men in the MI6. The Checquy is an OLD, VERY secret organization, keeping Britain safe from supernatural threats.

In the previous volumes, we followed Rook Myfanwy Thomas, Grafter Odette Leliefield and Pawn Felicity Clements, and newcomer Lyn Barnes, but this volume we follow Lady Alexandra Mondegreen, a Pawn who has been with the Checquy since she was six years old and the ability to summon the energy to break bones.

Alix's situation is unique as she is close to the British royal family and still in contact with her own, aristocratic mother. So unique that when the events that kick off the book, the murder of Crown Prince Edmund occur, the Checquy wants her to stick close to the royal family to ensure that someone isn't late in displaying an ability or in contact with someone with rogue powers.

This infuriates Louise, the newly crowned princess, and she assumes her life-long friend is attempting to rub elbows and get places.

O'Malley does an impressive job, each book, positing questions about the organization and its effectiveness. Each book expands the Checquy universe in such a unique way that I truly selfishly hope that the series just never ends and we keep exploring the entire universe.

And these books are never boring in so many ways. They're packed with humor and thoughtfulness, but it's such an event to see where things go, who has what power and how they use it, and how the characters deal with the threats they do.

I'll say it again, I hope this series never ends. You don't need to read The Rook, Stiletto, and Blitz to understand Royal Gambit, but you will definitely want to.

A great return to the Checquy - the supernatural bureaucracy takes on the royal family! A pawn has been embedded in the orbit of the royals since the discovery of her powers, only to find herself at the center of the action when the heir to the throne is found dead, and supernatural murder is suspected. Fast-paced, with a sense of humor and lots of tiaras.

Another rollicking good time in the world of "The Rook"! A government agency in the UK in charge of supernatural law enforcement (and making sure the general public never finds out) finds itself investigating the death of the crown prince. It's fast-paced, it's fun, it's a bit like "Men in Black" with zany, supernatural powers instead of aliens. I'd give this 4.5 stars, just because it spends a bit more time on the life of the royal family than I needed. But a great read, and if you loved "The Rook," give this one a read. If you haven't read "The Rook," what are you waiting for??

Shaking my fist at Daniel O'Malley for once again denying his female mc the beautiful queer love story she deserves (for once not JUST because of my personal gay agenda, but also because it would have made the dynamic between Alix and Louise much more interesting).

I haven't enjoyed anything from the Checquy files as much as I enjoyed <i>The Rook</i>, but this story managed to at least bring the focus back to the modern-day organization. O'Malley shines the most when embracing the bizarre and macabre supernatural manifestations with his characteristic dry wit and dark humor. <i>Royal Gambit</i> did a better job of returning to the Monster of the Week style encounters from the first book, allowing O'Malley to showcase his talent for action as well as his creative talent.

However, I wasn't a fan of the weirdly sympathetic picture the novel (and especially the ending) paints of the British empire. The lack of engagement with history and context was forgivable in previous installments, but it becomes challenging in the context of characters invoking nostalgic ideas of fealty and the divine right of kings. The ending was especially frustrating to me in this sense: critiquing the questionable practices of a paramilitary organization is less meaningful when the "favorable" comparison point is the British aristocracy.

A new Checquy novel?!! YESSSS.

The Checquy is a secret organization in Britain that is comprised of people with unique and supernatural talents, protecting the country from supernatural threats. It is weird and absurd and absolutely fun. In Royal Gambit, Alix is both an aristocrat and a Checquy operative; when the royal family is put in danger, she is assigned publicly as a lady-in-waiting to the Crown Princess, and secretly as a bodyguard.

I love this series. It feels like a workplace comedy that happens to be set in an absurdist urban fantasy world. In this installment, throw in the complication of trying work with the royal family and balance your personal and professional loyalties, and it’s such a great time. I think this is my favorite since the first book, The Rook. If you took a spy thriller, an urban fantasy, a supernatural thriller, and Parks & Rec and threw them all in the blender, I feel like the result would look something like this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown & Company for letting me read the ARC in exchange for my review! I couldn’t put it down, and I hope O’Malley keeps writing these! I feel like there are many more stories to tell in the world of the Checquy.

4 stars
This was such a fun read! Royal Gambit blends spies, royalty, and O'Malley's signature weirdness in the best way. The plot moves fast, there are plenty of twists, and the dialogue is sharp and funny. I loved the main character—super capable but still very human—and the world O'Malley builds is just so cool.
It did get a bit overly complex in places, and I wanted a little more from some of the side characters, but overall, it totally delivered. If you liked The Rook, you’ll probably love this too.

It had been a while since I read the earlier installments of this series, but one thing that's enjoyable about them is that I can just pick up the new ones and go! The characters are fun, the powers are silly, the mystery is pleasant - these books are just fun.

I was very excited to see that Daniel O'Malley was coming out with a new book in this series! I have been hooked since the original installment "The Rook" that came out over a decade ago. This book was as interest holding as all the other books in the series. I also enjoyed the British Royalty aspect and learning some behind the scenes court information. Alix was fun character to support and hope she is in some of the other books moving forward even as a side character. If you enjoyed the other books, you would enjoy this one too. This series is also somewhat stand alone and does a good job of reminding you what you need to know for every book without feeling like it does. This book makes me want to start the series all over again.

I enjoyed this, I didn't know it was part of an interconnected series so I was a bit confused but it was still a fun read!

I really love Daniel O'Malley's first two books and re-read them somewhat regularly so I was excited to see that, in the fourth installment, we learn more about Alexandra Dennis-Palmer-Hudson-Gilmore-Garnsey (i.e., Pawn Mondegreen) who is mentioned in the Royal Ascot scene in Stiletto. After the first-in-line to the throne dies under circumstances that bring it under the authority of the Checquey, Mondegreen is assigned to watch over the new heir.

Royal Gambit was really entertaining and definitely a must-read for fans of the series. It had some small cameos (Lady Farrier, Myfanwy, Odette, Felicity, Shantay, etc.) and continued to do some world-building with more the Checquey's history. It also brought back some of the bigger conceptual themes like whether the Checquey's mission to too narrowly defined or, to put it another way, the Spiderman dilemma. It was a little different than the other books in that its plot action might be a little bit more of a straight mystery-procedural with a good helping of sci-fi/fantasy and a dash of psychological explorations. All in all, a fun and quick read!

If you liked the previous couple entries of this series, you'll like this. It's well written, fun, and I felt compelled to keep reading it until it was done. I don't think that anything has quite managed to capture the lightning in a bottle of The Rook, and I don't think this does either, but you can rely on there being plenty of weird stuff and comically absurd senseless violence and I would still recommend it.

I think there are two things that The Rook had going for it that made it so special: the sense of discovery that Myfanwy experiences as she learns about the Checquy (which the modern day sections of Blitz did well) and the immersive weirdness of poorly-understood, large-scale manifestations (which Stiletto did well). Neither of those is really present here: while the other books have murder mysteries as framing devices, Royal Gambit is a murder mystery through and through, and that means that there's a lot of basic, mundane police work. The need to keep the supernatural aspect of the murder secret restricts the setting and limits the amount of truly weird stuff that can happen, and so the wish fulfillment aspect of the setting changes from being about the power of magic power to being about the power of money and status.

In effect, Royal Gambit trades the trappings of supernatural status and power for worldly status and power. To be clear, this is also a fun thing to read about, but given that a lot of Alix's emotional arc is about desiring to be a strong part of the Checquy, that's not used enough to be quite as fun as the powers of the women of the previous three books. These books have always felt a little like a pastiche of British bureaucracy and "stiff upper lip" spirit, the idea that foreign people often have that British people keep calm and carry on in the face of ridiculous stuff. I've never minded that, especially given how many emotionally repressed Brits I know well, and it's fun to see that turned directly on the royal family. This is a book that views them with a rather kinder lens than I think may be warranted in real life, but it makes sense for the story.

I will note that I deeply appreciate that the protagonists and main supporting characters are overwhelmingly women. Myfanwy, Odette, Felicity, Lynette, Brigette, Pamela, Usha, and now Alix: these books centre and empower the women of this world, and do so in a way that never veers into "girl power" stereotypes. I liked seeing more of Lady Farrier in this book, but I can't help but want more than the cameo appearances from Myfanwy, Felicity, and Odette. I think Alix's characterisation probably wasn't as strong as theirs, and I'm hoping that one of these days, they'll all come together meaningfully.

I can't help but feel like something is coming. Each additional book has ended with some additional supernatural resources off the books, not known to the official organisation of the Checquy. Something is going to come in one of these books one day that calls on all of them, on (view spoiler). I know it's going to be devastating when it happens, and I can't wait.