Mystery Royale

About Mystery Royale

“Mystery Royale dazzles with high-stakes mystery, glittering magic, and wonderfully morbid curiosities. The sharp pacing and clever reveals hooked me from the first page, while the witty, endearing characters made it impossible to put down.”
– Emily J. Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of HOTEL MAGNIFIQUE

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 Maldonado, 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.


Praise for Mystery Royale

“Mystery Royale is an enchanting escape packed with magical thrills, complex family dynamics, and jaw-dropping twists. I tore through this debut!”
– Chelsea Ichaso, author of DEAD GIRLS CAN’T TELL SECRETS and THE SUMMER SHE WENT MISSING.

“Kaitlyn Cavalancia deftly weaves magic with murder in her burton-esque YA debut Mystery Royale. Her lush setting complements a cast of characters as devious as they are lovable. Fans of the Inheritance Games and Caraval will devour this clever mystery.”
– Jessie Weaver, author of LIVE YOUR BEST LIE UNTIL IT’S TRUE

“Cavalancia spins a web of magic and deep-seated familial trauma in this dazzling fantasy murder-mystery debut.”
– Publishers Weekly (starred review)