Common Sense Media Review
By Lucinda Dyer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Some violence in twisty, exciting magical mystery.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
When Mullory Prudence, a bookish math nerd from Pennsylvania, finds herself invited to play a game called MYSTERY ROYALE and possibly inherit 2.5 billion dollars from the mysterious Xavier Stoutmire, she remembers the last words her mother said to her: "Run if the strange finds you." But her mother is no longer around. She burned down their house, disappeared, and left Mullory to care for her sick grandmother. Winning could change their lives. Also invited to play the game are Stoutmire's great-nieces and -nephews: Ellison, her twin Whitaker, and brother Lyric Stoutmire and younger cousins Quinby and Martin Markshire, all from "magical" families. When they're all gathered at the Stoutmire estate, they discover it's not just a fortune Xavier will be leaving to the winner but the "entirety of his magic." There'll be five parties during the week, all with questions, answers, and clues that will solve the mystery of who killed Xavier. As the game progresses, players find clues at the bottom of teapots and in rainbow cigars, and compete in a scavenger hunt for a "plant that dreams." Xavier will appear in "echoes" from the past, and there will be a double-cross, an attempted murder, and family secrets revealed before the players find out the terrifying way the game must end.
Is It Any Good?
This captivating mix of mystery and magic has a contemporary setting, complex and resilient teen characters, and a real shocker of an unexpected ending. Mystery Royale has just enough magic to satisfy fantasy readers but not so much that it could turn off teens who are devoted murder mystery fans. While Mullory, Lyric, Ellison, and Whitaker's struggles to overcome past traumas will be inspiring to some readers, others who have suffered abuse or have feelings of abandonment may find these storylines a trigger.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the courage it took for Mullory not to run from the strange in Mystery Royale. Is there a fear or a "strange" in your life you've found the courage to confront and overcome?
Who would you have chosen to team up with in the game? Have you ever had to work with someone you didn't know or didn't entirely trust?
How would you continue the story of Mullory and Lyric? What could the future hold for them?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Disney-Hyperion
- Publication date : January 7, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 17
- Number of pages : 388
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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