Mullory Prudence was supposed to die. Not only that, she was never supposed to inherit Xavier Stoutmire’s moody magic. But nothing about the Mystery Royale went according to plan. Now Mullory’s left with more questions than answers, the most pressing one being how to use her mother’s grave-defying shadow. And when her mother sends her on a dizzying scavenger hunt that spans everywhere from the Stoutmire estate (now all the more glamorous in its winter splendor) to a hidden magical corner of Coney Island, she’ll have to team up with unlikely allies to find her way.
Hunting the Strange: A Mystery Royale Novel by Kaitlyn Cavalancia is a stylistically compelling but challenging continuation of the series that begins with Mystery Royale. This is not a standalone novel, and readers must start with the first book to have any hope of grounding themselves in the world and its rules.
Cavalancia’s writing style and distinct narrative voice are easily the highlights. However, that doesn’t make the atmosphere and plot of the novel less difficult to follow and, at times, frustratingly unclear. I found myself struggling throughout, especially as I tried to understand the central premise introduced immediately—why parents are killing their own children.
Despite its intriguing concept, the execution made it hard to stay engaged, leaving more confusion than clarity by the end.
Overall, I rate this novel 3 out of 5 stars. I might rate it higher if I read the series in its proper order.
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