The Wilde Trials Book Launch Event

Come celebrate the launch of Mackenzie Reed's sophomore young adult thriller The Wilde Trials on its release day, January 21st. Mackenzie will be joined by Kara Kennedy, author of I Will Never Leave You, to chat all things writing and The Wilde Trials. Copies of The Wilde Trials and I Will Never Leave You will be available for purchase at the event and can be signed by Mackenzie and Kara.

From the acclaimed author of The Rosewood Hunt comes a thrilling new mystery about a high-stakes competition packed with shocking twists, second chances, and deadly deceit, where allies—and enemies—are the people you’d least expect.

Chloe Gatti will do whatever it takes to win her elite boarding school’s annual competition, the Wilde Trials. In the two weeks leading up to graduation from Wilde Academy, a dozen seniors are chosen to compete in a series of seven ultimate physical and mental tests, and the winner will take home over half a million dollars—money that Chloe needs to help her sick sister.

But the competition is fierce and includes her brooding ex-boyfriend, Hayes Stratford, whose brother was the only student to die during the trials a few years ago. When someone starts blackmailing Chloe during the competition, she’s forced to strike a deal with Hayes—if he helps her discover who is sabotaging her, she’ll help him solve the mystery his brother left behind.

Following clues from Hayes’s brother, the unlikely allies discover that something isn’t right about the Wilde Trials. With a life-changing prize looming over her head and her buried feelings for Hayes rising to the surface, Chloe will have to decide what’s really worth fighting for, and if the cost of competing outweighs the potential consequences, even if that includes ending up like Hayes’s brother—dead.

“An action-packed, fast-paced adventure with characters that crackled off the page. I had so much fun on this wild ride.” — Goldy Moldavsky, New York Times bestselling author of The Mary Shelley Club

“Mackenzie Reed does it again! Action-packed and filled with heart, The Wilde Trials is a thrill ride from start to finish. With a jaw-dropping mystery and unexpected twists at every turn, this cutthroat academic competition keeps its Challengers—and readers—on their toes.” — Rachel Moore, author of Us in Ruins and The Library of Shadows

“Atmospheric, pulse-pounding, and swoonworthy, THE WILDE TRIALS is perfect for readers who like their thrillers with a delicious side of dark academia. Full of riddles, hidden passageways, and a creepy, crumbling estate, Mackenzie Reed’s sophomore novel offers not only a high-stakes competition but also a thoughtful examination of ambition—and its sometimes deadly cost.” — Olivia Worley, author of People to Follow and The Debutantes

"Come for the brain-bending puzzles. Stay for the second chance romance. The Wilde Trials by Mackenzie Reed is a twisty, addictive ride sure to thrill fans of her debut and new readers alike. If you binged Survivor and The Inheritance Games, this one is for you." — Jessie Weaver, author of Live Your Best Lie and Lie Until It's True

"Sparks fly as the attraction roars to life amid a tangled web of hidden motivations, shocking betrayals, and unchecked ambition. [A] fun, action-packed mystery wrapped in riddles and scavenger hunts, while lightly touching on themes of class privilege and academic pressure." — Publishers Weekly

Mackenzie Reed is the author of young adult fiction, including her debut thriller The Rosewood Hunt and sophomore novel The Wilde Trials (both released with HarperCollins). She cultivated her love of storytelling at Nazareth College, where she graduated with a BA in Communication and Media and shifted her focus from songwriting to novel writing. A native and resident of Rochester, New York, she loves going for brainstorming walks when the weather’s behaving and spending time with her family. In the sparse moments she’s not writing or daydreaming about her next book, she’s usually winging her eyeliner and hunting for the best slice of pizza in town. You can find her on TikTok, Instagram, and Threads.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Book Culture Pittsford, 28 South Main Street, Pittsford, United States