The Princess of Las Vegas: A Novel

by Chris Bohjalian, Saskia Maarleveld (Narrator), Grace Experience (Narrator)

One of Elle ’s Best and Most Anticipated Mysteries of 2024 THE PRINCESS IS FAKE. THE MURDERS ARE REAL From the New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant and The Lioness, a Princess Diana impersonator and her estranged sister find themselves drawn into a dangerous game of money and murder in this twisting tale of organized crime, cryptocurrency, and family secrets on the Las Vegas strip.

Crissy Dowling has created a world that suits her perfectly. She passes her days by the pool in a private cabana, she splurges on ice cream but never gains an ounce, and each evening she transforms into a Princess, performing her musical cabaret inspired by the life of the late Diana Spencer. Some might find her strange or even delusional, an American speaking with a British accent, hair feathered into a style thirty years old, living and working in a casino that has become a dated trash heap. On top of that, Crissy’s daily diet of Adderall and Valium leaves her more than a little tipsy, her Senator boyfriend has gone back to his wife, and her entire career rests on resembling a dead woman. And yet, fans see her for the gifted chameleon she is, showering her with gifts, letters, and standing ovations night after night. But when Crissy’s sister, Betsy, arrives in town with a new boyfriend and a teenage daughter, and when Richie Morley, the owner of the Buckingham Palace Casino, is savagely murdered, Crissy’s carefully constructed kingdom comes crashing down all around her.

A riveting tale of identity, obsession, fintech, and high-tech mobsters, The Princess of Las Vegas is an addictive, wildly original thriller from one of our most extraordinary storytellers.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary

Audible Audio

First published March 26, 2024

About the author

Chris Bohjalian is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 25 books. His 25th book, THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS, is now on sale. He writes literary fiction, historical fiction, thrillers, and (on occasion) ghost stories. His goal is never to write the same book twice. He has published somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.5 million words.

His work has been translated into 35 languages and become three movies (MIDWIVES, SECRETS OF EDEN, and PAST THE BLEACHERS) and an Emmy-winning TV series (THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT). He has two other novels in development for TV series as well.

He is also a playwright, including THE CLUB in 2024; MIDWIVES in 2020; and GROUNDED (now WINGSPAN) in 2018.

His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, and Salon.

His awards include the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts; the Sarah Josefa Hale Award; the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide; the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS, as well as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Society Book Award for THE NIGHT STRANGERS; the New England Book Award; Russia’s Soglasie (Concord) Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS; a Boston Public Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for TRANS-SISTER RADIO; a Best Lifestyle Column for “Idyll Banter” from the Vermont Press Association; and the Anahid Literary Award. His short story, SLOT MACHINE FEVER DREAMS was a finalist for Best Short Story from the International Thriller Writers Association and the audio production was an Audie Finalist. His novel, MIDWVES was a selection of Oprah’s Book Club, and his novel, HOUR OF THE WITCH, was a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. He is a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences.

He has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, and The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. He was a weekly columnist in Vermont for The Burlington Free Press from 1992 through 2015.

Chris graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College. He has been awarded Honorary Degrees as well from Amherst, Champlain College, and Castleton University.

He lives in Vermont with his wife, the photographer Victoria Blewer.

Reviews

[JanB · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had a very strong start that quickly became bogged down by a dumb as a box of rocks MC, and an unrealistic foster child who is a brilliant child prodigy.

The crypto currency and mobster side plots bored me to tears. The direction the book would take was telegraphed from the beginning: A Princess Di look-alike who has a residency in Las Vegas? A sister who looks just like her, who gets involved in a shady cryptocurrency deal?

Predictable, but the ending was so convoluted my eyes glazed over.

This was a buddy read with Marialyce, and sadly, not one we’d recommend.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Las Vegas is rife with tribute shows, and visitors can enjoy ersatz versions of Mick Jagger, Frank Sinatra, Janis Joplin, Prince, Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Lady Gaga, the Carpenters, and more.



In that group of entertainers, Crissy Dowling is unique because she does a tribute show to Princess Diana. Crissy looks remarkably like Diana, and though Crissy grew up in Vermont, she's perfected a posh British accent......which often creeps into her everyday speech.



Crissy has a residence at the Buckingham Palace Casino (BP), a less than stellar venue that's 'off the strip', where high rollers DON'T stay. Still, Crissy's show - in which her Princess Diana tells stories and sings tunes by Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield, and Bonnie Tyler - is VERY popular. In fact many fans see the show multiple times and send Crissy gifts.



Conversely, in her real life, Crissy is a mess. Crissy had a difficult childhood; her stepfather committed suicide; she's semi-estranged from her younger sister Betsy; she recently lost her mother; she's bulimic; and her adulterous senator boyfriend has decided to go back with his wife. Crissy copes with her situation by drinking and popping pills like Adderall and Valium. In fact, there's not a minute in the day when Crissy is stone cold sober.



Nevertheless, Crissy is fairly happy with her situation since she has a satisfying job, a decent apartment in the BP, a personal cabana at the BP's pool, and people she can rely on.



Crissy's friends include Nigel Ferguson, who plays Prince Charles in her show;



and Eddie Cantone, the entertainment director at the BP.



Unfortunately, Crissy's situation is now threatening to go downhill. A consortium called Futurium, which deals in cryptocurrency, is determined to buy the BP. Futurium is really a group of gangsters who'll do anything to get their way, including murder.



Futurium arranges for the death of BP's owners; buys corrupt cops, lawyers, and judges; and has plans to get a 'friendly' politician elected as a senator. In a roundabout way, this nefarious project involves Crissy.

Crissy's sister Betsy, who's just adopted a 13-year-old girl named Marisa, decides to move to Las Vegas with her boyfriend, a Futurium investor called Frankie Limback.



Crissy is less than thrilled to have Betsy living nearby, and things get even worse when Betsy - who looks almost identical to Crissy except for her hair - gets drawn into a scheme to impersonate Crissy and benefit Futurium.



The novel is compelling, kept my attention, and made me eager to see how things turn out. My major criticism is that Betsy, who's an educated social worker, is rather naive with respect to Futurium. On the other hand, Betsy's adopted daughter Marisa is a computer prodigy and math whiz who has her head screwed on right.



I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to fans of suspense novels.

Thanks to Netgalley, Chris Bohjalian, and Doubleday for a copy of the book.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Newest book by author Chris Bohjalian is another winner in my opinion. Have always enjoyed his books and this one takes us out to Las Vegas and follows the story of 2 sister, Crissy Dowling who does a tribute show about Princess Diana, and her sister Betsy who comes to Vegas from Vermont with her newly adopted 13-year old daughter and boyfriend. The sisters don't really like each other, and Crissy dreads that her sister is coming since she blames her for their mothers death. Crissy has cultivated a look and performance on Princess Diana that is the hit of the run down Buckingham Palace Casino. Betsy, however, is there with her boyfriend who is part of a cryptocurrency group moving some offices to Las Vegas. Ah, and therein lies the adventure and excitement as the two owners of the Casino are found dead just a few days apart and police are pushing the suicide angle. But behind the Futurium cryptocurrency front are many shady characters with ties to the mob, Russians and any other bad guy on the block. Murders mount, cryptocurrency group tries to muscle into Vegas, and the sisters are caught in the middle. Very interesting look at Vegas, the tribute entertainment profession, as well as the Dowling families issues with suicide and dysfunctionality. A well written, fast paced book with believable characters, and a really good (albeit minor) character Marissa the 13 year old who adds a little bit of background at the end of each chapter. A winning combination of plot, characters and dysfunctionality that made this a cannot put down book!!
Give this a 4.5****

[Teju A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry Chris, this wasn't good; like at all! and I love Bohjalian

I wont bore you with details of this book, cos quiet honestly didn't care and wasn't invested!
I would advice you proceed with caution when reading this 🤨😒

Solid 2 stars!!

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 Stars*

So of course I had to pick up this book!! Anything about Princess Diana captures my interest. And the title lured me in, "The Princess of Las Vegas"! Who could resist that along with someone looking like the real princess on the cover? And, more or less, the novel delivered. I did enjoy reading this book!

I just loved Crissy, the aforementioned princess, and her complicated relationship with her past and with Diana. She wears Diana so much as a performer that it seems the identities of Crissy and Diana meld together, at least in the sense that Crissy, a native of Vermont, adopts a British accent and peppers her speech with British slang - I loved the British slang! But Crissy is well-developed character with flaws that believably motivate her. There's so much to her, and the author did a wonderful job with this character. I would love to be friends with her!

The novel features two protagonists, Crissy and her sister Betsy. These two have a tense relationship with each other. I wasn't particularly moved by the sisters' story within the novel. It doesn't dive deep into the emotional waters, and the development and resolution of this story is unsatisfying. There were a lot of missed opportunities for their relationship to find real depth, heartbreak and all other kinds of feels, especially given the plot of this novel.

I thought Marissa, Betsy's adopted daughter from a foster home, was a well-written character though. I liked her narrative voice. She's as smart as she is wounded, and, in response to some reviews here, I totally DID believe her role in the story.

In response to some other reviews, I also have absolutely zero interest in cryptocurrency, but I felt the novel dealt with it in a way that was digestible. I learned a few things. I wasn't bored with it. But the important thing is that just enough of it was presented in believable ways to develop the looming and ominous crypto-world in the novel. And it's not like the novel is about cryptocurrency - that's just the scaffolding on which the plot hangs, and it is light scaffolding indeed. We're focused on the characters and the plot.

And the plot. Let's just say that the whole thriller aspect of the novel failed to move me that much. Thriller is not really my genre of choice, but even with my limited experience, I can tell that this novel misses the mark. Some parts were not really suspenseful. Sometimes the story was predictable. And there were a few obvious clues that are dangled in front of us like a Las Vegas casino marquee. So, yeah, it wasn't happening for me. I was really just more interested in Crissy's story (and it's a good story!! Make the novel just about her and Lady Di!!).

So, overall, and to say it plainly, this novel was a solid and enjoyable read without offering anything really exceptional. It has good writing, a coherent plot despite my criticism, and sufficiently developed characters. However, it lacked the depth, level of originality, and emotional impact to make it really stand out. It's well-crafted and competent. It was pleasant to read, but not remarkable. Overall, a good book!

[Marialyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

My up and down issues with this author continues, and this one was so convoluted and boring that I am truly surprised I finished it.

Jan and I shared our dislike for this story.

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Kerrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crissy Dowling is a Princess Diana impersonator with a residency show at a second-rate casino, just off the Las Vegas strip. By channeling the princess, Crissy doesn't have to deal with her identity and demons. She is estranged from her sister, Betsy, who has recently adopted a 13-year-old foster child. When Betsy comes to live in Las Vegas to work for a Cryptocurrency business, things get shady. There are mobsters, murderers, crooked politicians, undercover agents, and high financiers, including one investor who is obsessed with Princess Diana.

I enjoyed this thriller from Chris Bohjalian. The theme of identity, both in terms of Crissy's impersonation and Betsy's adoption of a foster child, adds depth to the narrative.

[Taury · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Princess of Las Vegas by Chris Bohjalian's tells a story about the difficulties of identity, family dynamics, and the need for a sense of belonging. Set primarily in Las Vegas, the story follows a young woman struggling with her personal history and her struggle to find her place in the world. Despite being categorized as Historical Fiction due to its mention of Princess Diana, the novel's themes resonate strongly in today's world of bitcoin, iPads, and the internet. As a fan of Bohjalian's previous works, I must admit that this particular novel fell short of my expectations. I have given it a 3-star rating due to weak character development and a plot that feels overly contrived. Overall, I found myself disappointed by this read.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written, fast paced, entertaining, suspenseful thriller. It has a diverse and interesting cast of characters, a bright and endearing teenage female protagonist, murder, intrigue, family drama, twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion. I listened to the audio book, and the narrators, Ms. Saskia Maarleveld, who has a captivating voice, and Ms. Grace Experience, are truly talented.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have such a soft spot for the Royal Family and Las Vegas, so reading this book was a no-brainer. I love the way that Chris Bohjalian writes. His characters come to life on the page and get into your heart. I loved everything about this story, the twists and turns, the suspense, the setting, the characters..it was wonderful.

Chrissy is a Princess Diana impersonator at The Buckingham Palace casino, just off the strip in Las Vegas. She has been there for years and loves what she does. Her sister, Betsy, moves to Vegas with her new man and her adopted daughter. The sisters have a tense relationship since their mother died, but they try to reconnect. Betsy is going to work for a new crypto company starting up in Sin City, and that is when the trouble begins. People start dying, and both sisters feel the danger.

I loved the idea of a casino called The Buckingham Palace. They really should have one in Vegas full of all things British! How fun!!

Another wonderful book from this author, I didn’t want it to end.

Thanks so much to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on March 19th.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I do enjoy a Chris Bohjalian book and this was no exception. After his last few dabbling in historical fiction The Princess of Las Vegas is a departure. After a Diana impersonator learns her sister and new teenage niece are moving her way Chrissy’s life is turned upside down after her bosses untimely deaths and bedding a questionable Russian. It becomes a thrill ride of crime, murder, and crypto. Tangled in with her almost identical sister family secrets become unearthed as they all fight to stay alive.
This like all his books was remarkable and a page turner. Thanks to netgalley and Doubleday publishing for the arc.

[Jamie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want my time back!! Skip skip skip!!!!

[Ty]

DNF @18%. This story had a very slow start and I wasn’t really engaged with anything that was going on not even the characters. Other reviewers said the story spends a lot of time explaining cryptocurrency and that is something I know I’m not interested in and I don’t want to read a lot about it.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Melissa Wood · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everyone in this book annoyed me. Except for maybe Marissa.

[Alena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Either the quality of Bohjalianś writing is slipping or I am tired of reading him every year. Given how prolific his publishing is, either is a valid possibility. I liked this book, was entertained and even intrigued, but I was not impressed or moved or surprised. I did not connect with any of the characters or even find myself rooting for the women in this story. Instead, I found myself asking if the author was trying to recapture the sharp thrill of The Flight Attendant? And then thinking to myself that he had not.
The meticulous detail with which he opened up other worlds to me in The Double Bind, Skeletons at the Feast or The Light in the Ruins (yes, I have read a LOT of his work) has some parallels in the history of Las Vegas and advent of crypto-currency but it felt forces here instead of seamlessly integrated.
Also, I have always admired how richly he writes the women in his novels. Going back to Midwives or more recently, The Sleepwalker, I have always felt a connection or kinship, no matter the topic. But lately, and is the case here, I am not finding that emotional resonance.
This feels a little harsh for a book I am giving 3 stars, but that is only because Bohjalian set the bar very high for himself early on and I am disappointed that his work lately feels more commercial than literary. My advice is, if you are interested in reading Bohjalian, go back to his earlier work.

[ꕥ Ange_Lives_To_Read ꕥ]

DNF @56%

Since I'm obsessed with a new hobby, my reading time has plummeted. So it pains me to DNF anything, but I can't waste any more time on this one.

The premise sounded really interesting, but Bohjalian put together a narrative that moved at the speed of molasses and annoyed me at every turn.

There are nonstop references to the Covid pandemic. A total loser/twat of a main character, who is completely unsympathetic. Interestingly, the author uses this character to spout his liberal politics, while not relating to or advancing the plot (I LOVE when authors do this!) A precocious child who is smarter than everyone else. Constant hinting at mysteries but not revealing them.

Furthermore, cryptocurrency turned out to be a huge central plot element. Blecch. It is my deep desire to live out the rest of my life without ever having to understand, or deal with, cryptocurrency and I certainly have no interest in reading a novel centered around it.

So, I'm done with this book, and possibly this author, although I did really enjoy The Lioness .

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A royal "welcome back" to author Chris Bohjalian.

After disappointing recent releases, "The Princess of Las Vegas" was an unexpected treat.

A ROYAL GEM:
I especially enjoyed the author's brilliant portrayal of the book's protagonist:
A gifted chameleon who transforms into a Princess every evening in Las Vegas' Buckingham Palace Casino, performing a tribute musical cabaret inspired by the life of the late Diana Spencer.

She is an American speaking with a British accent, who has perfected Princess Diana's mannerisms and shares the princess' vulnerabilities.

Yes, her entire career rests on resembling a dead woman.

WHY NOT 5 STARS?
After a 10-star unputdownable beginning, the book's ending suffered from eye-rolling high-tech mobsters and an unrealistic portrayal of the protagonist's adopted 13-year-old niece.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Saskia Maarleveld and Grace Experience (the author's daughter!) and both narrators did a superb job with the narration.

[Jamie Rosenblit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've long been a fan of Bohjalian's work (The Midwives, Trans-Sister Radio, The Guest Room) and while there have been many hits for me, some have also been misses. Unfortunately, The Princess of Las Vegas fell into the latter category - a mix of Vegas performers, twins and some shady crypto currency dealings, this one just never hit the mark for me.

Thank you to Doubleday for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[☮Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this a lot since I adored Princess Diana, who the lead character, Chrissy, portrays in a hit Vegas show.

I will simply say that even though I did enjoy this, it's not the best I've read by Bohjalian; and after some very exciting scenes and lots of murders and intrigue, the ending sort of fizzled out.

[Lisa Leone-campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Bohjalian has yet another exciting, fast paced mystery with a modern gangster theme story under his belt. The Princess Of Las Vegas combines a Princess Diana impersonator with a new type of criminal set in the somewhat shady city of Las Vegas. It also has a bit of humor and dead bodies. But the main characters are a woman impersonator, her sister and her sister's new adopted teenage daughter. What on earth could go wrong?

Crissy Dowling works at the Buckingham Palace Casino in Las Vegas as a Princess Diana impersonator. She has been able to transform herself and her image into the late great Princess Di. Her show is a sell out every night. She is why people come to the Buckingham. But Crissy's life growing up was not healthy. She still has some emotional and physical scars which she understands and uses to portray Diana. She's a pro at not eating and medicating herself. Hidden to most everybody. But now, she is alone as her boyfriend has decided to go back to his wife. And to make matters worse, one of the owners of the Casino has decided to kill himself throwing the whole organization into chaos.

Now, for some reason she is being asked to get in touch with a woman coming for her ex-boyfriend's senate position. No reason as to why, but her job seems to be on the line if she chooses to ignore the request.

Meanwhile, in a state very far away, Vermont, her sister Betsy who was a social worker with whom Crissy has been pretty much estranged from since their mother's death, has fallen in love with a cryptocurrency fanatic who has a scheme to make them millions. She has also decided to adopt a teenager named Marissa and move across the country to none other than Las Vegas where her boyfriend says they will make a killing. And by the way Betsy, looks just like Crissy who looks just like Princess Diana. That's all I'm saying.

That's when all their lives begin to intertwine and take dramatic turns in which more people will die the real mystery will be why? What is going on. Then Crissy discovers her home, Buckingham Palace is being sold and if she doesn't cooperate, she won't have a job and possibly her life. Soon Betsy and Marissa discover what happens in Vegas may just land them staying in Vegas...as corpses.

In The Princess Of Las Vegas, we seem to have it all! Murder, suicide, fake identities, high tech plots, fraud and one very curious teenager.

Thank you #NetGalley #Doubleday #ChrisBohjalian #ThePrincessOfLasVegas for the advanced copy.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really don't know what to make of this one - or why it took me so long to get through it. I definitely enjoyed it. And yet the characters were quite broken and somewhat I found it hard to connect to them.

The story features a pair of sisters, each battling challenging elements in their shared childhood. Plopped in there as the third narrator is a 13 year old child, who also had had a challenging past, recently adopted by one of this sisters. The other sister is a Princess Diana Impersonator in Las Vegas, whose life she has co-opted, in order to both deal with and avoid her own. When one of the sisters and a new precocious niece come to town, bringing cryptocurrency and the Mafia with them, the story takes hold.

Naturally, everyone's favorite character is the precocious niece! Mine too.

This one is very Chris Bohjahlin, which for me often means it leaves you slightly puzzled, depthfully felt, yet distanced from the characters. And as always, there is a shade of evil that is just very hard ro incorporate and relate to. 3.5 stars.

[Georgette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Super disappointed, did not improve as I read on. Got more contrived and weird as the end approached. Very off for him, usually can count on him for a good story but the sisters ruined this one.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Premise was great, but I was bored by the plot, the characters, and the writing. It might play better on screen.

[Rebecca Reeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers looking for an entertaining, contemporary fiction book that keeps their attention from page one through to the very end need to read The Princess of Las Vegas by Chris Bohjalian. Despite the fact that there are quite a few characters, I found it easy to keep track of who everybody is since each character has a very specific role in the plot. No need to make one of those dreaded family tree charts for this novel. Although just like real-life family trees, no one in this latest Bohjalian novel is unrealistically perfect; these pages contain characters with a variety of flaws and some less-than-perfect behavior. All of the characters have struggles, whether it's struggling to make ends meet, to cheating one's way to wealth, to overcoming political scandals, to surviving a foster-care system. Set the action in the famous 24-hour-city of Las Vegas, Nevada, and you have a page-turner that you hate to see end.

There are a couple of story lines that merge together in this book. There is attractive, model-thin Crissy Dowling who is "the Princess Diana" impersonator (or rather as said in Vegas a tribute show entertainer.) Crissy has lots of fans and lots of concoctions that help her to not think about all the things that have been wrong in the past and that might go wrong in the future, and she is fairly happy living in a "just okay" hotel (where many people think all Las Vegas residents live). Hers is a casino-hotel that might have seen better days or maybe was always just a low-rung place. Weaving in and out of Crissy's life are mob-type guys, politicians behaving badly, casino owners doing some wheeling and dealing as they try to stay alive and keep the business afloat, crypto-currency criminals, and asome serious family drama. It all can seem like it is lifted right out of some newspaper headlines. That makes the action all the more fun.

Chris Bohjalian has been one of my auto-buy authors for quite a long time. I can hardly wait until this book publishes to give it as gifts to friends. This review is my honest and unsolicited opinion.

[Dee (in the Desert) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 "meh" stars for the "Princess of Las Vegas" which was mostly just an okay read for me. Quite a bit of it seemed pretty Over-the-top and it just kinda jumped the shark - still I did like the premise a lot...

[Deana ❤️’s Reading]

Too much Covid discourse to keep me going with this one. No rating. DNF

[Eileen Acosta · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you pick up a Chris Bohjalian book, you never know what genre it will be. Mr. Bohjalian writes historical fiction, horror, suspense, psychological thrillers, domestic thrillers. He is not pigeon-holed into a specific genre. This novel has mystery, thrills, bitcoin and cryptocurrency (which I will never understand, no matter how patient the teacher), Vegas and Russian mobsters, family secrets and strong female characters. The beginning of the book dragged a little for me (and the words.. did he use a thesaurus?) but halfway through the book took off. Thank you to NetGalley for this digital advance readers copy.

[Lisa Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Crime, Vegas, and cryptocurrency are typically not my jam, but Chris Bohjalian can make even topics I don't care about absolutely absorbing. Beyond the crime plotline, I really enjoyed the main character -- a talented but unstable Diana impersonator -- and the strange life she lives, as well as her relationship with her estranged sister and how quickly their lives fall apart. A fascinating read.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Princess of Las Vegas is the second novel by Chris Bohjalian that I have read with the first being The Flight Attendant, and boy these two books couldn't have been more different. If you look at Bohjalian's list of published titles it is easy to see that he writes a little bit of everything, and I love him for how unique and different each of his books is. This book focuses on Crissy, the spitting image of the late Princess Diana, who has thus created a Vegas musical cabaret based on the woman's life. Things start to get extremely complicated for her when her somewhat estranged sister Betsy shows up with her daughter Marisa and a very shady new boyfriend, and the bodies start piling up. This is a THICK novel, and while sometimes I feel like it isn’t necessary to the storyline, I thought the length was perfect for this book, and I greatly enjoyed the world-building and characterization throughout.

You know what else is fun about The Princess of Las Vegas? The audiobook! The extremely talented Saskia Maarleveld narrates Crissy while Bohjalian’s daughter Grace Experience narrates Betsy and Marisa. I had no idea his daughter was a narrator until I read the acknowledgments and I thought that was such a fun fact. She hasn’t narrated too many books, but I do hope she narrates more in the future since she did a really fantastic job with both Betsy and Marisa. She managed to make herself sound older and younger based on whose POV she was voicing, and her pacing was perfect. I listened to the audio at around a 3x speed the entire time, and I do think it would be a little tough if I had to listen at a 2 the entire time, especially with the length. This book dove headfirst into the world of cryptocurrency as well which is not something I know much of anything about. That was interesting to me, but I mostly enjoyed the family drama and the way the book went out with a bang. 🎆

Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.