The Kings of Vegas

by Karen Mack, Jennifer Kaufman

Named one of the best books of summer by Town and Country and W Magazine, and described as a "suspenseful and entertaining trip to Sin City" by Publishers Weekly.

Synopsis:
When Josie King left Las Vegas in the 90s, she never looked back. The daughter of gambling mogul Roy King, spirited math whiz Josie grew up on the casino floor but deliberately turned away from the family business. She’s been living a quiet life in LA as an accountant and a single mom when she finds herself summoned back to Sin City. Now, fifteen years later, her father has died unexpectedly, and Josie’s siblings are already gathered for the reading of his will...only to discover that in order to inherit they must spend three years working together at the notorious family casino, The Jackpot.

Josie’s pride won’t let her walk away from the family empire again, so she agrees to take charge of the casino’s finances. She quickly discovers that while Roy King was once the most powerful man in Vegas, times have changed. These days, everyone has a piece of the action: Josie’s brothers, the FBI, the local mobsters, even the sexy rival casino owner who’s more than a friend. Las Vegas is more dangerous than ever, but Josie knows that to save the family business she’ll have to wade in deeper…

Stacked with sex, crime, sibling rivalry, and mountains of cash, The Kings of Vegas is an electrifying thriller with a tough and irresistible heroine at the center of the action.

Hardcover

Published June 30, 2026

About the author

Karen Mack, a former attorney, is a Golden Globe Award-winning film and television producer. She has co-authored four books with author Jennifer Kaufman: most recently The Kings of Vegas, reviewed by Publisher’s Weekly as “a suspenseful and entertaining trip to Sin City.”
Previous books include Freud's Mistress, which received four stars from People and was on USA Today, Vanity Fair, and Marie Claire's best summer reading list; Literacy and Longing in L.A., which reached #1 on the Los Angeles Times Bestseller List and won the Best Fiction Award from the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association; and the Los Angeles Times bestselling novel, A Version of the Truth. Karen lives in Los Angeles with her family.

Reviews

[Catherine Linger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it a fun atmospheric read.

I liked the relationships between the characters and honestly liked the switching of POV. The FMC was likable and used her brains and wits to outsmart the “bad guys.” She was controlled, confident and knew who she was and what she wanted.

As a lover of Vegas it was such a quick and interesting read. I liked how there was some drama, mystery and some much needed spice on the side. The flashbacks were interwoven seamlessly and made for a well developed and fun plot line.

[Carly Rabbit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to listen to advance copy audiobook edition of “The Kings of Vegas”. After finishing listening to it, here is my feedback. I found this to be challenging to fully engage in this plot-driven story. There were many characters in this story. This was my first book I read by the authors. What I liked most about this story was the Las Vegas casino setting and the history of casino and mob.

[Lulu]

"The Kings of Vegas" is a fun, fast-paced thriller that blends family drama, casino politics, and plenty of suspense. The Las Vegas setting is enjoyable and adds plenty of glitz and danger to the narrative. Josie was an easy character to root for as she navigated rivalries, secrets, and high-stakes decisions. The mix of crime, romance, and unexpected twists kept the story moving, making this an entertaining read from beginning to end.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun romance novel with a little mystery and suspense mixed in. It is an entertaining premise and kept my interest the whole time. The story has a bit of family drama, romance, mob bosses, Vegas history and some spicy scenes. It was a fun, light read