The Princess of Las Vegas

A Novel

By: Chris Bohjalian

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld, Grace Experience

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.

©2024 Chris Bohjalian (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Bohjalian brings a propulsive vitality and a sly humor to a surprisingly moving tale....The mayhem includes murder, bribery and blackmail. The bodies pile up. But underneath it lurks a poignant story of two sisters with a tragic shared history—and a clever teenager who knows her way around a computer and might well save the day.” —Sarah Lyall, The New York Times

“Crissy Dowling, who narrates much of Chris Bohjalian’s The Princess of Las Vegas…lives in semiregal isolation at her residency suite and poolside cabana, drifting through days 'in a diazepam haze' and nights in 'an Adderall buzz…' Crissy’s estranged lookalike sister, Betsy, reappears in her life....Have Crissy and Betsy become dangerously entangled with a criminal and deadly organization? The Princess of Las Vegas packs a lot...into its roll-the-dice plot....[An] engaging and imaginative thriller.” —Tom Nolan, The Wall Street Journal

"Bohjalian’s latest is a fusion of contemporary malaise and eager nostalgia—not unlike Sin City itself.” —Lauren Puckett-Pope, Elle

Original story

I appreciated the uniqueness of this book. It was a very believable account of a Las Vegas performer and themes involving casinos. However, the sister was an incredibly stupid character and the little girl was very annoying and the story could've worked just as well without her with a few tweaks. But overall, I liked the book.

Meh.

It was a suspense thriller that moved a little too slowly. I didn’t care about any of the characters. I listened to the audiobook, the main character of princess diana keep going in and out of the British accent, which wasn’t good. . It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either.

Great store, worse performance

You almost have to read the book simultaneously as listening to the audible production; the diction and accents are horrible. The story keeps it going and I got the book in large print from the library. It made it bearable.

Fun!

As a Vegas resident, I enjoyed the mentions of local culture and hiking areas off the strip, and the addition of a cool-sounding fictional hotel.
This was a fun book, held my interest, and would be a good beach read.

Entertaining but not his best.

If you can get past the very unlikely premise of the book, that is the protagonist takes on the role of Princess Diana, and the ending is suddenly rushed, patched together without hints or foreshadowing I'd expect, it is an entertaining novel. The narration is excellent.

So Different

Chris B's books are all so different in subject matter, but what this has in common with his other books is that it is engaging from the first paragraph. I loved the characters and the family dynamics. I loved the suspense. I can't wait for Chris's next book.

Pretty Good

While not the author's best work, the story is well-written, entertaining, and moved along well. It's not something that will stay with me but it was worth a credit. My expectations for anything by this author are high and this one fell a bit short of the mark for me.

Brilliant! Fast paced and really well written and narrated.

This is the second book I have listened to by this author and I loved it.
I love how all the details in his books are thought through, they are also very cleverly done, with facts and information.

It was very well narrated.

It was thrilling and twisty, without being psychological and sickening. I finished it in three days and now having one of those moments where I don’t know what to listen to next.

Fun read!

Bohjalian’s stories are often a little dark and this one is no exception. I thought the narrator who voiced Chrissy was great but the Betsy/Marissa just so so. I enjoyed the book—have read all of this author’s books.

Edge of your seat thriller!

Loved the relationship between the sisters . I could not wait to listen to this book and it did not disappoint. So many twists and turns and an unexpected ending. Kept me on my toes!