Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

It's been awhile since I have read a Chris Bohjalian novel. The last was Midwives quite a few years ago. I was listening to a podcast and this book came up. It sounded so interesting.

This was a super fast read. The story was well thought and and put together. Some of it was a bit far fetched so I just rolled with it. A lot of the "bitcoin" stuff went over my head.

If you want something fun to read on the beach, pick this one up.

This was actually my first foray into Chris Bohjalian's works - but as a fan of the royal family, the description of the book intrigued me. I am so happy that I have now discovered a new must-read author!

The Princess of Las Vegas centers on the story of two sisters, who look alike - and both startlingly look like Princess Diana. One has used that similar appearance to her benefit, headlining a show at the Buckingham Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The other remained in Vermont, becoming a social worker - at least until she begins dating a man who works in the financial industry. With her new adoptive daughter in tow, she follows him to Las Vegas, where he is working with a crypto company.

What soon follows is a riveting unfurling of past lives, political corruption, and murder mystery. Bohjalian kept me engaged from the very first page, all the way to the final page.

This novel is well written with excellent plot and character development. Bobjalian is an excellent storyteller.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Bohjalian has written books I've throughly devoured, but this one was a complete miss. This story was inventive but maybe a bit too much bordering on just weird. Not the read I thought I'd be experiencing based on past reads by this author.

Thank you, Doubleday.

Reality comes crashing down on a make-believe princess.

In the late summer of 2022, Crissy Dowling’s life is in a relatively good place. She has a very successful Las Vegas cabaret act at the Buckingham Palace Casino in which she portrays Diana, Princess of Wales, that is continually sold out months in advance. The BP, as it is known, may not be A-list, but among Vegas impersonators Crissy is very much top drawer. When one of the owners of her casino dies, an apparent suicide, it is a bit worrisome careerwise - but otherwise life continues as normal. Soon, however, dead bodies start piling up (including Gene, a recent hook-up which Crissy had hoped might have become more than temporary). Crissy’s estranged sister Betsy announces that she and her newly-adopted teenaged daughter are relocating from Vermont to Las Vegas with her new love interest Frankie, a financier now involved in a start-up cryptocurrency firm. The Princess of Las Vegas, as Crissy is known, had been managing her life and her two shows per night pretty well (with the help of the occasional little pill, but no one is perfect), but all of this chaos is rocking her world. Especially when the police think that she might be involved in the deaths. What’s a princess to do?
With a setting in Las Vegas, characters that range from a Lady Di impersonator to a teenage hacking prodigy to a firm of crypto fincoms who may be tied just a little too closely to an organized crime syndicate known as Mastaba (think The Mob 2.0), author Chris Bohjalian has created a collection of quirky folks about whom it is fun to read. There’s clearly some drama in Crissy and Betsy’s background which is slowly revealed, and which ultimately explains at least in part why Crissy has chosen to pursue a life pretending to be someone else, and why she and Betsy are no longer close. One of the most vivid characters for me was Marisa, the teenage girl adopted by (former) teen social worker Betsy who has been plucked from Vermont and immersed in the glamorous but wildly irregular world of Las Vegas. I would have liked to have seen a bit more dimension in some of the other characters, particularly the bosses at cryptofirm Futurium. (Truth be told, I didn’t really understand the cryptocurrency world before reading this novel, and still don’t despite Mr. Bohjalian’s efforts to explain it). There just wasn’t a lot of nuance to the villains, and there was some reliance on stereotype in their makeup (they were bad, guns are bad, they all had guns). Still and all, The Princess of Las Vegas was an entertaining read….as one of the characters says, have there ever been two more perfect bedfellows than casinos and crypto? We can all relate to people who want to escape from their lives to something better, and rely perhaps too much on luck to make it happen. Fans of Mr. Bohjalian’s previous novels, especially The Flight Attendant, will enjoy his latest outing, as should readers of Ruth Ware, Rachel Hawkins and Lisa Jewell. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Doubleday Books for allowing me early access to The Princess of Las Vegas.

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.

Chris Bohjalian always writes such lyrical and flowing stories. The Princess of Las Vegas is write up there with his others.
Crissy is a Princess Diana tribute entertainer in Las Vegas, and quite popular. Chrissy’s life includes all of the imagined Las Vegas entrapments…mobsters, criminals, politicians, the usual seedy Las Vegas bunch.
But family drama and a sudden murder threaten to bring her life crashing down.
Riveting and fast paced, a perfect mystery set in the seediness and opulence of Las Vegas.

As a fan of Chris Bohjalian I couldn't wait to request an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. I enjoyed it Combine the glitz and glam of Vegas, Princess Diana, and crypto and you have quite a story. Crissy enjoys her life in Las Vegas working as a Princess Diana impersonator. Her sister surprises her by moving to Las Vegas and taking a job with a crypto company. A string of suicides occur with people Crissy knows, or are they suicides? Is her sister involved? What about the mysterious executives from the crypto company? This book had lots of twists and turns and didn't always go the way I thought it would.

Another layered and fascinating book by Chris Bohjalian! Solid characters, Vegas backdrop and somehow I even learned about Princess Di and cryptocurrency.

Similar to his best selling novel The Flight Attendant, which was turned into an award-nominated TV series starring Kelly Cuoco, The Princess of Las Vegas is led by a female protagonist who has addictions and, though living her everyday life, albeit, in this case, as a Princess Diana impersonator in Las Vegas, becomes entangled in a web of intrigue.

“The Princess of Las Vegas,” by Chris Bohjalian, Doubleday, 400 pages, March 19, 2024.

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 Princess Diana.

Crissy is an American speaking with a British accent, with hair feathered into a style 30 years old. She also abuses Adderall and Valium. And she is bulimic.

But fans see her for the gifted chameleon she is, showering her with gifts, letters and standing ovations night after night. She performs in the Buckingham Palace Casino owned by Richie and Artie Morley. Richie is the property’s chief financial officer and Artie is the general manager.

It is the late summer of 2022. Richie Morley is murdered in his car. At first it is suspected to be suicide. Crissy’s younger sister, Betsy, is a social worker in Vermont who helps troubled teens. Then she tells Crissy that she is moving to Las Vegas because she got a job working for a financial technology company. Betsy has an adopted daughter, Marisa, 13. Soon there are more suspicious deaths and Crissy and Betsy become suspects.

Like all of Chris Bohjalian’s novels, this is multi-layered, with suspense, humor and strong characters. The plot is wild. The backstory of the two sisters adds to the overall story. Chris Bohjalian’s fans, and people who haven’t read his books, don’t want to miss this one.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

The Princess of Las Vegas is another entertaining read by popular writer Chris Bohjalian who has great skill as a male who creates novels with strong female characters. The princess is Crissy Dowling, a resident Las Vegas performer who becomes Diana Spencer for sold-out audiences at a casino off the Vegas strip. Crissy has many emotional issues from a troubled childhood but has found success as Princess Di. Crissy's younger sister, Betsy, announces her move from Vermont to Vegas with her current boyfriend, Frankie, and her newly adopted thirteen-year-old daughter, Marisa. With Betsy and Frankie comes a dive into the dark side of cryptocurrency and gambling. Marisa is a smart, observant teenager whose character adds to the intrigue of this book. Recommended for a long weekend of escape reading.

I loved this so much! There were so many unexpected twists and turns that had me anticipating the next chapter. it was a little slower paced to give all the details of characters and setting, but I was thankful for that or else it would've been overwhelming. The idea of Princess Diana mixed with a Vegas mystery was brilliant.

Thank you, NetGalley and Doubleday Books for allowing me to review this book!

I've been reading Chris Bohjalian's books for 20 years and I always look forward to them. This was a good, page-turning book. I kept thinking about it when I wasn't reading it, wanting to get back to it. It was very descriptive of the main character and let you really get into her Las Vegas world. There could have been more character development, to create a deeper, more richly layered story, but if you are looking for a fun, fast paced, interesting story with a good sense of place, this is a great one. Thank you very much to NetGalley and Doubleday for the advance copy.

Thank you NetGallery,publisher Doubleday Books and author Chris Bohjalian for the arc ebook,The Princess of Las Vegas.It was an ok novel that wore me down too often by one of the main characters,Chrissy who is a Princess Diana impersonator in a run down,off the strip casino in Las Vegas. Her act was ok but too repetitive for my taste to read over and over as she performs her show with her descriptions.The explanation of how cryptocurrency works was over the top!The backgrounds of Chrissy,her look-alike younger sister and niece were interesting as told by rotating chapters of the three but overall I kept forcing myself to finish it. It will be on sale March 19,2024.

Another great book by Chris Bohjalian.
As usual, there are lots of twists and turns.
But what makes this one a must read is the inside scoop of Princess Diana intertwined with a Vegas mystery.
Highly recommend this book

I loved this book!! I’m not sure what to say without spelunking it. Def worth a read and checking it out

Chris Bohjalian’s The Princess of Las Vegas has a lot going on: a Princess Diana impersonator, the mafia, a corrupter senator, cryptocurrency, and a foster child wise beyond her years, just to name some. With so many elements, it would be easy for this book to be a mess, but Bohjalian pulls it off.

Crissy, the main protagonist, has been impersonating Princess Diana for so long, it’s hard for her to know where her own personality begins. She’s built a life around this and is fine with it, content to be living in her drug addled bubble off the Vegas strip. Unfortunately, things are starting to fall apart. Her bosses are dead, and she knows neither due to suicide as reported. Now her life is in danger, and all roads seem to lead back to her sister Betsy.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Crissy and Betsy, the book takes many twists and turns. While there is a lot going on, the pacing is slow, likely because of how detailed the chapters are. The reader is given a lot of imagery highlighting the grittiness of Vegas and the fantasy of Diana in this realm.

The slow pace also allows for a character development. Crissy, Betsy, and Betsy’s daughter Marisa are all flawed in their own ways, and the author does a good job avoiding make them come across as one note. There are some details regarding their backgrounds that could be triggering, so this is something to be mindful of while reading.

This book is an enjoyable read with a cinematic feel; it would make a great pick to bring on vacation.

3 stars out of 5.

I thought this book started off a little slow and I was confused at where the story was going at some points but then it really picked up towards the end and I couldn't put it down. I liked Crissy and Marisa but didn't really care for the other characters in the book. The plot was different than anything else that I have read which is why I think it was harder to get into. One thing I thought was so out of place, was the continuous talk of the Pandemic along with the shootings in Vegas. It just didn't fit into the book.

In The Princess of Las Vegas, we meet Crissy, who is a Princess Diana impersonator with her own show at the Buckingham Palace casino. It has been a very popular show since the start but Crissy feels it might be in danger because of the deaths of the casino's owners. Betsy is Crissy younger sister who had lived in Vermont with her newly adopted daughter Marisa. Betsy ends up moving to Vegas with her boyfriend to start a new job with a company involved with cryptocurrency. Things started off great but then Betsy started to see red flags everywhere. Crissy finds herself being dragged into the mess of the crypto company too.

Overall, I think this book was just ok. Some of Chris Bohjalian's books like The Flight Attendant, are better IMO.

Thank you Netgalley and Doubleday Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had come up on my radar while I was surfing Netgalley to find my next great read when the premise of this novel caught my eye. Crissy is a young woman who has perfected her impersonation of the late Princess Diana on the stage of the fictitious casino named Buckingham Palace. Tickets to her show are normally hard to come by and her fans adore her. She even has a home there in the casino. Everything should be great right? Not exactly. Crissy's peace is upheaved when her sister, Betsy, arrives with a teenager in tow. The two sisters have not had a relatively good relationship in the past. Crissy blames her sister for their mother's death. The reason for her sister's arrival? Her boyfriend, Frankie, who is involved in a company that deals with cryptocurrency, has plans for the three of them. When the casino's owners are found dead, the two sisters become drawn into a web of murder and the Russian mob.

This book was hard to put down. This was the first novel by Chris Bohjalian and it surprised me. What drew me was the whole Princess Diana thing. What surprised me the most was Bohjalian's ability to create complex and flawed characters that felt so real. Our protagonists are a young woman who built up a carefully crafted persona of the late Princess she played on the stage and a sister she had long since cut ties with. Sisters who have not been in touch with each other in quite some time.

Bohjalian draws us into an intricate story weaved with murder, cryptocurrency, and the Russian mob never letting go of its reader until the very last page. I am quite looking forward to reading more from this particular author.

Chris Bohjalian has been on my radar, but this is the first book of his that I have read. It won't be the last. The off-the-Strip Vegas setting, with its old Vegas influence is what drew me to it. The Princess of Las Vegas combined a view into family dynamics with shady business dealings and murder.

The two sisters featured in the book both had their own flaws, but I found myself cheering for both of them. A recently adopted teenage niece of the main character (daughter of the second sister) adds a great deal of perspective. I couldn't help but fall in love with her character.

The description of the setting was detailed and added to the story, almost becoming its own character with the strong influence it has on the story.

Sidenote: For me, a Chris Bohjalian book is a great way to expand my vocabulary. Although I wouldn't have needed to look up the meaning of some words to understand the plot, I enjoyed looking them up because the precise word choice adds to its literary merit.

Overall: I couldn't put it down, and loved the ostentatious setting.