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Book Summary and Reviews of The Princess of Las Vegas by Chris Bohjalian

The Princess of Las Vegas by Chris Bohjalian

The Princess of Las Vegas

A Novel

by Chris Bohjalian

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  • Published:
  • Mar 2024, 400 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

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.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!
  1. There's a lot of talk about chance in the novel. To what extent has chance played a part in Crissy's and Betsy's lives, and to what extent have their choices driven them to this point?
  2. Has a bad choice you've made led to something good? Or has a good choice—as the British would say—gone to pot?
  3. Why do you think Crissy finds it easy to let down her guard in a public performance but so difficult to do the same in her personal life?
  4. On page 12, Crissy scoffs at the trope of the "unreliable narrator," saying all narrators in fiction are unreliable. Can that also be applied to us in real life and the stories we tell ourselves and others?
  5. The novel explores the public's obsession with the royals. Apart ...
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Reviews

Media Reviews

"[A] well-calibrated satire of cryptocurrency culture...[and] a blazing, Tarantino-esque climax." —Publishers Weekly

"Entertaining…The untimely deaths keep coming…Bohjalian is very good at capturing both the dark underside of Las Vegas and the weird surface on which fake Arethas, Sinatras, and Michael Jacksons cavort. Diana goes Vegas…in Bohjalian's latest lively romp." —Kirkus Reviews

"Bohjalian's lightning-speed page-turner delivers a dishy, twisty tale of suspense tempered with intriguing insights into the nature of ego, fame, and family... Bohjalian offers a full deck of irresistible elements in this novel of endangered Vegas royalty." —Booklist

"A wonderful book....I absolutely could not put it down." —Anne Lamott, New York Times best-selling author of Bird by Bird

This information about The Princess of Las Vegas was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

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Techeditor

I left a lot undone so I could read this book
THE PRINCESS OF LAS VEGAS confirms, once again, why Chris Bohjalian is one of my go–to authors. No two books of his are alike, yet he writes consistently dramatic and suspenseful novels.

First we have the "princess," Crissy, a Las Vegas entertainer who impersonates Princess Diana. But, although she's the title character, Crissy is not the only star. There are also her sister Betsy and Betsy's daughter, Marisa (who you will love).

Although Crissy and Betsy are not twins, they look alike, and they both look just like Princess Diana. These facts are very important to this story.

Crissy has been living in Las Vegas for years; Betsy has been living where they grew up, Vermont. But when her boyfriend moves to Las Vegas for a job, Betsy and her daughter follow. This is her first mistake.

In Las Vegas Betsy meets her boyfriend's coworkers. All carry guns. And she continues to make errors in judgment. Thank goodness she has Marisa.

Marisa is a super-intelligent 13-year-old who grew up in the foster system and was adopted by Betsy only recently. Marisa's italicized thoughts precede each chapter. Before the end of the book, she will impress you.

I highly recommend THE PRINCESS OF LAS VEGAS. In spite of my best intentions, I left a lot undone so I could read it.

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Author Information

Chris Bohjalian Author Biography

Chris Bohjalian is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-three books, including Hour of the Witch, The Red Lotus, Midwives, and The Flight Attendant, was the basis for the hit HBO Max television series starring Kaley Cuoco. His other books include The Guest Room; Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands; The Sandcastle Girls; Skeletons at the Feast; and The Double Bind. His novels Secrets of Eden, Midwives, and Past the Bleachers were made into movies, and his work has been translated into more than thirty-five languages. He is also a playwright (Wingspan and Midwives). He lives in Vermont.

Author Interview
Link to Chris Bohjalian's Website

Name Pronunciation
Chris Bohjalian: boh-ZHAHL-ee-yen

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