Chris Bohjalian is one of my favorite authors, so I was excited to get an early copy of his next book. I started out thinking that this was far and away from anything he's written before and I had trouble getting into it as I'm not really into following the royals, tech and cryptocurrency. But this author just has a way of drawing you in to find out what happens next. There were so many parts of the plot going on throughout the story that seemingly had no connection but as both Crissy and Betsy are unwittingly drawn in and the pieces start to fall together, I was intrigued. I like the way the story is set up as if telling the story after the fact by Crissy. I also liked Marisa, Betsy's 13-year-old adopted daughter and the role she played in the story. This was not my favorite of his books, but still a great story.
Thanks to Doubleday Books through Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. The opinions in this review are my own and given voluntarily.

I'm such a huge fan of Chris Bohjalian's writing that I was willing to follow him into this book, even though I questioned whether a book with crypto as a main plot point had any chance of holding my attention. Not surprisingly, in his hands this story that combines a Las Vegas that feels out of time and of the moment simultaneously with seedy tech, finance, and government elements as well. Great characters alongside an intriguing plot. It might have been a touch too long, but that also have been a "me" issue at this moment.

Thank you Netgalley and Doubleday Books for access to this arc.

I guess Diana, or her sorta image, does still sell just about everything. I know both the cover and the title grabbed my attention and made me look deeper into what the book is about.

For a book mainly set in sunshiney Las Vegas, this one has a whole lot of dark shadows and darker people. Honestly I think only one character didn’t make me either snarl, sigh in disgust, want to throw my hands up, mentally mutter “really? really??” or some variant of “I’m not pleased with this person.” Nobody gets away with being a totally good person except for Nigel and even something he does might annoy people.

The book starts off with a bang but then slows down a lot in order for all the (many) characters to be introduced and pertinent information about them to be revealed. Wait, sort of revealed as there are obviously lots and lots of secrets and I don’t just mean who is willing to shoot, kick, slug, or threaten people at the drop of a hat. I guessed a few of the issues that are festering between Crissy and her almost look alike sister Betsy and that haunt them both years to decades after they occurred. Some of these will be triggers but I think readers might be able to see the reveals approaching. There’s also a lot of time spent on cryptocurrency and a fair amount of disbelief is needed about some plot points and actions.

Things pick up as all the pieces and threads begin to fit and weave together. The action is tighter and the pace increases. But the wheels also start leaving the ground a bit as the plot swerves around corners at full throttle. And yet as things got worse, I had to know what was going to happen next. How were the (relatively) good guys going to get out of this alive? Some clues had been sprinkled along the way but in sort of an obvious way, too. Everything does come together and yet I was left with a few worries – we are talking about ruthless people – and a feeling of slightly unrealistic happiness and unresolved issues. Maybe as Crissy is redoing her show now that (the real) Charles is King, she can work in some therapy sessions. B-

Crissy Dowling is a dead ringer for the late Princess Diana. She has capitalized on this by performing her musical cabaret inspired by the life of the late Diana Spencer at the Buckingham Palace Casino in Las Vegas. 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.

This riveting story of mobsters, greed, fintech and obsession will keep you glued to your seat with all of the fast paced action. The chapters alternate between Crissy and her sister, Betsy, and in-between are glimpses into the thoughts of Betsy's 13-year-old adopted daughter, Marisa. Crissy and Betsy haven't been close for years, but their relationship has been especially fraught since the death of their mother. The two women have always looked alike, and Betsy coming to Las Vegas threatens Betsy's 'livelihood, as well as bringing all of their issues to the forefront. The cryptocurrency company that Betsy works for turns out not to be all that she was led to believe, and it thrusts her and her daughter into danger. I highly recommend this one!

I really wanted to like this, but I just couldn’t. I spent the first two-thirds of the book thinking it was weird and the last third thinking it was dumb. A bizarre premise, characters that I felt no affinity towards- not for me.

I enjoyed The Flight Attendant and was very excited to pick up the newest book by Chris Bohjalian. It did not disappoint.

The story revolves around two sisters and a family dynamic that is not healthy. Crissy is the eldest. Because she looks like Princess Diana, she has cultivated a popular show in Las Vegas dedicated to Di. It is off the strip and held in Buckingham Palace, an aging, British-themed hotel and casino. She lives in a suite there and spends a lot of her time in a cabana by the pool.

Betsy is a social worker in Vermont who has recently adopted a 13-year-old named Marisa. Although she has had a very difficult life, Marisa is somewhat of a math savant and a fascinating character. The sisters are distant, mostly because Crissy blames Betsy for their mother’s death. Betsy’s boyfriend works in a very shady company that deals in cryptocurrency, and they decide to move to Vegas, a move that Crissy doesn’t like.

The story is told from three points of view – Crissy, Betsy, and a little input in between that you figure out quickly. I thought the characters were well-developed and interesting. But what hit me was the teasing pace that kept me wanting to read more. The first part of the book lulls you into the mystery of modern gangsters, murders, and a potential political scandal. But when you get about halfway through, the action is nonstop.

The last 100 pages are a tour de force – the only way to describe it is “unputdownable” (even though it isn't a word)! I enjoyed this book very much and am excited to read more of his work.

The Princess of Las Vegas by Chris Bohjalian was a twisted ride through Las Vegas. Estranged twins that look very much alike both end up Las Vegas for entirely different reasons.. One is a long standing impersonator of Princess Di Tribute, while the other is there for another is there for a job opportunity with her newly adopted 13 y.o. daughter. Unbeknownst to the sister moving to Vegas, the company she is working for is up to some nefarious nonsense. This affected many characters and many outcomes. Good and twisty but the twin story isn't a new one.

'No one escapes who they are.' Crissy Dowling has tried to do that. She's an award-winning impersonator of the legendary Princess Diana and has a residency at a second-rate casino off the strip in Las Vegas. And like Diana, she's bulimic--it's her way to stay so painfully thin. She finds it easier and safer to stay in that assumed persona even in her off-hours, with diazepam to mellow out and an Adderall buzz to get her up for her performances.

Now her worse nightmare is coming true: her younger sister Betsey is moving to Vegas. The two sisters have been estranged for years with their past grievances and their mother's sudden death coming between them. Betsey has been working a social worker in their Vermont hometown, but has now accepted a job in Las Vegas as an administrative assistant with a new cryptocurrency company called Futurium. Her new boyfriend Frankie has gotten her the position and, Surprise! She's also bringing along Marisa, a teenage girl she has adopted, a foster care kid who is in dire need of a family and a stable home.

So now Crissy cannot hide from whom she really is and there will be constant reminders of their painful past. And worse, Betsey looks so much like Crissy (and Diana) that forces of evil may have plans to use her in their schemes. Bad guys galore and lots of twists and turns keep the exciting plot humming along. One of Bohjalian's best!

Many thanks to the author and publisher for granting me an arc of this new thriller via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Crissy Dowling is an tribute performer in a second tier casino (Buckingham Palace, or BP) in Las Vegas, her character being Princess Diana - she has the looks, has the accent, and has really taken on her persona in real life. Betsy Dowling is a behavior counselor in Vermont, has a boyfriend, Frankie, who now works for cryptocurrency firm, Futurium, having lost his position as a member of the Moscow office of an investment bank, and has recently adopted Marissa, one her former patients. Frankie is moving to Las Vegas, so Betsy decides to follow him there when she is offered a position in Futurium. Two brothers (and the owners of the BP casino) mysteriously commit suicide only days apart and it becomes clear that the owners of Futurium are looking to buy a casino with the idea of bringing cryptocurrency into the gambling world. But did the brothers actually commit suicide? And who are the players in Futurium? And what are their motives? A slow but steady building of tension in this story of greed and crime - not a lot of unexpected twists or turns but just a succession of building blocks to an explosive conclusion.

I have read several books by Chris Bohjalian and have enjoyed them all (well all but one!). In this book, the build up is slow and steady with somewhat of a surprising ending. His character development is very good, and the underlying basis for this book - cryptocurrency - is timely and not overwhelmingly technical. My thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this novel.

In my experience, this is an author with good tales to tell. I have never visited Vegas nor am I a royal fan, but this story was solid. I enjoyed the character development of both the protagonist and her niece. It was a pretty fast-paced story, the only negative thing I have to say is the climax seemed to start and be over super quick. I know you can drag some scenes out, but this could have been a bit more meaty. Overall, a good one to recommend.

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. It becomes a thrill ride of crime, murder, and crypto. Family secrets become unearthed as they all fight to stay alive.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this e-arc.*

Intrigue and drama in sin city...

Crissy Dowling has a residency at the second-rate Buckingham Palace Casino in Las Vegas where she spends most nights of the week doing two shows as a Diana impersonator. She's spent years becoming Diana and has really embraced her character. Crissy isn't very social and spends her days poolside, drinking or dropping some pills, in a cabana that she has earned as one of her perquisites. She's not close to her younger sister, Betsy, and so is stunned to hear that Betsy has adopted a teenage girl and is moving out to Las Vegas to take a job with her current boyfriend, Frankie. Betsy's job is ostensibly as a secretary for a company that intends to make cryptocurrency big in the city. Unfortunately, they are most likely gangsters and bad things start to happen.

After a very slow start and lots of boring information about fintech and crypto, this got a little more exciting toward the very end -- even if most of what happened was fairly implausible. I didn't care for the Diana angle nor the way the narrative was obviously speaking the author's opinions about the royal family. That whole aspect of the novel had so little to do with the actual plot. That said, the other angle, the Vegas mafia, is also not of interest either. I never grew to like any of the characters and the conclusion was quite predictable.

I've found the Bohjalian novels to be hit or miss with me and this one was the latter. It took me forever to read because I just never got fully vested in the story. Was glad to finally finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday books for the e-book ARC to read and review.

I have read a few of Chris Bohjalian's other works and the premise of this one is what caught me. Crissy performs a Princess Diana tribute at an off the strip hotel/casino and has done for many years. She has perfected her game - the winsome looks, the accent and the affectations. She has made a name for herself in the world of tribute performers and seems content in her life. Until her sister and her newly adopted niece come into town. Betsy (Crissy's younger sister) comes to town with her new boyfriend. Both are part of a cryptocurrency outfit that is hoping to make Las Vegas into one of its hubs. Vegas, however, seems to have different ideas and what ensues is a series of what seem to be isolated events but add up to quite a large operation. I read this pretty fast, curious about how it was all going to work out, and enjoyed the plot, characters and pacing. It was a good, solid read.

I wanted to love this but it was just too slow and couldn't keep my interest. There were a lot of moving parts but I wasn't really interested in any of them so I kept having to go back and reread since my mind was wandering. Maybe I will try to finish this eventually but for right now I put it down.

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.

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.

As always Bohjalian knocks it out of the park. The storyline is engaging and he does a great job with character development. The setting descriptions made you feel like you were there on the stage or by the cabanna, or in the hotel room. Even as someone who doesn't typically enjoy stories involving the royal family, it was done very tastefully.

I have read other books by this author and I really liked them. But I did cloud not get into this book. I just found it a little boring and I did not like this one.

I've enjoyed this author in the past and I love Princess Di, so I thought this would be a great read. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a dud.

I will say I liked the premise of the book and the chracters but it wasn't executed well. We get three different characters' perscpectives, two are in first person and one is in third. It seems it would have been better to have them all in first. Going back and forth like that was jarring. The third person's identity is never revealed but the reader can easily figure it out. I don't know why it was in italics and unlabeled.

I did enjoy getting a look at what life in Las Vegas might be like. I hope it's not this dark but it probably is. We also learn a lot about Princess Di.

Overall the book dragged so much. It wasn't until 70% that things started happening and then it was all crammed into that last little bit. Up until that point the writng was quite repetitive. Also the end felt rushed and abrupt. Which doesn't mean I wish it was longer, it could have probably been 100 pages shorter and a better reading experience.

I won't recommend this one.

The Princess of Las Vegas by Chris Bohjalian #twentyfirstbookof2024 #arc #verseandvinoauthor

CW: murder, death, discussion of suicide

Crissy has a residency in Las Vegas, playing Princess Diana in a low rent casino off the strip. Her estranged sister Betsy lives in Vermont, until adopting her thirteen year old foster daughter and moving with her boyfriend Frankie to you guessed it, Vegas. Unfortunately, Frankie’s colleagues in his new crypto-based job are connected. As in the mob, and now Betsy and her daughter Marisa are in over their head and drag Crissy into a life and death situation.

I really loved this book. Reading about Crissy’s Diana-themed show was fascinating. I’m a royal watcher, I can admit, so it was interesting to learn about the material and methods of creating her show. Her sister Betsy was a complete idiot, and I was so frustrated by her behavior. She always made the wrong decision when faced with a choice. But the book was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it. I’ve never been to Vegas and I kind of want to visit now. Author Chris Bohjalian is an automatic read at this point, and it’s always exciting to learn what’s he’s researching next.

Thank you to @doubledaybooks and @netgalley for the advance copy. (Pub date 3/19/24)

#princessoflasvegas