The Princess of Las Vegas
Doubleday
March 19, 2024
Hardcover/Audio
400
Purchased/Library
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.
My review:
Let me start by saying why this author is an auto buy for me. I have followed his work for decades, since his novel Midwives was picked as an Oprah book club selection. I remember it was such a big deal since he was from my little home state of Vermont, and back in the days of her talk show, getting picked definitely put your name on the map. That book still remains one of my favorites, along with Close Your Eyes Hold Hands, and Hour of the Witch. I love that he writes many genres, and no two books are the same with regards to plot or style. While I have enjoyed many of his thriller books, I'm very stingy when it comes to rating any thrillers 5 stars, this one being an exception! What I loved about this book and what made it stand out as not just an ordinary thriller, was that it had an extra element other than the mystery that I could sink my teeth into. It's no secret that I'm a Royals follower, and I was a huge fan of Princess Di. Having part of this story about a Diana tribute performer at a fictional Las Vegas casino called Buckingham Palace transformed this into more than the mobster/cryptocurrency/family story. Crissy is a very flawed and vulnerable character, and when her distant sister shows up in town, toting her newly adopted foster teen and boyfriend you know is up to no good, things get way more interesting. I was worried that I was going to be lost in the cryptocurrency aspect, as I know nothing about it, but it was explained well enough that it turned out to not slow down my enjoyment. The end got a little messier than I would have liked, but being that this is targeted as a thriller, it had to have some tense moments.
I loved this book! I'm familiar with Las Vegas, so all the nuggets of places on the strip were really fun to read about. The story of sisters and found family was important, and of course the Lady Di references. I may even know a tad bit more about crypto (believe me, not much!) than I did before reading. I highly recommend this book, along with the author's backlist (pick a genre and it's likely he's written it). Another fun fact, I listened to the audio, and his daughter is one of the narrators.
