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 “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 “ The Princess of Las Vegas starts with the co-owner of a fictional casino (the British-themed Buckingham Palace) catching one in the temple…it’s a bang-up way to get things going....Bohjalian has long been able to elevate these kinds of tales by writing about inward madness as well as outward. He draws characters with whom we immediately empathize.... Fascinating....Powerful, even at times audacious.” —Tod Goldberg, The Washington Post “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 "Chris Bohjalian has a type. His recent thrillers are about glamorous, imperiled women who may not be trustworthy but whose senses of humor makes us like them anyway…[He] writes with verve and humor, and his depiction of a seedy, past-its prime casino feels just right…Keeps us guessing until the end.” —Chris Hewitt, Minneapolis Star-Tribune "Riveting... Same old same old isn't something you get from Chris Bohjalian. No ruts for this author... Bohjalian nails the seedy atmosphere of Las Vegas off the strip.” —Gail Pennington, St. Louis Post-Dispatch “A narrative of twists and turns focusing on family secrets.” —Doni Wilson, Houston Chronicle "Subsisting on Adderall and Valium, a slim, beautiful Princess Diana impersonator makes a good living in Vegas until the day her estranged sister shows up, setting in motion a thriller that involves organized crime, unscrupulous cryptocurrency bros and shady politicians." —New York Times "This literary thriller...is about many things, including cryptocurrency, organized crime and family secrets....Bohjalian's books [are] juicy but literary at the same time. They’re so smart but feel like candy.” — WBEZ Chicago, "A Nerdette Pick for 2024" “A twisting double helix of a mystery…The Princess of Las Vegas is two stories. One is a willies-inducing murder mystery…the other is about the folly of keeping secrets and holding grudges. Both are tight, captivating tales that balance and support each other as they unfold.” — Jordan Adams, Seven Days “A wonderful book....I absolutely could not put it down.” —Anne Lamott, New York Times best-selling author of Bird by Bird “The perfect balance of sophisticated characterization and wild, rollicking plot." — CrimeReads “Bohjalian excels at creating flawed and pained women, with histories that are often shocking and al
