The Princess of Las Vegas

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of substance use, disordered eating, and death by suicide.

Richie Morley, a co-owner of Buckingham Palace Casino, is forced to drive into the desert at gunpoint by an assassin. Richie assumes he is being killed because he has refused to sell his casino, but the assassin reveals he is being killed because he is an FBI informant. The assassin shoots Richie and returns to Buckingham Palace Casino to eat dinner.

Each chapter is preceded by italicized text in the first-person point of view of Marisa, Betsy’s daughter.

Marisa reflects on adults having temper tantrums, which she finds embarrassing.

Crissy, Marisa’s aunt, reflects on her life in Las Vegas, cryptocurrency, the British monarchy, and the Russia-Ukraine War. She promises to tell the story of what happened to her and her sister Betsy in Las Vegas.

Crissy is famous in Las Vegas for being a Diana, Princess of Wales impersonator. She has a popular tribute show at Buckingham Palace Casino. She prides herself on her knowledge of Diana and sometimes struggles to divide herself from Diana’s personality.

One day, Nigel, who plays Prince Charles, comes to see Crissy at her poolside cabana.