Next to Heaven: A Novel (Hardcover)

"NSFW Gatsby." --Book of the Month "A sizzling beach read about the misdeeds of the rich." -- Wall Street Journal "The novel on every beach towel this summer, all summer, everywhere." -- Esquire Uncover the dark underbelly of the American dream America's most perfect town, in this "lurid" and "propulsive" novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author James Frey ( New York Times Book Review Podcast)-and discover a world where privilege, sex, scandal, and murder lurk beneath a flawless veneer. New Bethlehem, Connecticut. Picture-perfect lawns, manicured hedges, and multi-million dollar homes present a carefully curated facade. But beneath the designer yoga gear and country club memberships lies a darker reality. "It's this pulpy, Collins-esque beach read about the 1% of the 1%. It's sexy and it's fun and it's an easy read about intrigue--it's Your Friends and Neighbors . It's Billions . It's The White Lotus before the vacation." (Bestselling author and podcaster Rich Roll) In this world of excess, best friends Devon and Belle have it all--beauty, money, status. But they want something more. Something dangerous. Something that makes them feel alive. Their solution? A party--a meticulously curated gathering of New Bethlehem's elite, from a desperate ex-NFL quarterback to a hockey coach with a penchant for married women, and a ruthless Wall Street "closer" who wields his wealth like a weapon. One night. An ultra-elite swingers party. Multiple betrayals. And a murder that will shatter New Bethlehem's carefully constructed facade. Enter a world of troubled opulence and sharp betrayal that's reminiscent of "The White Lotus," "Your Friends and Neighbors," and "Big Little Lies"--a world of spectacularly badly-behaved rich people where money can buy anything. . .until it ruins everything. Behind every great fortune, lies a great crime. " --Honoré de Balzac "A Connecticut sex romp-cum-murder mystery . . . 'big nods' to Jackie Collins, Danielle Steel, and Tom Wolfe." -- Vanity Fair "A satirical look at the "beautiful, wealthy and unsatisfied.'" -- People Magazine "Lurid . . . Propulsive. . . appeals to one's baser instincts." -- New York Times Book Review Podcast "A deliriously over-the-top portrait of decadence on the brink." -- Bustle