Next to Heaven

"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.

A world of troubled opulence and sharp betrayal. "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). A world of spectacularly badly-behaved rich people where money can buy anything. . .until it ruins everything.

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.

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

Author: James Frey
Publisher: Authors Equity
Published: 06/17/2025
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.50w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9798893310269


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 04/07/2025
Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2025

About the Author
James Frey was called America's Most Notorious Author by Time Magazine and the Bad Boy of American Literature by The New York Times. He has written multiple global bestsellers, including A Million Little Pieces, Bright Shiny Morning, and The Final Testament of the Holy Bible. His books have sold more than thirty million copies, and his work has been published in forty-two languages. He lives in a small town in Connecticut.