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Published by Authors Equity
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
"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
America's most perfect town hides its darkest secrets in this "lurid" and "propulsive" novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author James Frey (New York Times Book Review Podcast) — 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.
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.
An addictive page-turner where rich people behaving badly has never been so entertaining.
"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
America's most perfect town hides its darkest secrets in this "lurid" and "propulsive" novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author James Frey (New York Times Book Review Podcast) — 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.
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.
An addictive page-turner where rich people behaving badly has never been so entertaining.
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.
Product Details
- Publisher: Authors Equity (May 5, 2026)
- Length: 336 pages
- ISBN13: 9798893311587
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Raves and Reviews
“A satirical look at the "beautiful, wealthy and unsatisfied.'”
– People Magazine
"There's murder. There's intrigue. There's deceit. Lurid . . . Propulsive. . . appeals to one's baser instincts."
– New York Times Book Review Podcast
"Gleefully trashy page-turner set among the one percent . . .Frey is in his element here. Let the revels begin!"
– Kirkus Reviews
"NSFW Gatsby."
– Book of the Month Club
"With coke-fueled monologues, a surplus of extramarital sex scenes, and plenty of suburban ennui, Next to Heaven delivers a deliriously over-the-top portrait of decadence on the brink."
– Bustle
"A sizzling beach read about the misdeeds of the rich."
– Wall Street Journal
"Next to Heaven, by James Frey … will be the novel on every beach towel this summer, all summer, everywhere. Because sex and murder, yes. And because Frey could always tell a great story."
– Esquire
"A Connecticut sex romp–cum–murder mystery . . . 'big nods' to Jackie Collins, Danielle Steel, and Tom Wolfe. Accordingly, its characters would feel at home in the White Lotus extended universe."
– Vanity Fair
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
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Book Cover Image (jpg): Next to Heaven
Trade Paperback 9798893311587
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Author Photo (jpg): James Frey
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