Next to Heaven
A Novel
Published on 5. May 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
336 pages
979-8-89331-158-7 (ISBN)
Description
"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.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 209 mm
Width: 137 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
302 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-89331-158-7 (9798893311587)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
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.