Book Summary
In Next to Heaven, James Frey plunges readers into the gilded world of New Bethlehem, Connecticut—a town of multimillion-dollar homes, country clubs, and meticulously hidden dysfunction. The story centers on Devon Kensington McCallister and Belle Hedges Moore, two wealthy socialites who orchestrate a swingers’ party to disrupt their monotonous lives of privilege. What begins as a decadent night of partner-swapping spirals into betrayal, chaos, and ultimately, murder. Frey’s signature fragmented prose and unflinching gaze expose the rot beneath suburban perfection, though some may find the middle section’s pacing uneven .
Frey blends noir, psychological thriller, and biting social satire, crafting a narrative that’s both voyeuristic and morally complex. The sprawling cast—including a fallen NFL star, a predatory Wall Street banker, and a hockey coach with a taste for affairs—embodies the excesses of the 1%. While the delayed murder mystery (occurring 70% into the book) frustrates some readers, Frey’s examination of wealth’s corrosive effects makes this a provocative read for fans of Big Little Lies and The White Lotus .
Key Themes
The Illusion of Perfection: Frey dissects how extreme wealth demands performative happiness, from Instagram-ready marriages to designer-clad misery. New Bethlehem’s residents weaponize privilege to mask infidelity, addiction, and emotional voids. The swingers’ party becomes a metaphor for their desperation to feel something real—even if it destroys them .
Power and Gender: Male characters wield financial and physical dominance (Billy McCallister’s hedge fund is literally called “The Closer”), while women like Devon and Belle manipulate social capital. Frey critiques patriarchal structures but occasionally veers into caricature, as when a socialite is simultaneously offended and aroused by being called “Miss Fancy Pants” .
What Makes It Unique
Frey’s stylistic audacity sets this apart: staccato sentences, brand-name decadence (“Boca do Lobo sofas, Roche Bobois armchairs”), and a pharmacopeia of recreational drugs heighten the surreal excess. The lack of quotation marks creates a feverish, cinematic flow, though some readers find it disorienting. Structurally, Frey mirrors the characters’ unraveling—early chapters drip with exposition, while the frenetic finale mirrors their loss of control .
The novel’s timeliness resonates amid growing wealth inequality. Frey, once dubbed the “Bad Boy of American Literature,” leans into his notoriety with unapologetic vulgarity (e.g., a penis described as a “yogurt cannon”). This isn’t subtle satire—it’s a Molotov cocktail tossed at America’s elite, complete with a murder mystery chaser.
Reader Reactions
Critics praise Frey’s “hypnotic rhythm” (Kirkus) and “deliriously over-the-top portrait of decadence” (Bustle). However, Goodreads reviews are polarized: some adore the “messy, rich privilege tropes,” while others deride repetitive prose and underdeveloped characters. A recurring critique involves Frey’s admission of using AI tools, which some readers believe contributes to the novel’s uneven quality .
Fans of provocative storytelling applaud lines like, “Humbling women seems to me a chief pastime of poets. As if there can be no story unless we crawl and weep.” Detractors, however, cite the delayed murder plot and excessive backstory. As one NetGalley reviewer noted: “The messiness of the rich was entertaining enough—I didn’t need the murder” .
About the Author
James Frey, declared “America’s Most Notorious Author” by Time, rose to fame with the controversial A Million Little Pieces (2003). His career spans memoirs (later debunked), YA sci-fi (I Am Number Four), and unflinching fiction like Bright Shiny Morning. Frey’s fascination with outsiders and systemic corruption informs Next to Heaven—his first adult novel in seven years .
Living in Connecticut himself, Frey draws on firsthand observations of elite enclaves. His company, Full Fathom Five, famously employed ghostwriters for YA projects, and his recent embrace of AI-assisted writing sparks debate. Regardless, Frey remains a cultural lightning rod, and Next to Heaven leans hard into that reputation .
Memorable Quotes
“Behind every great fortune lies a great crime.” — The epigraph (from Balzac), framing the novel’s exploration of ill-gotten wealth .
“Oh, Connecticut, how beautiful you are… Your Maples. / Sugar and Red. / In all their motherfucking glory.” — Frey’s ode to his setting, blending lyricism and vulgarity.