Cleo Ray is an Instagram fit-fluencer on trial for the murder of her lover, Beck. Structured as a series of interviews for a docuseries, The Anatomy of Desire is a legal thriller where readers and fictional lawyers alike struggle to uncover the truth about what happened one fateful canoe trip.

Courtroom dramas aren’t really my vibe, but if they’re yours, go pick this one up! There wasn’t quite as much mystery surrounding Beck’s death as I wouldn’t have liked, but it still kept me turning pages.

This is the second book that I’ve read this month to feature an Instagram influencer as the main character. I’m not sure how I feel about this. I don’t love social media playing a central role in the books I read, but it makes sense that this is the direction that plots are going.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Anatomy of Desire by L.R. Dorn is a retelling of the classic novel An American Tragedy. I have not read that one so I have nothing to compare the two. This novel is written in the style of an interview or documentary style. It tells the story of Cleo Ray, an Instagram fitness Influencer, who has been accused of killing her lover, Rebecca. The book goes through the story of what happened, the trial, and the aftermath of the murder of Rebecca.
For me, the way the book was written was a little bit hard to get into. It just didn’t flow. Mainly because there were so many people being interviewed and before everything they said it would have their name and title. After a while I got used to this though and it was much easier to read. This wasn’t really much of a mystery or thriller. You basically know what happens from the beginning. There was one or two little surprises thrown in. Overall it was a pretty good read. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Anatomy of Desire is one of the best books I’ve read so far in 2021–hands down. Told as if it were a true crime docuseries or podcast, The Anatomy of Desire follows the sensational investigation and trial of a social media influencer that is accused of murder. I loved how the story was moved along from the perspective of various characters and even though it jumped from person to person, it was not confusing. I could not put this book down! If you like mysteries—go read this!

Where are the true crime podcast fans? While this book is fiction, it didn’t feel that way. I listened to this courtesy of @librofm and @harperaudio and the full cast narration was phenomenal.

Social media influencer Cleo is accused of murder in rural California. The subsequent media storm and trial are written through the voices of all of the major characters and it was a gripping story.

Today is my tour stop with Biblio Lifestyle and William Morrow Books for The Anatomy of Desire.
Cleo Ray is a rising Instagram Influencer and YouTube Fitness Star whose boyfriend, Sandy, is already a big star. Just being around him helps Cleo's fame, and she will do whatever it takes to get to the top. The couple puts it all out there for the world to see, and their relationship comes off as #goals. However nobody knows who Cleo's secret friend Beck/Rebecca is, but they are about to because Cleo is on trial for her murder.
What a wild ride this one is. The entire book is written in the form of a true crime transcript. While that doesn't usually work for me this time it did. There are so many players from Cleo's life and the trial that it would have been hard to keep everyone's opinions straight if it wasn't in this form. We get to see that Cleo's life has not always been easy and the lengths she went to to get where she is today. The lies she told and the secrets she kept all come out in the trial. This story dives straight into the good and the bad of social media and how one wrong action, post, comment will turn the world against you. How you can lose everything you have worked for in seconds.
I went back and forth the entire book thinking Cleo is guilty and then changing to not guilty. I really thought there was going to be some big twist thrown in at the end, but there was not so that was a little disappointing.
With all of that said I could not put this one down! Available now!
Book Rating: 4.5
Wine Pairing: Penfolds Bin 9 Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

I did not finish this book, but since there is no option for DNF, I must select 1 star as my rating. The book is written in the format of a play, with speakers identified, followed by their words. It is actually supposed to look like a podcast script. I found this format difficult to read and to follow the plot. I gave it a good try, but just could not connect with the story. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing an ARC.

I received my copy from The Scene Of The Crime Facebook groups early reads program. I hadn't even read the synopsis so I went into this one completely blind. I had no idea it was a retelling of the classic An American Tragedy. I have never read the original so the plot was new to me. The layout of the book as the transcripts of a docu-series, while a little jarring at first, ended up working well I thought.
In this incarnation, Cleo Ray is a fairly successful media influencer romantically involved with two people. One is a young woman in her first relationship with another woman, and the other is a young man who is also a successful influencer. One relationship is possibly ending while the other is picking up steam. When the young woman is found dead in the lake the mystery of how she died becomes the focus of the story. Did Cleo do it or didn't she?
Much of the story takes place in a courtroom and the dialog was riveting and had me completely captivated. While given in little snippets, the characters are adequately fleshed out and believable.
This one is getting very mixed reviews and I'm sure my enjoyment was bolstered by the fact I went into it blind. I also wasn't influenced by the original. It was easy for me to keep the characters straight and heard their individual voices.
If you've read the original I guess I'd say to maybe read the reviews to see where you might land and if you think you'd enjoy it. If you haven't read the original then I recommend you NOT read the reviews and give this one a go!

The Anatomy of Desire by L. R. Dorn is such a unique book and especially on audio! This is a full cast production of a docuseries-style novel and it is phenomenally written and executed. I really, really liked this book. It’s a true crime murder trial of an influencer who was raised by ultra religious parents. Super interesting and very well done!

Thank you, @librofm, for an audiobook for review! Thank you, @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks, for an e-arc for review!

The Anatomy of Desire by L.R. Dorn is a book like no other. You are put smack dab down into the middle of a court trial. Almost as if you are the court reporter taking notes on everyone's dialog. Cleo Ray is a self made Social Influencer with a huge following. Suddenly she is accused of killing her girlfriend?! Some fans are shocked and others are backing her, knowing Cleo Ray would never harm, let alone kill anyone.
The Anatomy of Desire was a little hard for me to get into because of writing style. I found the dialog and characters hard to follow. However, I continued on because I really liked the subject matter and I am so glad I did. I loved this story and kind of liked how it was written in the end. It definitely suited this book well.
I do not want to spoil the ending, but I will say I will be recommending this book to my fellow readers and will be watching for other works by L.R. Dorn. Special thanks to NetGalley, L.R. Dorn and William Morrow/ Custom House Publishing for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
#TheAnatomyofDesire #NetGalley

L.R. Dorn has reimagined Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy as a docuseries involving a media influencer and the death of her lover that draws you in from the first page and holds you until the final verdict. Fitness coach and media personality Cleo Ray was the daughter of street preachers who neglected family for their mission. Born Mary Claire Griffith, she changed her name when she ran away to California. With her uncle’s help she rebuilt her life. When she met Rebecca Alden there was a mutual attraction but Cleo later met influencer Sandy Finch and began a relationship with him. On a trip to Serene Lake, Becky believed that they were going to be engaged while Cleo planned to break up with her. They rented a canoe and later that day Becky’s bruised and drowned body was found while Cleo had disappeared.

After the canoe overturned, Cleo left the lake, met up with Sandy and his friends and went camping with them. She never notified anyone of Becky’s drowning and when the police tracked down the group to make an arrest the group had no idea of what had happened. Cleo denied murdering Becky, but the prosecutors felt they had a good case against her. What follows is a fascinating look at the legal system in action. From the selection of a defense attorney to the jury selection and trial you follow the actions and thoughts of Cleo, lawyers for both sides, Sandy and Cleo’s family and followers. Along the way Cleo’s relationship with Becky is explored through their email messages and interviews with co-workers.

Dorn’s docuseries format makes this story move quickly. It is an easy format to follow as each participant is introduced with their title or relevance to the case. As Dorn builds to the trial, there are revelations that explain Cleo’s history and her actions that allow the jury to render their decision. For anyone who is a fan of legal drama The Anatomy of Desire is a must read. I would like to thank NetGalley and William Morrow/Custom House for providing this book for my review.

The book is told in a docuseries format. Cleo Ray and her murder trial are the focus of the series. She is a fitness influencer that is accused of killing her girlfriend. I must admit I don’t listen to podcasts or follow docuseries, but I am fascinated to read about them. While it was missing the victim’s POV, which I guess is impossible to include since she is dead by the time the docuseries started, interviews with family, friends, the accused, prosecutors, defense team and a journalist are included. I really liked that we covered so many different versions of the arrest and trial, because no two people experience the same event in the same way.

And while there are many interviews with the accused, you have to decide how reliable she is. I found myself drawn in trying to figure out her innocence or guilt and what other characters had ulterior motives in their tellings.

I must mention that this book won’t be for everyone. It is written like a podcast/docuseries. It bounces back and forth in snippets between interviewees, pieced together for documentary’s angle. I had a slightly hard time following in the beginning because we start off with so many characters and are thrown into the middle of the story. But I am glad I persevered because I really liked the book. And by the end I actually enjoyed the interview style.

While I’m sure this isn’t the first book written like this, I think this could fit a reading challenge to read something in a different format than your usual read. I think anyone interested in true crime, docuseries or podcasts will appreciate this book.

Artful updating and re-telling of an iconic tale, originally a Theodore Dreiser book and then a famous 1950’s movie, that resonates a century later. THE ANATOMY OF DESIRE creates modest changes in gender and relationships but the origin of this story is a real life murder. Author LR Dorn has fun changing the style of story-telling to a video documentary. While every other tale based on this plot was clearly a tragedy, the method used here made sections of this book actually funny. And that may be due to the remarkable over-the-top nature of documentaries. There is a bit of THIS IS SPINAL TAP going on here because the social media influencers, at the heart of the story, are just so self-involved and goofy. They are barely living in real life and the seriousness of a murder seems to be over their heads. This is a clever repackaging of a legendary plot. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

"What if you found out something about me that sounded horrible? Would you give me a chance to explain and promise to believe me?"

The Anatomy of Desire is a murder mystery, weaving through the story of Cleo Ray, a fitness influencer and Instagram darling, who has been accused of murdering Rebecca "Beck" Alden. Written in transcript form, like a true-crime documentary, the story incorporates countless points-of-view and timelines as prosecutors, defense attorneys, family members, and friends work backwards to uncover what really happened.

"It’s not the truth that wins in court, it’s the best narrative."

Billed as a creative re-telling of Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, I had high hopes for this one, but it fell a little flat for me. I don't love transcript-style writing; I find it muddy and hard to follow. I felt this way with Daisy Jones & The Six and with The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, and I felt it again reading The Anatomy of Desire. There are just so many characters to keep track of, and it ends up feeling like none of them have their own unique voice or personality.

"I made mistakes, big ones. And there’s the difference between not guilty and innocent."

The story itself was interesting and creative; I probably would have enjoyed it more as a movie, a mini-series, or even a podcast, with a full cast of actors bringing each character to life. I would recommend it to fans of unique narrative devices like transcript/interview-style writing; or anyone who likes a good social-media-gone-wrong tale! (Happy & You Know It and People Like Her came to mind!)

"Navigate the fear, feel your feelings, but do not take off your mask."

——

Thank you to L.R. Dorn, William Morrow, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Anatomy of Desire by L.R. Dorn is a superb read which will keep you engrossed and turning pages at a rapid rate until the very last one.

4.5 I liked this book a lot. It took us through the life and murder trial of a social influencer. It was told through her perspective, from her family members, her boyfriend and the prosecution, the defense and a journalist. The ending wasn't as strong as the rest of the book, would have liked a sharper ending and also missing was the voice of the victim. While the influencer's version of the truth was given, was it really the truth

I admit to an inward groan when I realized this entire novel is written in the form of interviews for a documentary = but it works really well! It's also hard to review because of spoilers. It's clear from the beginning, however that Cleo and her girlfriend Beck went out on a lake in a canoe, Beck died, and Cleo fled to the house where her friends (and her boyfriend) Sandy were spending the weekend. Cleo had turned herself into a social influencer but she has secrets-lots of secrets- and it seems Beck might have uncovered some of them. I hadn't read An American Tragedy in many (many) years so the fact that this is loosely based on that novel wan't relevant to me- this stands on its own. The voices of the various players in this drama- Cleo, Sandy, her uncle, her defense attorney, law enforcement, Beck's parents, the newspaper reporter- all ring true,. The only one who doesn't have a say is Beck herself but she comes alive through the descriptions of others. If I have a quibble, btw, it's that her name kept reminding me of You, another novel of obsession. What exactly happened on that lake? It's not totally clear til the end in the courtroom (and btw, no way would the trial be taking place so soon after the crime but no matter). Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. It's a fast, entertaining read that keeps you guessing.

It wasn't until this year that I could do audiobooks and this is my first full cast audio, which I loved listening to! I still haven't made my way into podcasts but after listening to this book, maybe I'll give them a go. Written in a docu-series form, I enjoyed this take away from original crime format.

I had absolutely no idea that his was a retelling of An American Tragedy, a book I had never heard of - though if you have, you'll probably already know how The Anatomy of Desire will go. We see more and more how books are incorporating social media and influencer life into their stories. As we know, social media has made a HUGE impact, both good and bad, in this world and this story definitely touches on the darker side of influencer success.
I really enjoyed listening to this docu-series type format and I do love the legal side of thrillers - though they're sometimes not quite realistic and I felt this one was definitely off a bit buttttttt it's fiction and it made these scenes very entertaining to listen to. I did flip through the ARC I received and the whole book appears to be in a transcript type format so I'm not sure how it would have resonated for me had I read this with my eyes and not my ears. Even so, while there were no big twists or reveals and we got to learn more about Cleo, Beck and their relationship, I felt this story flowed well. I do think this a testament to the narrators. Big applause to them! However, over all it was a middle of the road kind of read for me. A lot that I liked but nothing that really wowed me overall within the story itself.

THE ANATOMY OF DESIRE is a modern-retelling of An American Tragedy, the age-old story of blind ambition and desire leading to murder. Social media influencer Cleo Ray finds herself at the center of a murder trial when her canoe trip with Beck Alden goes awry. The story is structured as a true crime docuseries a la Serial that follows the rise and fall of Cleo Ray.

I have never read Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy, so I went into this book completely blind. The story is very much a courtroom drama rather than a page-turning thriller, with secrets from Cleo Ray’s past slowly coming to light as the case unfolds.

I flew through this book in a day with a combination of audio and eBook. The audiobook lends itself nicely to the docuseries structure with an extremely well-done full cast recording. At the same time, the structure made the characters feel a bit one-dimensional to me. If you’re debating print vs audio, I’d 100% recommend listening to this one on audio!

The novel sparks interesting conversations about how people portray themselves online compared to who they truly are. When public image is everything, what toll does that take on our true selves? This question is a timely one and made me consider the way I interact with social media on a daily basis.

RATING: 3.5/5 stars (rounded up)

A big thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for a digital copy of this book, and Libro.FM for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This review is currently posted to Goodreads. Review will be posted to my Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks/ on 5/10/21 in advance of pub date.

The Anatomy of Desire by L.R. Dorn was a solid five star read for me. The description of the book sounded interesting and didn’t realize the book is a modern retelling of Theodore Dreiser’s “An American Tragedy”, which is based on an actual case. In this version, Cleo Ray, a popular online fitness coach and social media influencer, is on trial for murdering her girlfriend. She is accused of drowning her girlfriend, fleeing the scene, and spending a romantic weekend with the man she had also been seeing at the same time as the victim. The crime takes place in a conservative, rural area of California so her defense team is worried the jury will be judging not only the crime for which she is accused, but also her lifestyle. The whole story is told as if it is part of a documentary in an interview format with the accused, law enforcement, lawyers on both sides, and witnesses as well as through courtroom transcripts.

I really enjoyed this style which presented only the most important aspects of the case from multiple points of view from when the crime was first reported through the aftermath of the trial. Nothing in the story is extraneous - every detail included is important. Readers get to see things through the eyes of the sheriff’s department, the defense, the prosecutors, friends and family of the accused, family members of the victim and the accused herself. This format allowed multiple points of view while maintaining a logical, easy-to-follow story.

I became engrossed in the story and felt I was able to get to know the main characters through this format very well. My favorite character is the DA who is skilled in the courtroom and comes across as a man of integrity. The drama in the courtroom scenes comes through from the transcripts and by this point in the book, I was completely riveted to the story. It becomes obvious very quickly that the accused is a practiced liar, but the jury must decide if she is also a murderer. I loved this book and highly recommend it to both crime fiction and true crime fans.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Scene of the Crime Early Reads for providing an advance copy of this ebook. The book was provided to me at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

This book is about the murder trial of a social media influencer and includes sex and high drama and all kinds of twisty turns. It is also written in the form of a documentary. I'll tell you now, I'd watch this documentary as soon as it came available, but it's a little disjointed to read a documentary-style format in a novel. It's still an interesting book, with a fascinating backstory and a solid, unexpected ending. Most of your crime-loving patrons will find this worth working through the format to get to the meat of the novel, with all of its drama and emotion.