I devoured this book today. I started the audiobook because I had a long drive and then read the rest of the physical book as soon as I got home. It had me hooked!

I wouldn’t say it’s a thriller. It has more of a true crime feel, even though it’s fiction. I felt like I was listening to a true crime podcast or watching a Netflix true crime documentary. Rather than the big twists we find in thrillers, it was more about discovering new information about the characters and following along with the court case.

The audiobook is fantastic! This is one of those times where the audiobook version was just as good, if not better, than reading the book alone. It’s a full cast audiobook and that made it feel so realistic.

I would definitely recommend this book, especially for true crime fans.

Thanks to William Morrow for the advanced copy of the Anatomy of Desire

This story is written from the perspective of about 10 different people. At first, it was difficult to follow along with all the different characters, but then as I got some pages in, it actually became pretty enjoyable to read the story this way.

Cleo Ray is a social media star who is torn between two people: Sandy, a social media star in his own right, and Rebecca, a makeup artist that Cleo met on set. Rebecca ends up dead, but what is the real story behind her death? Did Cleo do it?

Review:

“What does it matter if an influencer gains all the followers in the world only to lose her soul?”

This was based off of “An American Tragedy”, which is based off of the 1906 drowning of Gracie Mae Brown. I think it was a really interesting take to make it modern by including the “American Dream” as influencers with status and sponsor deals. Social Media has left its mark on the world, and I think this kind of reveals the ugly side of it. Also, if you’re looking for a movie, A Place in the Sun (starring Elizabeth Taylor & Shelley Williams) is another based off of, and it’s one of my favorite movies of all time. I watched it in a history class in HS, and it’s always stuck with me. When I was listening, I couldn’t help but think of that movie because of the canoe, so I’m glad there’s a connection there!

The authors are screenwriters and that is definitely shown in The Anatomy of Desire. The way the story played out had me feeling like I was watching a Crime Docuseries! I appreciated their author’s note at the end that provided the lineage of which character was based off of whom.

The format on the book may not be for some as it’s done in interview type format. (think Daisy Jones) I LOVED this format. It’s a concise way to get the point across. I did an audio/read combo and really thought the entire cast of readers were fantastic. This format is perfect for audio, and they delivered.

For fans of Making a Murderer, or if you really enjoyed Payne Lindsey with Up and Vanished, this is for you. Thank you William Morrow for the gifted copy. The Anatomy of Desire is out May 4th!

Experimental narratives have long been part of the literary tradition, which also means they have made their way into the crime fiction realm. Recent books like Janice Hallett’s The Appeal (told entirely via email communications) or modern classics like JJ Abram/Doug Dorst’s S (using handwritten marginalia and loose ephemera to expand the narrative) and the Edgar-Award-winning Young Adult novel, Sadie, by Courtney Summers (which incorporates a multi-voice podcast between the singular voice of the book’s protagonist) all prove that there are countless ways to alter the traditional novel format in order to tell the most compelling story possible. The writing team using the moniker L. R. Dorn will most certainly be added to this list with their debut, The Anatomy of Desire.

The Anatomy of Desire is presented as a transcript to a true crime documentary with the speaker of each monologue or statement clearly identified, followed by what that person actually had to say. These statements range in size from a mere sentence to longer diatribes. There are longer sections that transcribe what happens in the courtroom, but again only via the use of dialogue. Since it is immediately clear that novel serves as the foundation for a fictional docuseries, readers are conscious of the fact that the writer/director Duncan McMillan is manipulating the proceedings by choose what is revealed and when it is disclosed to the audience in order to elevate the tension in his finished product.


At the heart of the story is Cleo Ray, a young woman who was raised in a strict, conservative environment by ultra-religious parents. After asserting her independence, she has established herself as a fitness expert and has risen in the ranks to become one of the world’s most famous social media influencers. When a leisurely canoe excursion in Inyo County, California (an extremely conservative location) ends with Cleo on the run and Rebecca Alden – the friend she was with – drowned, that perfect life begins to crumble to dust.

The docuseries transcript highlights key moments in the narrative from Cleo’s arrest to the public outcry, the trial – with both the prosecution and defense case presented, and finally the resolution and aftermath. The courtroom aspect of the novel works well to keep readers flipping the pages anxious to know what the verdict will be. Reader’s loyalty will no doubt shift multiple times throughout the exposé. Since there is no exposition in The Anatomy of Desire, L. R. Dorn expects the reader to do the work of building the scenes in their mind, imagining how they unfold, and ultimately drawing their own conclusions. The two authors that make up L. R. Dorn both have backgrounds in screenwriting, which serves them well here. They have the skills necessary to bring characters fully to life with only the use of their spoken words and dialogue. Readers may find it a bit disconcerting at the start, but it is not very long before one could identify each speaker without even needing the provided attribution tags.

The Anatomy of Desire is inspired by Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy. Readers familiar with that classic work will notice similarities in names and set-pieces from that earlier work, but L. R. Dorn is intent on making this a tragic morality tale for the modern age, so topics like the power of social media, celebrity idolatry, fluid sexuality, and the clash between conservative ideals and liberal freedoms are forefront.

The Anatomy of Desire would be a success even for a veteran author, but the fact that this is a debut is quite astonishing and portends for greater things in the future. There are certain to be many fans anxious to see what comes next from this inventive writing duo.

Part of the marketing blurb for this book calls it an "utterly mesmerizing page-turner." Nailed it! Written in the format of a true crime docuseries, this psychological thriller is indeed mesmerizing. The characterizations are brilliant and the format for telling each character's part is riveting.

Cleo Ray is a rising social media influencer with a problem. She's in love with two people: Beck Alden, a woman who is has just come out to her mother that she is gay and Sandy Finch, a male fellow influencer who, by association, can help her career. She must choose one and end the relationship with the other. She makes her choice but her decision results in Beck's death and Cleo's arrest for murder. The book follows the trial from multiple character's perspectives and exposes the many poor decisions and actions Cleo has made. As the docuseries plays out, the courtroom scenes are as dramatic as the personal relationships among the major characters are intriguing. The question as to Cleo's guilt or innocence keeps one turning pages to see what verdict will be.

The format for telling the story may not be original but it is executed to perfection. As a reader I was caught up in the drama of the lives of these characters and found myself rooting for a verdict that would satisfy my leanings as to Cleo's guilt or innocence. Which way I was leaning, I won't say. Go read the book yourself and see what you think. Did Cleo murder Beck?

A special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC. The publication date is May 11, 2021.

The Anatomy of Desire is a fast paced read that have many comparing it to a retelling of American Tragedy which I have not read.

The Anatomy of Desire has it all, love, a love triangle, betrayal and a murder trial that will keep those pages turning and the lights on.

It took me a bit to get used to the format with all the different narrators but once I did, I could not turn the pages fast enough.

Cleo is accused of murdering her girlfriend Becca and I could not help but like Cleo.

The ending was unsuspected .

Put The Anatomy of Desire close to the top of your TBR pile.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House, William Morrow for a captivating read.

This work is a modern-day update of Theodore Dreiser’s An American Tragedy, told in the form of a true crime documentary transcript, with interviews of all the protagonists. Cleo is a successful social media fitness influencer with a hidden past. She escaped her missionary parents to lead a completely different life, in love with a man in the social media world while carrying on a secret affair with a woman named Beck. She is accused of drowning Beck, and the story recounts her capture and trial for murder. This psychological thriller’s documentary format is an interesting device to update this story of a tragic love triangle.

Do not waste your time with this one. I gave it 20%, and I gave up. Harsh thoughts ahead...

The first and foremost problem is how this book is written. The jagged interview spurts as transcript from a podcast do not translate well. If I was interested in a podcast format, I would listen to a dang podcast. Just because the interview format worked for Daisy Jones does not mean that a plethora of other books have to follow suit as a trend.

The plot seemed antiquated. If this was written/published in 2002 in NOT a podcast transcript format, I could understand how it could be seen as edgy and evocative, but not in 2021. Sexual orientations besides heterosexuality are not TABOO for crying out loud!!

Hard pass. I will not be recommending this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Sorry that I couldn't muster to finish it.

I recommend the audio version of this book, as it reads like a podcast and was most enjoyable while listening to it! A social media influenced is on trial for murder and the author takes us through her whole trial. The choosing of the jury was a super interesting aspect, would have loved to hear even more about each person!

“What does it matter if an influencer gains all the followers in the world only to lose her soul?”

I've read a string of really great books lately, including this one, so I'm really hoping that doesn't mean I'm heading for a hardcore crash. :)

The Anatomy of Desire was an incredibly pleasant surprise for me. I would read late into the night until my eyelids refused to stay open any longer. The way it's written - in the form of a docuseries which interviews all the key players who had a role in the murder trial of social media influencer, Cleo Ray - was addictive. It made for a very quick read, and instead of stopping at the end of a chapter, I'd find myself thinking, "Just a couple more pages."

According to the authors, husband and wife duo, Matt Dorff and Suzanne Dunn, this novel was actually based on “a true crime drowning of Grace Mae Brown by her lover, Chester Gillette” – a story from 1906 which then went on to inspire a novel called An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. Having never heard of this particular crime, or reading this Dreiser novel...I can't really make an educated comment about whether or not this book lives up to its predecessor.

What this book does brilliantly, however, is show the flesh and blood person behind the screen; their trials and tribulations, their history, and their sad and shocking traumas. I found myself rooting for Cleo, despite the many less-than-desirable choices she made. I'll also say this: The Anatomy of Desire was one of the most gripping courtroom dramas I've read in a very long time.

I highly recommend this book!

4.5 stars
Available May 11, 2021

My sincere appreciation to NetGalley and William Morrow for my review copy.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. At first, I found it difficult to keep the various characters/narrators straight but once I started thinking of it as reading the script of a true crime TV show, it really started to flow for me. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me interested. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!

Damn this book ended up being extremely well written and well shocked her until about halfway through and things kind of fell out and burned out for me.

And after the story itself it wasn't too compelling but I still kept turning the page wanting to see how it all gets figured out and ended and put together.

I definitely had no idea at first that it was a retelling of an American Tragedy.

But nothing really surprised me there was no good plot twist or real cliffhangers. Just no surprises and as I said before once it hit the middle it just kind of felt too drawn out and meh to me

This book was really well written, with a narrative structure that built a lot of suspense - it definitely kept me turning the pages. However, about midway through it started to feel drawn out, like I was being strung along and there was no "there there." The story was ok, just not very compelling. I wasn't able to invest much in the characters, in particular the main character, because she was not very likable. However, she wasn't unlikable enough to elicit that feeling that you hope she gets what she deserves. In fact, there's an attempt to make her morally appealing at the end of the book which falls flat and feels odd. I liked the pacing, and the fact that it unfolds a courtroom drama from the various characters on both sides of the perpetrator.

I didn't realize until the end that this was a retelling of An American Tragedy! It has been awhile since I read that, so maybe that is why I didn't figure it out, but Dreiser's book is one of my very favorites.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book!

The Anatomy of Desire by L R Dorn is a reimagined telling of An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. It has been given a fresh, contemporary feel. Told in a “docuseries” format via a series of interviews, it is a psychological thriller and peek into the mind of a young woman and her Desire to be successful. Cleo Ray, a social media influencer, is accused of murdering her girlfriend, Rebecca/Beck Alden by drowning her while on a canoe trip. Cleo claims innocence, and as you read the interviews, you wonder, did Cleo do it, or was it an accident? The trial testimony is well-done with perspectives from both the defense and the prosecution.
I look forward to reading more from the writing team known as L R Dorn.
Thanks to William Morris, Harper Collins, Scene of the Crime, and NetGalley for this ARC. My opinions are freely given.

This book didn't really live up to my expectations. I finished it reluctantly. The story is laid out early on and the most of the book is about the trial and afterwards.

L.R. Dorn pulls you right in with a twisted tale of Cleo, a social media influencer who meets Becks. Becks is dead within an hour of their departure of a boat ride. Is it a lovers quarrel? An accident? Murder? Only Cleo knows and she’s missing. You won’t put it down once you start reading.

Thank you NetGalley for my arc. This kept me guessing on how things were going to end up. The story is told from multiple views. Focuses on an influencer named Cleo and her friend/girlfriend Becks. Two girls go out on a boat in the lake only to be found flipped over and one dead and the other escaped the accident....what happened?

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley

Cleo after "rebranding" herself and moving to LA is about to realize her dreams! But one summer she is on a canoe trip with a friend that ends up with her friend being found dead, and Cleo is missing. Investigators wonder what happened, did Cleo kill her friend, did someone kill both of them, was the death an accident?

The book pulls you in and is hard to put down. I enjoyed reading it!

Cleo Ray is on the rise! She has made it big as a fitness and healthy living social media influencer and is dating the hottest male sports influencer who is about ready to propose! What could possibly bring her down? Perhaps...being implicated in a murder of a young woman in a scenario that appears to be a lovers' quarrel gone terribly wrong. What in the world has Cleo been hiding?? Quite a bit, as it turns out. Written in the form of a true crime podcast/documentary, this story follows the trial of Cleo Ray through interviews and conversations with those involved. This is the second book in the last month or so that I've read with this true crime podcast format, and I have to say, I'm really digging it. As I said with the last one, I believe that this could make a kick-ass audiobook, and I may even give it a listen if it does come out on audiobook. I am also a sucker for a good courtroom drama, and this gives you all that and more. The ending was unexpected, but I felt that it was a good way to end this story. I could not put this down while I was reading it and fully recommend it if you are a true crime junkie, fan of courtroom drama, or just enjoy a good story.

This fast paced book employs an interesting narrative structure--a screenplay transcript that reads like an oral history--to (re-)tell the classic story of murder and accountability that Theodore Dreiser explored in An American Tragedy, which itself was based on a true crime. This updated version feels clever and modern, especially because its central characters are social media influencers, for whom an obsession with appearances and a lack of self accountability seem quite believable. Recommended for all readers, especially fans of courtroom drama.