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book cover for Next To Heaven

Next To Heaven

A Novel

Narrated by Gina Gershon

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Pub Date Jun 17 2025 | Archive Date Not set
AE Titles / S&S Audio | Simon & Schuster Audio

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Description

Narrated by actress Gina Gershon.

"Gleefully trashy page-turner set among the one percent . . .Frey is in his element here. Let the revels begin!" —Kirkus Reviews

"A satirical look at the 'beautiful, wealthy and unsatisfied.'" —People Magazine

A darkly funny, razor sharp plunge into America’s most perfect town, where privilege, sex, scandal, and murder lurk beneath a flawless veneer, from #1 New York Times bestselling author James Frey.

Behind every great fortune, lies a great crime.
- Honoré de Balzac

New Bethlehem, Connecticut. Picture-perfect lawns, manicured hedges, multi-million dollar homes. But beneath the designer yoga gear and country club memberships lies a darker reality.

In this world of excess, 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. Multiple betrayals. And a murder that will shatter New Bethlehem’s carefully constructed facade.

Fans of "The White Lotus" and "Big Little Lies" will be drawn into the dark underbelly of the American Dream – a world where money can buy anything, until it ruins everything.

Fair warning, this book contains:
- Betrayal
- Murder
- An ultra-elite swingers party
- Spectacularly badly-behaved rich people
Narrated by actress Gina Gershon.

"Gleefully trashy page-turner set among the one percent . . .Frey is in his element here. Let the revels begin!" —Kirkus Reviews

"A satirical look at the...

Advance Praise

"Gleefully trashy page-turner set among the one percent . . .Frey is in his element here. Let the revels begin!" —Kirkus Reviews

"Reading Next to Heaven felt like binge-watching a glossy prestige drama while snacking on popcorn and silently judging everyone onscreen. It’s giving Desperate Housewives meets The White Lotus with a sprinkle of “what if everyone’s worst impulse had a Black Amex?” vibes." —Goodreads Reviewer

"Gleefully trashy page-turner set among the one percent . . .Frey is in his element here. Let the revels begin!" —Kirkus Reviews

"Reading Next to Heaven felt like binge-watching a glossy prestige...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format, Unabridged
ISBN 9781668135938
PRICE $25.00 (USD)
DURATION 10 Hours, 27 Minutes, 11 Seconds

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (AUDIO)

Average rating from 53 members


Featured Reviews

I have has never heard of this author until after I read this so I didn't know his background went in blind. I learnt his back story after reading, I can see why the book worked so well and I felt so real now.

This book for me was a mix of wit, mystery and dark undertone it flows and reads easy but never once felt lazy or brain fluffy it was insightful observant and smart it never once was a chore to read. I read it over a day I couldn't put tot down.

I loved the short chapters each told from a different characters POV in the third person. There was vast cast of characters each with a unique voice and story they interlinked perfectly to tell what was complex plot that was told with real style. There was a sense of pending tension though out, the characters developing as the plot does...the writing was truly a class act.

I got big white lotus, little big lies, Kevin Kwan and Emma Rosenblum vibes from this which I loved.

Really really enjoyed this one, great from start to finish I'd say it make perfect pool side reading.

Crying out to be made into Netflix series

A strong 4.5 Stars

As an audiobook it works really, the reader had good tone and kept the pace well

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Frey has created a world of privilege that everyone will do anything to get to. I want something else to happen in this glitzy neighborhood so I can go back! The story and dialogue would lend well to a movie or series. Gershon as the narrator was perfect. The sexy drawl of her voice lent to the nefarious characters and the mystery at hand.

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I really enjoyed this. It definitely reminded me a lot of Big Little Lies, with much more debauchery. I did find it difficult, at times, to keep the characters and their spouses straight but in the end, it all fell together nicely for me. I did predict the reveal but that didn't make it any less enjoyable for me. After all, I support women's rights and, more importantly, women's wrongs.

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Next To Heaven, written by James Frey and narrated by Gina Gershon, is an absolute must read/listen! In a way, it felt like a modern twist on the kinds of novels that turned me on to reading ages ago written by authors like Jacqueline Susann, Jackie Collins, and Sidney Sheldon. Thoroughly escapist and unputdownable. The fictional town of New Bethlehem is really New Canaan, CT—the town right beside mine in Fairfield County, CT. I recognized all the landmarks and his descriptions are spot on. Some characters I loved, some I loved to hate. But I enjoyed every minute!! And Gerson has the perfect sultry voice for this book! Highly recommend!!!

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