Patrick Radden Keefe's 'London Falling' Tries To Separate Fact From Fiction | Defector

"London Falling explores the mysterious death of Zac Brettler, a teenager who-unbeknownst to his family-was leading a double life. Brettler, an upper middle-class kid from a respectable family, had been posing as the child of a Russian oligarch and got mixed up with some very frightening people. It's a gripping tale of crime, grief, deceit, and the glittering darkness of the River Thames."

"After Zac's body is discovered face down in the mud, his mother Rachelle and father Matthew begin a desperate investigation to uncover the truth about both his death and his life. It's a moving story about family that runs parallel to the colonial history of London. The influence of wealth slowly warps Zac's desires as he desperately tries to climb the social ladder of London's elite private schools and slippery club owners who flirt with Russian mobsters."

"Keefe's work is often described as propulsive or novelistic, carefully balancing his primary narrative with just the right amount of historical context. London Falling explores the mysterious death of Zac Brettler, a teenager who-unbeknownst to his family-was leading a double life."

"There are the requisite fraudsters, scammers, gangsters, and a few high-powered lawyers, but at its heart, this is the true story of one particular crime."

London Falling centers on the mysterious death of Zac Brettler, a teenager from an upper middle-class family who secretly posed as the child of a Russian oligarch. Zac becomes entangled with frightening people while his family remains unaware of his double life. After his body is found face down in the mud, his mother Rachelle and father Matthew launch a desperate investigation to understand both his death and his hidden life. The story blends crime, grief, deceit, and the atmosphere of the River Thames. It also runs alongside London’s colonial history, showing how wealth and social ambition warp desires and pull him toward elite private schools and club owners connected to Russian mobsters.

Read at Defector