Reading the 20th Century discussion

I know some of us have read books by Patrick Radden Keefe before. I personally am a huge fan of his writing.

He has a new book out in April: London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City, and a Family’s Search for Truth

From the Baillie Gifford Prize-winning and Sunday Times bestselling author of Empire of Pain and Say Nothing – a stunning story of corruption and tragedy in one of the world’s great cities: London.

In 2019, a London teenager, Zac Brettler, mysteriously fell to his death from a luxury apartment building on the banks of the Thames. When his grieving parents began their desperate quest to understand how their son had died, they made a terrible discovery: Zac had been leading a fantasy life, posing as the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch.

In his inimitably gripping and forensic prose, Baillie Gifford Prize winner and New Yorker writer Patrick Radden Keefe follows Zac’s parents on a dark journey to find out what brought Zac to the balcony that night – and how a teenager’s world of make-believe drew him into the city’s terrifying underworld.

London Falling is at once a devastating family tragedy, a riveting story of greed, power and deception, and an indictment of the culture that has transformed London into a haven for the malignant forces that have come to influence us all.

Thanks, Susan. I saw this but didn't connect the author to Empire of Pain and Say Nothing, both of which were excellent. I will now put this on my to read list.

If it's PRK then I'm automatically in

This doesn't sound as grabby as the Troubles or bad pharma - but as Nigeyb said, I'm in.

He is a definite must read for me too.

I have just started London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth

I was surprised to learn that the young man the book is about went to the same school as my eldest son, although he was a couple of years younger. I showed the picture to my son who said that yes, he knew him, so that has brought the book a little closer to home...

Look forward to finding out more


PRK is reliable when it comes to investigative books

Wow, always a bit eerie when difficult stories come that close to home. I must check out my libraries for this.

It only came out yesterday, and I've only managed one chapter. Not sure I will get much reading time today, but it made it seem much more relatable and reminded me how young this young man was.

I remember when the story was in the news. Very intriguing and I had a lot of questions. I can see why PRK would have been interested

I read it a few years ago when it was a long form New Yorker article. Terrific story, although it has its limitations.

Good review in today's NYT. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/08/bo...

Guardian review concludes with....


London Falling, grimly absorbing from start to finish, opens a window on to a world of financial dirty work and Walter Mitty-like fantasies of aspirational wealth. Keefe, perhaps best known now for his books including Say Nothing and Empire of Pain, writes in the page-turning tradition of Gay Talese and Joseph Mitchell. He draws extensively from transcripts of police interrogations, emails, letters, and security camera recordings, but above all on hours of conversation with Rachelle and Matthew Brettler. For more than two years, Zac’s parents shared memories and reflections on the life of their much-loved child. They suffered a loss that can never be compensated – and for what? At the time of his fall, Zac was found to have all of £4 in his bank account.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/202...

I don't remember this story at all so will be reading cold when I get to it.

I don't remember it either. Doubt I will have much reading time until the weekend, but what I have read so far is gripping.

Another review….


Who really killed Zac Brettler?

https://observer.co.uk/culture/books/...

This review makes it sound unmissable


By the by, I’m enjoying the new Observer now owned by Tortoise media. More thoughtful coverage and eschewing breaking news. I’ve subscribed for a year

Blaine wrote: "I read it a few years ago when it was a long form New Yorker article. Terrific story, although it has its limitations.

Good review in today's NYT. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/08/bo......"

The Observer review makes it clear that PRK has unearthed a lot more information since the New Yorker article

Thanks Nigey

PRK on latest Louie Theroux podcast….


https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast...

Not heard it yet but will get to it

Nigeyb wrote:


"PRK on latest Louie Theroux podcast…."

Really interesting

Recommend

Patrick Radden Keefe is always a must-read I think. He is an author I just pre-order without even looking at what his latest is about.

London Falling is Strong Words book of the week


Ed says…

This is an absolute mind-blower of a book. Watch it tear your schedule to pieces as the urge to read a few more pages becomes overwhelming. It is an investigation by a star writer at the New Yorker (and longtime London-ophile) into the unusual death of north London teen Zac Brettler, who in November 2019 fell from the balcony of a luxury apartment block beside the Thames late at night. Cameras at the M16 building on the other side of the river captured the incident. Accident, suicide or murder? A few years on, his parents were exasperated that the police had done such a shabby job of coralling the details, but PRK's diligent pursuit of the leads reveals a story of mesmerising strangeness, starting with the revelation that Zac had led plenty of people to believe he was the son of a Russian oligarch.

Patrick Radden Keefe has been everywhere this week, including The Book Review and The Story podcasts. He is doing appearances at Daunt Books, did something with Intelligence Squared and is at Waterstones. I am going to hear him next month. Have some good author talks coming up April/May - Gwendoline Riley, Mick Herron, Holly Jackson and Will Maclean, along with Patrick Radden Keefe. I can confirm London Falling is a great read - highly recommend it.

Hurrah

My review of London Falling for anyone interested: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Great review, Susan. I also enjoyed this book. Having read Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity, which the author references, I appreciated his discussion of that component of the story. I could empathize with Zac's parents for sure. And the lack of interest by the Met in following up obvious threads was shocking. Naively maybe, but I was surprised.

Although the inquest and much of the investigation took place during Covid, so I wondered whether that had something to do with it. I could see the issue the police had - he jumped and nobody pushed him. My husband is a lawyer, so I spoke to him about it and he said it would be difficult to charge either of the men with anything. It wasn't technically murder or manslaughter. So perhaps we are both being a little naive. You wanted them to be charged with something, but apparently, the law says not.