"L.R. Dorn’s spicy update of Theodore Dreiser’s 1925 classic, An American Tragedy... is written in the form of a docuseries like “Serial,” and like that cool potboiler, “The Anatomy of Desire” cruises along with nary a bump in the road." — The Washington Post
"A truly innovative, fantastic book. Emphatically recommended. Reads like your favorite podcast, the hit crime doc you'll want to binge. A brilliant brewing of progressive internet influencers, with smaller town police doing their best to keep up. Structurally fresh, these talking heads will enchant you.” — Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box
“Centered on the world of social media influencers, the pseudonymous Dorn’s remarkable debut takes the form of a true crime docuseries… The riveting trial, during which Cleo constantly changes her story, comes down to circumstantial evidence… With no witnesses to the murder, readers will breathlessly await the verdict.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“[A] modern reimagining of Theodore Dreiser’s 1925 novel, An American Tragedy… takes readers through the intimate details of a mysterious drowning and the sensational trial… This riveting mock podcast docudrama ratchets up the suspense as readers glimpse every angle of the story from a 360–degree view.” — Library Journal (starred review)
"In podcast style, the mystery gives us a range of voices and perspectives, from the boathouse attendants on, held together by the narrator. The advantage of this format is its great immediacy.” — Booklist
“It’s written as a true-crime documentary and reads like nothing else I’ve read recently. It’s told from the point of view of all the people involved in the case, step by step through the trial and aftermath. You won’t want to put it down.” — RedCarpetCrash.com
“The genius of L. R. Dorn’s work here is in getting the reader to think about who societies punish and why and how our cultural sensibilities change around the concept of shame… A gripping, compelling read that does justice to its source material.” — CriminalElement.com
“Ingenious and brilliantly executed... Contemporary in setting and cast, but also in narrative style: the desperate social climber is a young woman “influencer,” and the form is as a series of true-crime podcasts—it reads like the transcripts of interviews—and it works stunningly well, clear, fast-moving and deeply engrossing.” — Sullivan Co. Democrat
“The Anatomy of Desire… is at once a clever reworking of a classic American novel and a caustic commentary on contemporary American mores… [It is] compulsive reading.” — Anniston Star
“As the trial progresses, readers may find their preconceptions challenged and their feelings flip-flopping regarding Ceo's guilt and moral character. And when the ending comes, it's a surprisingly poignant one.” — ShelfAwareness.com
“A stunning debut novel that reimagines An American Tragedy as a marathon-worthy true crime series… An innovative and riveting read that ratchets up the suspense with every page.” — BookRiot.com
“A fascinating courtroom drama…. This deliciously contemporary story… reveals a compelling, poignant portrait of sexual desire in our social media age.” — Daily Mail (UK)
05/08/2023
This tantalizing tale of parricide and star-crossed lovers from Dorn (the joint pseudonym of Matt Dorff and Suzanne Dunn, coauthors of Anatomy of Desire) hinges on an effective gimmick: it’s told through the transcripts of The Raines Report, a true-crime podcast hosted by Pittsburgh journalist Ryanna Raines. The podcast kicks off when Ryanna receives a phone call from Jordan De Carlo, a handsome young theater major at UC Santa Barbara. Circumstantial evidence is mounting against Jordan and his girlfriend, Victoria, as authorities investigate the stabbing deaths of Jordan’s wealthy parents in their $5 million San Diego home. To make a case for their innocence, the young couple offers Ryanna exclusive interview access, and she takes them up on it, also interviewing their friends and family to ferret out the truth about the brutal killings. Soon after its first episode is released, The Raines Report becomes an international phenomenon, and Jordan and Victoria become social media fixtures as their case is discussed endlessly online. With each new episode, readers encounter new aspects of the slippery central couple, leaving expectations and suspicions in a constant state of flux. Though the ending is a bit of a letdown, the immediacy and cleverness of the format keep the pages turning. Readers will be rapt. Agent: Paul Bresnick, Bresnick Weil Literary. (July)
Therese Plummer leads a full cast with her captivating performance as true-crime podcast host Ryanna Raines. When the bodies of a husband and wife are found brutally stabbed, their son, Jordan, and his girlfriend are suspects. The suspects, both theater students at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), offer exclusive interviews to Raines. What follows is a twisty psychological story. Narrator Lauren Fortgang's shocked reactions to the unfolding story in her role as Raines's production partner are engaging. Dan Bittner and Hillary Huber are outstanding in their supporting roles as attorneys. Kirsten Høj and Lucas Cheng capture the romantic chemistry between the two college students who are suspected of murder. The impressive group of 21 narrators includes current UCSB acting students. A.L.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Therese Plummer leads a full cast with her captivating performance as true-crime podcast host Ryanna Raines. When the bodies of a husband and wife are found brutally stabbed, their son, Jordan, and his girlfriend are suspects. The suspects, both theater students at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), offer exclusive interviews to Raines. What follows is a twisty psychological story. Narrator Lauren Fortgang's shocked reactions to the unfolding story in her role as Raines's production partner are engaging. Dan Bittner and Hillary Huber are outstanding in their supporting roles as attorneys. Kirsten Høj and Lucas Cheng capture the romantic chemistry between the two college students who are suspected of murder. The impressive group of 21 narrators includes current UCSB acting students. A.L.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
