Patrick Radden Keefe on the Mystery at the Center of ‘London Falling’

Patrick Radden Keefe joins “The Book Review” to discuss his new book, “ London Falling ,” which begins when a family loses a 19-year-old son, Zac Brettler, under mysterious circumstances. His parents eventually discover he had been living a secret life, posing as the son of a Russian oligarch. Speaking with the host Gilbert Cruz, Keefe describes the moment he first heard the story and how he immediately knew it would become his next major project. He talks about gaining the trust of the young man’s parents, Matthew and Rachelle Brettler, and following the threads of their son’s life into a world of wealth, influence and deception in London. The conversation also explores how the book moves beyond the night of Zac’s death and into a broader story about ambition, reinvention and the uneasy question at its center: How well can we ever know the people closest to us? Books discussed on this episode: “ Say Nothing ,” by Patrick Radden Keefe “Seasons of Fury,” by Rozina Ali “ The Emperor’s Children ,” by Claire Messud “ Out of Sheer Rage ,” by Geoff Dyer “Middlemarch,” by George Eliot “In Cold Blood,” by Truman Capote “ The Power Broker, ” by Robert A. Caro “ Far From the Tree ,” by Andrew Solomon “ Chatter, ” by Patrick Radden Keefe “ The Last Samurai, ” by Helen DeWitt Listen to and Follow ‘The Book Review’ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture.

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Patrick Radden Keefe on the Mystery at the Center of ‘London Falling’ is an episode from The Book Review by The New York Times.

This episode is 00:34:41 long.

This episode was published on Apr 10, 2026.

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