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

In this episode of The Book Review, host Gilbert Cruz interviews Patrick Radden Keefe, author of the new book *London Falling*, about his investigation into the mysterious death of 19-year-old Zach Brettler, who fell from a luxury London apartment into the River Thames. The story unfolds as a gripping narrative of deception, identity, and the hidden underworlds of modern London. Keefe was drawn to the case not only by the tragic loss of a young man but by the revelation that Zach had been living a secret double life, posing as the son of a Russian oligarch. His investigation deepened through intimate access to Zach’s grieving parents, Matthew and Rochelle Brettler, who had meticulously recorded their early search for answers. Keefe uses their raw, unfiltered recordings to craft a deeply immersive narrative that mirrors the parents’ confusion and growing suspicion. The book expands beyond a whodunit into a broader exploration of London’s transformation under global wealth, the legacy of trauma across generations, and the complex, often painful journey of parenthood. Keefe reflects on how the story reflects universal themes of reinvention, aspiration, and the limits of parental understanding in the face of a child’s hidden world.