Imagine what New York-based, British writer Jon Ronson did when he received a series of disquieting texts after his 24-year-old son Joel and his friends had been lured to a mysterious castle in the  rural Connecticut (forests of New England) under false pretences late one evening. Ronson Sr. off on an extraordinary adventure into a world of unmoored men on a desperate search for purpose, whatever the cost.

Why did the wealthy scion of a gilded age tycoon Jon’s son to his castle on the pretext of a party, when the reality was something else entirely? Could Jon uncover what was really going on inside that strange castle? Why was a popular online lawnare influencer wrongly implicated in a bizarre plot to traumatize millions of unsuspecting children? More pressingly, why are two recently paroled murderers on their way to pay Jon an ominous visit?

Against a backdrop of the sometimes moving, often disturbing masculinity crisis, Jon follows the trail of those men who are acting out, checked out or just plain out of time. Drawing on his trademark brand of humour, psychological insight and unrivalled prescience and told in the riveting style of a true crime thriller. The Castle marks Jon Ronson’s triumphant return to the written page in his darkest and most wildly enjoyable journey yet- deep into the recess of the Castle and the secret lives of men.

The Castle, a Disney-like construction- part building, part weeding cake- was incongruous “on a semi-suburban road that was otherwise filled with ordinary, modest homes”, and was owned by Chris Mark.

Joel told his father that when he and his friends arrived at the castle, “there was no party” but instead, Mark told them that he was recording a reality show called 101 Princesses – “I’am looking for my queen and I’ve got one hundred and one princesses to choose from” – and asked two of Joel’s female friends to put on “extravagant princess attire” that he supplied. When Joel and his friends did not participate, they were asked to leave.

These events sparked Ronson to fire up his investigative e mojo and visit Mark, a sixty-something heir to a steel business fortune. Mark appears to have more money than sense- though if he had only $100, that might still be true. He spends his time trying to get young women to stay with him and become “princesses”- Mark has more princess fantasies than the average six-year-old girl. Ronson gets in touch with some young women who have been to the castle and learns about their experiences.

Ronson hears more from the women who’ve been to Mark’s castle, his motive moves on from mulling his son’s anecdote to thinking what a great article or book this would make.

Mark, whom Ronson saw as “trying to be Hugh Hefner during surely the worst period in history to be Hugh Hefner”, is a dream to a journalist who report on extremes.

‘Everyone I met for this book has a dysfunctional relationship with purpose, hunting too desperately for it. As institutions have collapsed, narcissists have thrived” Ronson concludes. Donald Trump and Andrew Tate are often cited as examples, but Ronson is less interested in the men who lead the way than in those who have blundered into extemes. He meets Greg a lawn-care expert who started a YouTube Channel with his young daughters and found that the only way he could keep people watching- therefore keep earning money – was with more garish and inappropriate content. The Castle is an entertaining portrait of a terrible future, and we are all going there together.

The Castle: Adventures in a World of Unravelling Men by Jon Ronson, Viking £20/Riverhead $32, 320 pages.