While this book works as a standalone, I think it is so much better if you have read The Plot. I wish I had reread it before starting The Sequel so everything would have been fresh in my mind.

I really enjoyed all of the background info on the process of writing a book, getting it published, doing book tours, etc. Anna does not have many good qualities but for some reason I still found myself rooting for her.

Lots of twists, great writing and humor!
.

Thank you to Celadon Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Damn lady! I wouldn't think that literary career would warrant this type of "sacrifice". I'm hoping that this is not the authors or their spouses are doing to cover plagiarism. Korelitz, please tell me that Anna is not the fictionalized version of some author's spouse. Because if that's the case, I'm gonna read sequels with a different attention after this.

Anna Williams-Bonner was now a widow. Her uber-successful husband passed away leaving a literary heritage behind him. But towards the end of his career, he was getting these threats about how he plagiarized on of his most successful stories. Anna was thinking that maybe stress of that lead his death too. Anna was a good author too and she wanted to take advantage of leaving her husband's lime light to find hers. When she published her own book, these threats started to surface again. Along with the face of Anna I don't think I was ready for

I liked the idea of having a series based on literary terms to show how it's actually done and how those terms play a critical roles in these book. I always liked Korelitz's storytelling, and I'm looking forward to more literary terms.

“The Sequel” by Jean Hanff Korelitz is the cleverly named follow up to “The Plot.” Anna is back scheming and now writing her own debut novel. Once again, Korelitz writes a twisty and clever thriller starring a compelling antiheroine.

In this sequel to Korelitz’s exceptional thriller The Plot, Anna Williams-Bonner returns in her unsettling pragmaticism and complex motivations to eliminate anything, and anyone, she views as threatening her. Anna’s husband, the bestselling novelist Jacob Finch Bonner, has committed suicide and she’s been traveling the country in his stead signing copies of his latest book. She still has a watchful eye out for the anonymous accusations of plagiarism that hounded him and seemed to lead to his depressive demise. She has befriended his literary agent and editor and keeps up monthly lunches with his grief-stricken parents.

Suddenly, Anna gets struck by the idea that perhaps she too can write a best-seller, while attending a forest writing retreat for uppity authors. She sequesters herself in her cabin and emerges with her novel called The Afterward, a fictionalized account of a widow coping with the suicide of her famous novelist husband. Of course, it helps that she has inherited the best agent and editor in the publishing business.
As Anna now tours the country for her own book, she starts receiving excerpts from her dead older brother’s novel which is a skewered take on Anna’s own growing up in Vermont – after she thought she had eliminated all copies out there. As Anna hunts down the threat, things spiral out of control.

Best of all, Korelitz brings her signature humor to this not-so-funny plot, and manages a hilarious send up of the current state of the publishing industry and all the resentful wanna-be authors out there.

Thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

This is a book full of twists...almost to the extreme. Having read The Plot I was familiar with the driving force of Anna however I do think this could be read as a standalone. I like that this is set, slightly, within the world of publishing. Makes for an interesting read for an avid reader.

I have a hard time with books when I find the main characters unlikable. I need to have someone to root for. The Sequel doesn't have one single likable character yet I still enjoyed it because the characters felt real in their unlikable qualities. I enjoyed this as but as I did The Plot, so if you've read that and liked it you will definetley want to give The Sequel a go.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

Thank you netgalley and to the publishers for this arc. I gave it a 3 because there was a lot of parts in the book where mind just wandered then I was confused because I wasn’t paying attention to what I had just read . That’s how I was with the first one then I got the audio book and was able to pay attention better and loved it so i think when this book is released I’m going to have to reread with the audio and I’m sure my rating will probably change but for now it’s a 3

*Rounded up from 3.75 ⭐️'s*

I'm afraid I have to disagree with many of the other reviews. YES, YOU NEED TO READ THE PLOT FIRST!!!

The Sequel tells Anna's story. She is also a pivotal character in The Plot, so you need to read the first book to truly understand her circumstances. I had to look up a synopsis of The Plot as a refresher. The author doesn't really bridge the two books together until 50% in. So unless you read The Plot recently, I don't think the storyline of The Sequel is as engaging.

That said, I love Jean Hanff Korelitz's writing style and recommend you read The Plot and The Sequel! The narrative from Anna's perspective was excellent, and there were several unexpected twists.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Extending the world of The Plot in an intriguing way, The Sequel focuses on a flawed yet interesting  characters. It's a clever, skillfully written, thoroughly detailed book that realistically resolves some gaps and leaves some things unsolved from the first book! It's remarkable that seemingly trivial events and persons from The Plot have significance in The Sequel.

This character is convincing and realistically brought to life by the author. Despite being a complex and dark character, Anna manages to come across as less cruel than she actually is.

To be honest, this author is brilliantly blending the original story into the complex structure that she has amazingly built. I was unable to put this book down. I was captivated by the story's mystery and held on until the stunning conclusion, which was chock-full of unexpected turns that paid off.

This book was also very well written. There is a lot of dark comedy regarding writers, the publishing industry, and sequels. I adored every reference and puns to the sequel book. There were times when I actually started laughing aloud.

I sincerely hope the author keeps this series going because I believe the finale may allow room for a third book!

This was a really fun read. The story is the sequel to The Plot. I highly recommend that one also. Widowed Anna is living off of her hubby's royalty checks until she decides to write her own novel. I mean, how hard can it be? All is going swimmingly until her book tour, where she receives a note from a fan. Someone knows something! Anna is not a likeable character, but you will root for her anyway. Oh, and those chapters names! Loved them!!! While it does add something to have read The Plot first, this can still be a standalone. While I didn't enjoy this one quite as much, it is still a stellar sequel!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Jean Hanff Korelitz and Celadon Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Facebook and other retail and social media sites upon pub day of Oct 01.

Title: The Sequel
Series: Book Series #2
Author: Jean Hanff Korelitz
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Celadon Books
Pub Date: October 1, 2024
My Rating: 4.3 Stars
Pages: 304

I read and loved " The Plot" which was Book #1 in this series. This story is the sequel to “The Plot” – here is a quick background in case you didn’t read or perhaps forgotten some of Book #1.
In “The Plot” we are introduced to Jacob Finch Bonner, a struggling author teaching writing at a community college. He stumbles upon a student's story plot, a brilliant idea that may open up the doors of literary success. When he finds out that his student Evan Parker is dead, he decides to use this plot actually he does more than take the plot but the whole story and it becomes ‘his’ bestseller novel. As his success continues, Jake is curious about how Evan got the idea for his story and starts to do some investigating. The story does quote chapters from “The Crib” which also are revealed in this the sequel.

This story features Jake’s widow Anna Williams-Bonner. Yes she inherited his wealth, house, as well as the royalty checks from his bestseller. She considers this entitlement as she knows the main character in this story was inspired by her miserable real life. (Hmmm how does she know THAT? I know but am not going to spoiled it for you!)

Story kept me interested but Anna was Number One on unlikeable my list.
She did keep me curious so not sure how it is that I can like and dislike the same person.

I was fortunate in that I got both the galley as well as the audio.
Which did I like best?
Well Julia Whelan is one of my favorite narrators and she did a fantastic job performing the characters. BTW: I enjoying reading this, but I loved the audio!

There is a fun thing about the chapter titles. They are name after novels you may know and love. Such as - Chapter 1: It stared with us ~ Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends with us”
Chapter Two: Ready Player Two” - Ernest Cline’s “Ready Player One”.
The different chapter titles and novels are listed for all thirty-one chapters.
I thought this was fun as well as unique!

Want to thank NetGalley and Celadon Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 1, 2024.

Thank you to @netgalley and @CeladonBooks for this ARC. The first book in this series called The Plot was a thriller about an author who was a professor and heard about a book this student was writing. A few years later, he learns this student passed away and he stole his idea to become a best selling author. This book follows his wife after the tragic end of book 1. She writes a book all on her own but on the book tour, scary things start to happen. How does her book relate to her and her husband's past? As always, I liked book 1 better but this is still a solid read!
#TheSequel #JeanHanffKorelitz #CeladonBooks #Oct2024

I feel it’s a must to read “The Plot” before diving into this smart, well-executed sequel, aptly titled “The Sequel” where many questions from first story are answered, and is written in the same riveting manner.

This book follows the widow, Anna Williams-Boner after the death of her author husband Jacob. She inherits the wealth and rights to Jacob’s controversial novel based on her real life and decides to write her own novel - how hard can it be, Jacob did it she thinks - which receives unexpected success and notoriety. She goes on a book tour where she receives a suspicious note from a fan which begins her investigation into who is out to destroy her life and career.

In a cat-and-mouse game, Anna tries to uncover the tormentor by going back to where it all began: the town where her husband taught college and plagiarized a student’s novel idea as his own.

Anna is an anti-heroine whose only motivation is to save her own ass and destroy anyone who gets in her way which made this unconventional novel so much fun to read. Jean Hanff Korelitz has amazed me once again with this brilliant creative sequel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback. A sequel that vastly improves on the original, not an easy feat to pull off

The Sequel is not just a page-turner but also a thought-provoking look at the power dynamics in the literary world. Korelitz's writing is confident and taut, pulling readers into a world where the stakes are as high as the tension. This novel is a great psychological thriller, one that is sure to leave readers eagerly awaiting more.

The Sequel is a gripping tale that explores the intersection of art, identity, and the sometimes perilous journey to literary success. It's a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and anyone fascinated by the complex relationship between life and fiction.

Riding on the fame of her late husband’s coattails, Anna Williams-Bonner has written her own novel. A novel that quickly becomes popular, a novel that has brought someone out of the woodwork of her past. Hadn’t she put the past behind her? Hadn’t she insured that nothing could touch her? She’s missed something along the way and now someone is tormenting her, someone that knows the truth. Setting out on a journey into her past, she’s determined to find out just exactly who she’s dealing with and to settle the score once and for all no matter what it takes. This was a dual read/listen that was very narrated perfectly by Julia Whelan making it a great listen as well as a great read. Thank you to Celadon Books, MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC and an ALC of this book.

The Sequel is such a dark and twisty adventure! I both listened and read this title and it was easier to follow in print to keep track of the different names and storylines as it bounces from reality to pieces of the novel that keep showing up, it was quite a ride following Anna and her quest for vengeance and to cover her own tracks. I would definitely recommend reading The Plot before diving in to this one. I really loved that the title of every chapter is a sequel novel, too. Thank you to Celadon and NetGalley for the early listen in exchange for my honest opinion.

This sequel really...didn't feel necessary? I got bored and it didn't pack the same punch as The Plot.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a fitting title for a book that is exactly what it claims, a sequel. Jacob Finch Bonner is dead, the result of suicide. His wife, Anna Williams-Bonner is overseeing his estate, especially his last book, Crib, which was a success. Then, she writes her own book, The Afterword, which also becomes a success.
The book is a slow burn at the start. Anna is forced out onto a book tour, which is as tedious for the reader as the writer. On her stop in Denver, there’s a book to be signed with a post-it note “For Evan Parker, not forgotten”. Then when she gets home, in her mail is a copy of a chapter from a manuscript she thought she’d never see again. Her dead brother’s. And additional chapters keep showing up.
Anna is not a nice person and as the story goes along, we see exactly how unlikeable she is. Still, she is engaging. It’s a fine art for a writer to create an unlikeable character that you still want to spend time with. I was really torn over whether I wanted there to be justice.
I enjoyed the back and forth between Anna’s take on things and the manuscript’s. Korelitz slowly ramps up the tension with each new chapter sent. Anna is not going to let anyone disrupt the life she’s worked so hard to obtain.
This should not be read as a stand-alone. It will make much better sense if you have read The Plot beforehand. In fact, I had to go back and refresh my memory of The Plot.
I was lucky to have both the e-book and the audio for this story. Julia Whelan did a great job as the narrator. But I appreciated having the book to go back over some key points in the book.
Also, I wouldn’t have cottoned to the use of other sequels as chapter headings if not for the e-book (and the list in the back). I never knew there was a sequel to Catch-22.
My thanks to Netgalley, Celadon Book and Macmillan Audio for the advance copies.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

In the sequel to the Plot we learn more about Anna. Anna writes a novel based on what happened in The Plot. Her secrets are starting to unravel. You definitely need to read book 1 first. I didn't remember all the details and I would have liked to have read them closer together so the details were fresh. I liked this book better than the first one but highly recommend both books.

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC for review!*

Overall I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was well written and well paced and I liked how pieces of information were revealed throughout. I liked all the ties to the first book, The Plot; definitely read it before this to have more background and to not get spoiled. Anna was an interesting, morally grey character and I liked reading from her perspective. I thought the flashback/past parts could have been a little more organized or separated from the present day events because sometimes I got confused and at times it felt a little muddled. Also, some things seemed implausible and I had to suspend my disbelief a little bit but there were some twists I didn’t see coming, which I appreciated!