This book is a sequel to The Plot, which I read twice. The Author is great at describing events and plots. Both stories are very readable and both can be stand alone books.

The first book introduces you to Jacob Finch Boner, a struggling Author that teaches writing at a community college. The second book is about his wife Anna Williams- Bonner. She takes care of her late husband's best selling book, as she enjoys the royalty checks. The plot of this book is excellent. It includes all the "book things," tours, signings, etc. The story has the build of a crazy murder suspense.

Excellent Literary, Suspense, and Twisty!

3.5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy! This book will be release 10/1/24.

As the title advertises, this book is the sequel to The Plot, told from the point of view of Anna and picking up in the weeks after the death of her husband. Anna decides to write a book (how hard can it be?), and her past comes back to haunt her. This book doesn’t quite humanize Anna, but it does explain her choices from the previous novel. The book is quite clever, but lacks to big reveals of The Plot.

I am a big fan of cleverness that doesn't announce itself and pat itself on the back. This book has that in spades! Let's start with the chapter names. I believe (could possibly be wrong?) that they were all the title of book sequels. But no I wasn't going to spend a bunch of time to confirm for sure that fact. I was too busy finding out why people were still harassing Jacob's widow over that darn book Crib! I loved how the drama of the book industry was woven throughout the book along with Anna having to protect herself in so many directions at the same time. And while I am not complaining about the ending, I did hope for a slightly different one. But to tell you would be a spoiler and I would hate to ruin anyone's fun with this book!

This novel is a sequel to The Plot, a 2021 bestseller that’s a very meta suspense novel about an author who steals the plot idea of a former student to write his own bestseller. And you absolutely need to read that one first before reading this! (I read and loved it back when it came out, so I read a pretty detailed recap before reading this one which I highly recommend if it’s been a while for you too.) I am a reluctant to say much about this book, however, because I feel like even telling the basic premise is kind of a spoiler if you haven’t read The Plot yet but plan to do so!

So let’s just say this is another excellently written, suspenseful read set in the literary world. It’s definitely discomfiting to read a novel from the perspective of a sociopath/psychopath character, but it was done so well - didn’t excuse the character’s actions but definitely did a good job of making me understand why the character thought they were justified. And for sure it kept me guessing!

This is the sixth book I’ve read by Jean Hanff Korelitz, and I’ve really enjoyed all of them. She just really has a way with words, and I love that different of her books have totally different styles, though obviously this one is more in the same vein of The Plot.

Plus it had some great meta moments like a conversation between two characters about how the sequel is never as good as the first book! Except maybe in this case, the sequel is as good. I was not convinced at first why The Plot even needed a sequel, and perhaps it didn’t - but I sure enjoyed every minute of it.

In this captivating sequel to The Plot, Anna Williams Bonner is enjoying the spotlight as a famous literary widow and now a best-selling author in her own right. Life couldn’t be better…until she gets a very unwelcome blast from the past. Turns out a certain pesky manuscript still exists, and someone is sending pages not just to her, but to her in-laws and editor. In order to keep her darkest secrets under wraps, she sets out to find out who’s stalking her and destroy the manuscript once and for all. And her mission quickly turns deadly.

While this sequel didn’t blow my mind the way the first book did, it was absolutely a great time. The twists were seemingly endless, and being inside Anna’s vaguely sociopathic mind was a lot of fun. What I didn’t expect was the way this book humanized Anna. By shedding light on previously unrevealed parts of her past, this book makes a very villainous character feel, if not relatable, at least somewhat sympathetic.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who read and enjoyed The Plot. It keeps the story of the first book going in a very fun and fresh way.

Thank you to Celadon Books, Macmillian Audio, and Jean Hanff Korelitz for this ARC.

FIRST: If you have not read The Plot, do not read any more of this review. The Plot is an incredible, mind-blowing thriller (so def go read it), and while the below will not be spoilers for The Sequel, it most definitely will be spoilers for the first book: The Plot.

I love to hate Anna Williams Bonner. What an unlikeable character. I hated her in The Plot, and my disdain for her only grew in this book. That being said, because I disliked her so much, it was thrilling to see her being put into some slippery situations, with her past finally coming to catch up with her.

This book is also for book lovers (wow, say that three times fast). It’s almost like a Behind the Music documentary for books: book signings, book tours, publishing discussions, etc. I loved this aspect and all the controversial topics it brought up.

Julia Wahlen does an incredible job as Anna in the audiobook. She is the queen of audiobook narrators IMO and I loved hearing her bring this truly terrible character to life. The inflections, the pacing, the tone…it was all perfection.

This one was a bit slow in the beginning. I didn’t care about Anna and hated how everything was going so right for her. Ugh. But then, we finally get to the heart of the novel, and seeing Anna navigate the obstacles is delightful. I felt like I was channeling Jake from the grave.

I wouldn't say I liked this one as much as The Plot, but it was such a high bar that I don’t think much WOULD live up to it. However, I thoroughly loved the overall storyline, and the twists were delivered very well. Also, I appreciated that each chapter borrowed its name from a famous literary sequel. Overall, if you are looking for a thriller about books with a villain main character, try out The Sequel.

Anna Williams-Boner is such a messed-up gem of a character. Reading a book through her eyes is truly an entertaining experience, although I found the pacing a bit slow until the last quarter of the book. But truly it is definitely worth the read! I mostly listened to the audio version narrated by Julia Whelan, one of my favorite narrators, and enjoyed her portrayal of the story. Fans of mystery and thrillers, especially well-written villains, will enjoy this series.

Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. This book entitled “The Sequel” is a literal sequel to this authors last book “The Plot”. I absolutely loved “The Plot” so I couldn’t wait to dive in to this one. The sequel starts with Anna Finch Bonnor a new widow writing her debut fiction novel about a similar sequence of events as to what she had just recently encountered. Quickly she is feeling threatened that her late husbands secret will be revealed. Cant give away too much here without giving away the plot. This book is full of twists and turns that will keep the reader engaged and the ending was quite unexpected. Four stars

I loved The Plot but this just fell flat for me. I pushed through but once I got to 75%, I was like what am I doing? I just could not finish it. It was wordy without adding much to the book and I just felt bored reading it.

Maybe it’s because I really enjoyed The Plot and found it so unique and attention grabbing but The Sequel just didn’t do it for me… The story just felt resentment and unnecessary as a whole.

I will say JHK’s writing was superb though and she did craft a very good prose; it was just that the story itself didn’t work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and MacMillan Audio for the advanced ebook and LRC.

Wow, it had been awhile since I read The Plot, which I remembered enjoying thoroughly but didnt recall all the details. It all came back as I read this book waitinAfor the next shoe to drop... What a tail with incredible plot twists and shockers. The author is incredibily gifted in setting up characters and dropping bread crumbs and keeping the reader wondering which way the story would go... A bit unrealistic at the final pages but still a great piece of fiction that readers will gobble up. The characters are not the most likeable but you keep going and going because, well, who wouldnt want to know how this ends, and well, will there be a third part?

I am so happy this story continued! Jean Hanff Korelitz's The Sequel is just as good (if not better) than The Plot. It is dense and intricate, but so worth it. Highly recommend.

This is absolutely compelling, twisted story. It's very literary in both its tone and references, from the chapter titles themselves to constant dropping of names, book titles, and literary scenarios. Anna's story alongside the irreverent non-literal bloodbath that is publishing makes for a story with plenty of surprises. I described The Plot as "quietly vicious", and I think that might be even more relevant to this one. The full story of Anna's life and background, and what she'll do to survive, will keep you turning pages.

Do NOT mess with Anna Williams-Bonner. Retribution will be swift and thorough. In this captivating sequel to The Plot, Anna Williams Bonner is enjoying the spotlight as a famous literary widow and now a best-selling author in her own right. Life couldn’t be better…until she gets a very unwelcome blast from the past. Turns out a certain pesky manuscript still exists, and someone is sending pages not just to her, but to her in-laws and editor. In order to keep her darkest secrets under wraps, she sets out to find out who’s stalking her and destroy the manuscript once and for all. And her mission quickly turns deadly. (This is even more fun than The Plot!)

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for this e-arc.*

It’s been a few months since I read “The Plot”, but I was able to get into “The Sequel” with no problems. If you’ve not read the former, it kind of goes without saying that you’re about to get some spoilers if you continue reading this review.

Anna is a piece of work. Korelitz has created a truly fascinating character. It’s a journey into the mind of a narcissistic sociopath, and I was wholeheartedly along for the ride. The way Anna justifies her (bad) behavior is not something I will ever understand, but, boy, it is enthralling to read about.

This book is as good or even better than its predecessor. It comes out in just over a week!

CW: Extreme violence, and I do mean extreme.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Another great literary thriller from Hanff. We pick up where we left off, and Anna is now back to write her own book. Loved all the meta, publishing commentary. Very well done!

Anna could have lived her life comfortably after seeking retribution for her late brother, but she has other plans and decides to write her own novel. Of course, it ends up being a success, and with that success, she soon finds herself no longer being the cat in a cat-and-mouse game. She is now the prey and finds herself being the target of someone who knows the truth about her late-husband’s successful novel.

You find yourself rooting for Anna to come out ahead, which is very akin to The Plot. You know you shouldn’t care for this unlikeable main character, yet you find yourself doing so.

A pleasant sequel to a great first book. While I don’t think The Plot necessarily needed a follow-up, it certainly was well worth the read.

It is crucial that a reader have read The Plot before starting this sequel. I had to go back and remind myself of the premise and details of The Plot after starting its sequel. Anna is back and enjoying the fame and benefits that comes from being a best-selling author. But her comforts don’t last long for Anna receives a reminder of her previous lif and wicked deeds. Korelitz had me on the edge of my seat once again. A powerful 2nd book in the series. I truly hope there are more coming. Thank you to Celadon books for the print ARC of this title and many thanks to NetGalley for the e-book. Keeping the printed word alive is the best mission in life!

A must-read for fans of The Plot and anyone who loves a very, very unlikeable main character! The Sequel follows literary widow Anna Williams-Bonner, whose husband has written a bestseller unintentionally based on Anna’s (very, very murdery) life. Once he’s out of the way, Anna has time to focus on writing a novel of her own. It’s published to rave reviews, but then some very real ghosts from the past remerge to seek justice (orrr put a stop to Anna’s newfound literary fame and fortune, depending on your point of view). Anna is *horrible* and such fun to inhabit, and Jean Hanff Korelitz infuses the novel with such delicious details about the machinations of the publishing industry (in a way that’s a bit similar to R.F. Kuang’s genius novel Yellowface).

Thanks so much Netgalley and Celadon books for my review copy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the advanced reader copy.

I have to admit, I was underwhelmed by The Plot, and was curious to see what Korelitz could possibly do with a figurative and literal sequel. Anna Williams-Bonner is the antihero I didn't know I was missing from reading The Plot. She was ethically challenged, ambitious, unemotional about the bad things she does, and so compelling that I couldn't help but want to know what she was going to do next. This was definitely a case of the sequel being better than the original.