“What is it you want, anyway?”
“I want to know what you did. And how you did it.”

I am a sucker for a good sequel, and Jean Hanff Korelitz has delivered! I actually enjoyed The Sequel more than I initially liked The Plot. Korelitz has managed to take the primary villain from the first book and turn her into a character that you’re actually rooting for & invested in, which I did not see coming at all.

While much of the story feels very similar to the first book in this series (a writer has a secret; someone knows and is threatening to tell), the characters and their motivations are different this time around, and that changed the vibe a little bit.

But my favorite thing about Korelitz’s writing is how she satirizes everything about the writing process and publishing industry, very nearly biting the hand that feeds her in the process, and emerges triumphant and unscathed, with everybody cheering her on and praising her encore.

——

A huge thank you to Jean Hanff Korelitz, Celadon Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Anna is the "grieving widow" after her husband Jacob "commits suicide" at the end of the first book The Plot. But Anna really killed him, and Jacob really did steal his bestselling novel idea from a dead student. A student who was Anna's brother and who wrote about how Anna had killer her daughter and parents. In this Sequel, Anna goes on a quest to write her own best seller about her grief and her dead husband and to silence all of those who might know her origin story or that Jacob plagiarized and fictionized it.

I really liked the first book The Plot and really, really like Korelitz's other books. Her writing is smart, sharp, and snarky and a good balance of literary and propulsive fiction. I liked this sequel as well, at least mostly. I found the plot a bit of a rehash of the same and so twisty that it sometimes became circular. If you were a fan of The Plot, you will likely like this, but it is one that you have to have read the first book to even understand the second one (or if you're like me and read it so long ago, you had to seek out a spoilery review to even get started with this one.)

I did a combination of Kindle and Audio, and the audiobook is narrated by Julia Whelan. She is great with the snarky and does indignation so well. If you like her on audio, you'll like this one.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

3.5 stars

first of all this IS a direct sequel to <i>The Plot</i> so definitely read that first. I didn’t realize so many events from the first book would play a role here and i had to stop a few chapters in to refresh my memory on that book because I was so confused. overall I enjoyed this, it’s full of good and well plotted twists like the first book but I did feel like it was a bit slow and it can easily get confusing to keep track of who is who because so many characters go by different names (we have essentially 3 different stories to keep up with).

Sequels often carry a certain allure when the original story captivates its audience. Readers naturally want to see where the characters they’ve grown attached to will go next.

But let’s face it—sequels rarely live up to the magic of the first.

Jean Hanff Korelitz, in The Sequel, plays with this very notion when she has two characters voice the sentiment early on. It’s a bold move on her part—maybe a little too bold.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Plot, which centered on Jacob Finch Bonner, a once-obscure novelist who found success after swiping a brilliant story idea from a student in the MFA program he taught. When the student dies, Jake passes the story off as his own, but someone knows the truth and is determined to bring him down.

The Sequel picks up after Jake’s demise, shifting the focus to his widow, Anna Williams-Bonner, who has since penned her own bestseller, Afterword. Then, mysteriously, she begins receiving the same ominous messages that plagued her late husband.

While intriguing, I had a couple of reservations about this follow-up. First, having recently experienced the demanding process of publishing a debut novel myself, I couldn’t quite buy into Anna’s sudden transformation into a successful author. In The Plot, she didn’t strike me as someone poised to write a bestseller, let alone have a strong motive to do so.

More significantly, The Sequel felt like a rehash of its predecessor, with Anna now stepping into Jake’s shoes and facing nearly identical dilemmas. This gave the story a somewhat repetitive feel, and I would have preferred to see Anna charting a different course rather than revisiting the same narrative beats her husband faced.

Sequels are typically not quite as good as the first book, but this one was on par! I do think reading The Plot prior to this would be helpful as there are lots of details you will miss if you don't.

Thank you Celadon and NetGalley for this ARC! Rarely do I like sequels more than the first book but this is definitely one of them! The story picks up right from The Plot with grieving widow Anna after her husband Jake’s suicide (well we know better!) playing in her new role. Anna decides to write her own book that becomes widely popular and while on tour starts getting strange messages from her past that she thought was taken care of. We follow Anna trying to find out who is trying to expose her true past and we suddenly also feel sorry for her, the murderer of all people from her past. Wonderfully written!

After Anna’s husband, bestselling novelist Jacob Finch Bonner, is laid to rest, she published her own debut novel. She then begins receiving excerpts of a novel that shouldn’t exist anymore. Someone knows too much about her past.

I have one piece of advice before reading this one: read The Plot or reread it if you don’t remember the details. It’s been years since I read The Plot, which I adorned, and I felt like I missed a whole lot in this one. It still was suspenseful and twisty (after the first half) but I felt a little lost. Reread the first. Don’t make the same mistake as me.

“How sad it was to say anything about anyone in public, but anonymously, and end someone’s career (in this case, someone’s life).”

The Sequel comes out 10/1.

4.25 stars

THE SEQUEL by Jean Hanff Korelitz is a strong sequel to her 2021 bestseller THE PLOT. Since it’s been over 2 years since I read THE PLOT, I do recommend reading these close together or at least reviewing the full summary with spoilers to THE PLOT before picking this one up if you were like me and forgot some of the intricacies of the first book. I think it’s necessary to have that background.

In this novel, the main character Anna Williams-Bonner is Jacob’s widow from the first book, and she has decided to become an author herself and successfully publishes her own book THE AFTERWORD at Jacob’s publishing house. I absolutely loved the publishing insider commentary that reminded me of YELLOWFACE. Shelf Awareness even got a shout out in this novel!

Soon Anna receives excerpts from a novel that seems very familiar, and she starts to spiral. If you like unhinged narrators, you’ll enjoy seeing Anna’s journey in this novel. She takes literal and figurative journeys to try to get to the bottom of what’s going on.

I don’t think the author knew she was going to write this sequel until after she experienced success with the first novel, so there was some layering needed with the plot that, at times, felt strained. You don’t read thrillers like this for their plausibility, so just go in with the goal of seeing where Anna takes you. And she will take you places!

I was curious about what Anna’s novel would be about, but unfortunately the reader never gets to know. I, for one, would love to know what kind of plot Anna’s mind would create.

If you liked THE PLOT, I’m certain you will also enjoy THE SEQUEL. I ended up rating it a little bit higher because I loved the publishing industry talk in the first third of the book.

it’s an absolute pageturner, a gore-free thriller with a ruthless lead, and the book offers solid satisfying resolutions to the questions left in the dramatic ending of the first book, but it still wasn’t The Plot. Part of this reaction is just me: in The Plot I was intrigued and compelled by Jacob’s overall goal to be a successful author. His fears that his best work is behind him, that he’s undertalented, that it’s all downhill from here, and that he’s gonna spend his life teaching in decreasingly prestigious programs made such a compelling motivation.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an early copy of this book! I was intrigued by the premise of this one because I feel like this is a genre where we don’t often see sequels. That being said, after everything Anna did in the previous book I struggled to like her character in this book. I thought justice would be served. I thought this was a little unrealistic and reaching for a new plot for this character. By the end I kind of wished the author had just stuck with the first book and not done a sequel 🤷‍♀️. I did enjoy this at parts… just didn’t really think this book was necessary.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Celadon books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I was a HUGE fan of Korelitz' first book, The Plot, and when I found out there was a 2nd book, I was so excited and couldn't get my hands on it fast enough! The first book was considered "insanely readable" which is absolutely true, so if you haven't read that one, I would recommend reading it first. It will definitely help with understanding the main characters and plot points.

The Sequel gets off and running with Jacob Finch Bonner's widow Anna post "Crib" success. She is moving through the 'grief' process and has recently become a literary success herself. But then the ghosts from her past come back to haunt her once again as she receives a suspicious note about her late brother and a manuscript that gives her "Crib"-deja vu. Much to her dismay, someone has connected the skeletons in her closet to the dead people she left behind and it's up to her to put it all to rest again. And she is determined not to let anyone destroy the new perfect life she's built in the wake of her husband's death.

This book was SO GOOD (allllmost as good as The Plot) with lots of good twist and turns, and a relatively likeable anti-heroine. The author did a great job of telling Anna's story and making her more human to the reader. The Sequel was incredibly well executed and well-written and filled in a lot of the holes and questions I had from the first book.

This book exceeded my expectations and if you loved the first one, you definitely need to pick this one up too! I have been working a lot, so I was bouncing between the eBook and audiobook formats, which is good because it's basically unputdownable. I highly recommend this one to all my thriller-lovers and will be reading it in my October book club!

Loved this sequel. I was torn between rooting for the protagonist or wanting her to get caught!
Definitely read the first book before this one, you would miss a lot if you hopped right into this one.
The narrator was fabulous for the audiobook.

I loved this book so much! This is equally as engrossing as “The Plot”. I loved getting to see things from Anna’s point of view. She is such a fascinating character and so unlikeable in many ways. I was very torn on rooting for her to get away with everything and yet wanting her to face her comeuppance for all of her misdeeds. Readers of “The Plot” definitely need to read this sequel!

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC. I absolutely loved this book. I also loved the authors previous novel The Plot. I did revisit the last four chapters of the plot before starting this, but they do review relevant items here. Anna Williams Bonner is living large as Jacob’s widow and writing her own novel, The Afterword. Once published, her past is once again coming back to haunt her. Anna thought she took care of everything and everyone before, but somehow there is still a copy of the manuscript her husband was accused of plagiarizing. The novel mirrors Anna’s real life. She must find out who holds the manuscript and destroy it once and for all. Available October 1st, grab a copy and enjoy the ride!

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for allowing me to read an advance e-copy of The Sequel. I really enjoyed it!
I did have to go back and do a refresh of The Plot, which came out in 2021. I read a summary on Wikipedia and was up to date enough to head into The Sequel, the follow up to The Plot, without any issues or confusion.

In part two, we follow Anna Williams Bonner, the widow of Jake Bonner, the central character of The Plot. While traveling around the country promoting her dead husband's new book, she starts to think that maybe she has more potential than just being a cheerleading for Jake's legacy. Anna becomes interested in the idea of writing her own book. After all, if Jake could do it, how hard can it be? So, with confidence and effort she pens The Afterword, which becomes an immediate success. With this success comes attention, attention that signals that someone knows about Anna's brother and the true story of Anna.

The story, the writing, the humor, the setup, the plot had me guessing and going until my eyes were being held open with my fingers. I was ZERO for five on my list of suspects. I love it when I can not guess the end! This book is good, maybe even better than The Plot.

The Sequel is a solid 4 stars for me. It may get bumped up to as much as 4.5 as I bask in the book afterglow. I highly recommend, but I think a reader needs to have read The Plot first. The first book is very important to all the moving parts of The Sequel. I hope this review is helpful.

Thank you

More than a sequel to "The Plot", "The Sequel" is a great standalone thriller. Korelitz delivers another brilliant page turner. The pacing is brisk and the twists and turns will keep you guessing. I couldn't put it down.

The Sequel is the second book in The Book Series by Jean Hanff Korelitz, following The Plot, and dare I say... I liked this one SO much better! The Plot is told from Jake's perspective, and don't get me wrong, it's a very good read. The Sequel is told from Anna's perspective, Jacob's wife, what with Jake being unavailable and all. IYKYK! This book is the epitome of thrilling edge-of-your-seat story telling. I could not get enough. And although this could work as a stand alone, I would strongly urge you to read The Plot first so that you can connect all the evil and delicious dots The Sequel offers. And don't even get me started on Julia Whelan as the narrator. She was AMAZING as usual! A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Celadon Books for an ARC and an ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I've read some of Korelitz's earlier novels, as well as The Latecomer, but I didn't read The Plot, and despite it's title, The Sequel is very much a sequel and seems to rely on the reader having read the earlier one. When I realized that, I was more than halfway through and decided not to circle back. So I met Anna for the first time here, and if she is presented differently in the earlier novel, perhaps I would have had some good will towards her - but reading this book, without knowing anything, I found it insider-knowledge cynical, character-bleak and the story not particularly compelling. Apologies to publisher and author, but this really is not a standalone novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC of The Sequel in exchange for an honest review.

The Sequel is the sequel to The Plot, so if you haven’t read that book, STOP reading this review or you’re going to get spoiled on that book.

Last chance …. 😄

The Sequel is told from Anna’s perspective, Jake being unavailable and all. The story pretty much picks up where The Plot left off. Anna decides to write a novel based on her experiences as the widow of a novelist who committed suicide after facing anonymous online attacks. Her novel is a critical and commercial success. But on her book tour, just like her husband Jake, Anna begins receiving messages referring to Evan Parker, and implying that Jake did not write his bestselling novel. Then she begins receiving pages from Evan’s draft novel, a novel that Anna thought she had wiped from the earth. So Anna begins a journey much like her late husband’s, sifting through his past to try to find who is sending out these pages, all the while trying to decide if this person knows Jake’s secrets, or hers ….

I loved The Plot—loved the characters, the twist, and the ending—but when I’d finished reading it, I did not expect a sequel. So I went into The Sequel uncertain what to expect and whether it would feel necessary and organic. I did not expect what I got here, but that’s not a bad thing at all. At the end of The Plot, Anna seemed like a perfect antihero, the monster hiding in plain sight, literally getting away with murder(s). In The Sequel, Anna is made human again, still a sociopath, but a vulnerable one. She’s uncertain. She makes mistakes. The story here takes everyone back through the events of The Plot, but we see them from Anna’s perspective, learn more of her backstory and what truly happened, and see how the choices she made then are impacting her now.

The Sequel deliberately leans into its status as a sequel. Every chapter title is the name of a literary sequel. But the story is an uncommon version of a sequel, going back through the events of The Plot, deconstructing them, and building a new suspense story on the bones of the original. And it was a very interesting choice by Ms. Korelitz to pull back the curtain on Anna, to strip her of her seeming invincibility and see if she can once again escape the consequences of her actions. Recommended for everyone who read The Plot.

This sequel, aptly titled The Sequel, was such a fun read! I was so impressed by how Korelitz made us root for Anna even as we knew right from the start that she was the villain. Bravo!