The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz is a wild ride of a thriller, packed with twists and turns that keep you guessing. The main character, Anna Williams-Bonner, with her murderous past, is someone you love to hate. Even without having read the first book, The Plot, this was still a fantastic read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free advance copy of The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz in exchange for an honest review.

The Sequel picks up where its precursor, The Plot, left off, with Anna Williams Bonner, widow of writer Jacob Finch Bonner, touring the country representing her late husband’s literary estate, turning his runaway bestseller into a film, and writing her own book to boot. Unfortunately for Anna, the charges of plagiarism that dogged Jacob haven’t gone away - and now, she’s at risk of being exposed for past misdeeds as well.

Korelitz’ second book in this series is as witty and cutting as the first, and I couldn’t help but root for Anna, despite her villainous persona. And the audiobook, narrated by the incomparable Julia Whelan, is terrific.

Four stars for the book; five for the audio narration.

Anne’s husband of just a year had passed unexpectedly, that is to say he “unalived himself”. At least that’s what the world knows of it. She does her duty as a literary widow and continues his book tour, with so many asking what’s next for you, Anne? The natural answer is “I’m thinking of writing my own novel.” Her response came so often that she had to make it true. She was able to skip the journey of most writers and publish her first book quickly. It was well received. She had made her own success out of her tragedy.

But every few months, pieces of the novel her brother had been writing before his (also untimely) passing start arriving in the mail. She thought she had eradicated all of the copies of his book about her. Should this come to light, it would ruin her. She must find who is sending these bits of her past before it’s too late.
As always, Julia Whalen keeps her listeners engaged and on the edge of their seats.
I can’t help but wonder if there will be an epilogue next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jean Hanff Korelitz, MacMillan Audio and Julia Whalen for the arc of this novel!

I liked this book. It was twisty and interesting. I read it so fast. If you like psychological thrillers/women's fiction, this is a good mix of both.

Oh my goodness I absolutely loved this.

Anna is the definition of a psychopath that has zero remorse.

This is so twisty and thrilling

So well written

Like a lot of people, I enjoyed The Plot. When I saw that there would be a sequel and that the audiobook was narrated by Julia Whelan, I was excited but nervous. I wasn't sure that the original story necessarily called for a follow-up, but I think many will be interested in seeing what happens to Anna Williams-Bonner. Ultimately, this was a quick read but failed to be as engaging or entertaining as the original.

Frankly, I would listen to Julia Whelan read the phonebook (do those still exist?), so it's no wonder I finished this in about a day and a half. Whelan does a great job, even if the source material felt a little thin.

Overall, this is a bit of a mixed review. The book itself is a serviceable thriller but lacks the bite and fun of the original. A great performance elevates the audiobook, and I recommend it to anyone curious about what happens after the events of The Plot.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Another hilarious biting satire from Jean Hanff Korelitz? And in audiobook form with an outstanding narrator? Sign me up!

Anna is back as a "lachrymose widow" who decides to take a crack at writing a book of her own. After all, how hard could it be? She has some experience... in her own way.

The book is really fun and funny when you read it as being semi-autobiographical (although, one certainly hopes, not TOO much) about the author writing a sequel herself. There are many fun winks to this throughout the book.

I loved the many inside jokes about the writing and publishing world (there's a particularly hilarious sequence when Anna goes to a writers retreat). I loved Anna's charming straightforward unlikability. I loved the audiobook narrator, who absolutely nailed the satire and sarcasm. And I REALLY loved the ending.

In short, another hit for Jean Hanff Korelitz. And I can't wait to read another one from her.

Surprised the rating is so high on this. I thought it was fine as a sequel. Seemed like some of the plot points seemed implausible, and there were no redeeming characters to root for. I felt like the book ended abruptly.

THE SEQUEL is...well...the 'sequel' to the book THE PLOT, released 3 years ago. This time, we follow Jake's widow Anna, who has now written and published her first novel about a story with a character based on her own life and grief. That book turns out to be a massive hit (also because she carries Jake's lastname). And while Anna is living her best time since her husband's death, she soon starts to receive messages, notes and excerpts of another book from an annonymous person claiming to know all Anna's dark and hidden secrets, and threatening to expose her for who she really is - or isn't.
Anna turns out to be the antihero of this story, a somewhat villain that we, the readers, learn little by little all the connections she has with not only Jake's background but also what was her part in the book that Jake was accused of plagiarism.
In this book we learn that Anna has always had some connection to Jake's history even before they met.

In my opinion, Anna is supposed to be an unlikable character in this story, but I honestly didn't dislike her at all. Maybe because the author writes her so well and in such a realistic way that I actually empathised with her. I really enjoyed all the connections this book has with The Plot and how dark this sequel turns out to be.
I'd say it is better to have read The Plot before getting to this new one.

Personally, I had more fun with the previous book, but I do prefer The Sequel's conclusion.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who has read The Plot and enjoyed it.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book, which was narrated by the one-and-only Julia Whelan. You can never go wrong with her, so if you're into audiobooks, please do yourselves a favour and pick this one up.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for allowing me to listen to a free advanced audiobook copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

After her husband, bestselling author, took his like, Anna decides to write her own novel, The Afterword. But as her book gains traction, she starts to receive excerpts of a book she never thought she'd see again, one that she thought has been destroyed, and that is divulging way too much information about her brother, her husband and herself.
This is the second book in the Book Series, and I really enjoyed it (despite all the unlikable characters). It was fun to read two stories in one (the main story and the one from the manuscript), so kudos to the author for cooking up two whole stories (even if we only got snippets from the manuscript, it was still a fully rounded story). I loved that the chapter were named after famous sequels (The Testaments, Doctor Sleep, etc.). It was maybe a bit over the top at times, but it was certainly highly entertaining, and the narrator of the audio book did a great job.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Wow, what a sequel! I was a big fan of The Plot, so I was excited when Jean Hanff Korelitz wrote a sequel. The Sequel can be read as a stand-alone, but I highly recommend reading The Plot first. It was a fun and twisty thriller that kept me hooked and waiting for the next chapter. I highly recommend this book, and the audiobook version narratored by Julia Whelan did not disappoint.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book to be published October 1, 2024

Listening to this audiobook turned out to be a much more immersive experience than I anticipated, and a lot of that has to do with Julia Whelan's exceptional narration. Her voice brought the characters to life in such a vivid way that I found myself deeply invested in the protagonist's journey.

At first, I wasn't sure if I would connect with the main character, but as the story unfolded, I became increasingly curious about her fate. The way her past and secrets were gradually revealed added layers to her personality, making her both relatable and intriguing. The tension around her discovery of the threat lurking in her life kept me on edge, eager to see how she would navigate through the challenges.

The story's complexity, with its well-woven secrets and unresolved issues from the character's past, lays a solid foundation for what could be a gripping sequel. There's definitely more to explore, and I can’t help but feel that this is just the beginning of an even deeper and more thrilling adventure.

I didn’t read The Plot (yet!) and that did not take away from my enjoyment of The Sequel.

The beginning of the book were introduced to Anna, a grieving widow of a best selling author. She goes on the road promoting her dead husband’s latest novel. We learn he ended his life, from Anna, and that he was accused of plagiarism.

Anna decides to write her own book and thus is when The Sequel becomes absolutely irresistible. I could not put this one down and I had to know who had been tormenting Jacob. Plus, there seemed to be more than meets the eye with Anna and I was right! Jean Hanff Korelitz has done it again and I, for sure, will read The Plot ASAP!

The audio of this book was amazing, as always, with Julia Whelan.


Advance reader copy provided by Macmillan Audio and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

This was a fun follow up to The Plot, especially because it was narrated by Julia Whelan. It didn't quite grab me with suspense and intrigue the way The Plot did, but it was fun to see what happened next. I would recommend it to fans of The Last Mrs. Parrish series. Lastly, I LOVED how the chapter titles were taken from books -- brilliant!

Sometimes it’s fun to root for the antihero, no matter how diabolical they may be. I really enjoyed this “sequel,” and wonder if a part 3 may be coming? Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! I have never read a book where the main character has absolutely no good qualities and by the end of the book, the reader will completely hate this character and hope that the narrator gets exactly what they deserve. Hats off to you Jean Hanff Korelitz.... mission accomplished. This was actually a very interesting concept.

I am a huge fan of the author's first book, The Plot. So, I was very excited when I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher of The Sequel and it did not disappoint. This story is a continuation of the first book, but the author explains how the murders in the first book developed. This storytelling recapped the first book in a very unique way. There was additional suspense and murder and more of the main character trying to figure out who knows what they did. Although, I feel you must read the first book or you would not understand all of the aspects of how evil and sinister the main character is. This sequel to The Plot, was original and kept the reader in suspense.

Thank you Net Galley and MacMillan Audio for the Advanced Audio Copy. I will definitely recommend this book to my friends who are a fan of Jean Hanff Korelitz. #NetGalley #TheSequel @MacmillanAudio

Title: The Sequel
Series: Book Series #2
Author: Jean Hanff Korelitz
Format: 🎧
Audiobook Narrator: Julia Whelan
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Pub Date: October 1, 2024
My Rating: 4.5 Rounded up
Pages: 304

I read and loved " The Plot" which was Book #1 . This story is the sequel – here is a quick background in case you didn’t read or perhaps forgotten “The Plot”.
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 own 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 are also 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!)

Not sure who to dislike the most but Anna is #One on my list. She is a very interesting person. In this case, she doesn’t sit back and just spend Jacob's money - as she believes she deserves it. She decides to write her own novel.
There is no doubt Anna is unlikeable but she sure kept me curious plus audiobook Julia Whelan (one of my favorite narrators) does a fantastic job performing the characters and making Anna very interesting!!~

I love to read and am always curious about who, where, when an author finds their inspiration for their stories. I know they have a great imagination but Anna left me worried if authors who write thrillers just might have a dark side – well a dark imagination!!!

I thought this was GREAT and wondering if there just might be book #3 in this series – perhaps ~ “The Epilogue”.

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 1, 2024.

This was a solid read. At times keeping it all straight wasn't easy but you are totally invested so you don't mind. One person who changes so many lives she touches-cross over to cross over it was all revealed. You end up investing in a not that likable character, though there are mystery elements throughout the book it was a journey with the main character, Anna who is always "on the move" throughout the book. Thanks, NetGalley for a great listen! Absolutely a 4.5 read

I am thrilled o say that I loved The Sequel every bit as much as I loved The Plot!! Jean Hanff Kerelitz is an absolute genius. And the fact that it was narrated by Julia Whalen was the figurative cherry atop an insanely delicious sundae. I started listing in the morning and stayed up until 3am because there was no way I could go to sleep without getting to the very end. Story within a story, book world drama, family secrets, psychological suspense, brilliantly scheming characters. I loved everything about it!!! Luv luv luv. Highly recommend!!!

I very much enjoyed Jean Hanff Korelitz’s book, The Plot. However, I think her newest book, The Sequel, is simply an amazing story. I listened to the audio copy, which was very well done. This new book takes you further down the rabbit hole that is Mrs. Jacob Finch Bonner. How Anna Williams/Dianna Parker/Rose Parker managed with cunning and forethought to pull off her exploits in the prior book are fully explained. We are also given an insight into the whys and how of Dianna Parker’s life, her dysfunctional family, her upbringing, and her relationships with her parents, brother, and daughter. Anna Williams is a true sociopath with four identities, and when Anna’s new life is threatened, she must act again. She thoroughly plans her revenge. We learn the details of this plan, which she carefully executes. This is a “hard to put down” book. A must read.