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!

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.

Anna Williams-Bonner, widow to a highly successful novelist, Jacob Finch Bonner from The Plot, has decided to write a best seller. How hard could it be? Turns out writing the novel is a breeze, far easier than all the pesky people from her past that are trying to destroy her future.

The Sequel has so much inside baseball and tongue in cheek sarcasm about the publishing world that readers are now in the know. The chapter titles are a chef’s kiss to famous literary sequels.

The mystery is captivating too. I actually felt sorry for our literary psychopath. The reader doesn’t necessarily need to have read The Plot to enjoy this one but I definitely recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book, and I am excited to recommend it to other mystery readers!

While it isn't entirely necessary for readers to have already read The Plot, I think they might enjoy this story more if they have. Also, The Plot is just a really fun read.

This story is full of twists and turns that will keep readers guessing, but the author doesn't make the mistake of going to far and making the story unbelievable. Despite the fact the characters are all pretty unlikeable, I couldn't put this book down. I had to know what would happen!

As a book nerd, I loved all the bookish elements in this story. I loved the peek inside the publishing world and the book references throughout hidden like little Easter eggs.

Overall, this sequel did not disappoint whatsoever. I can't wait to read more by this author!

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.

Her famous husband Jacob Finch Bonner is dead. Now Anna Williams-Bonner surprisingly finds herself on a literary tour of her own, signing hundreds of books and answering questions about Jake’s suicide. She never desired fame and could have happily lived as the financially secure grieving widow everyone made her out to be. But there must be a touch of desire hidden in us all. When Anna is given the opportunity to attend a writers retreat, she cannot resist. In this coveted cabin in the woods a novel pours out of her and the publishers (Jake’s publishers) could not be happier to throw Anna on their gravy train. A great plan until Anna begins to receive excerpts from a novel she thought was destroyed. A story that could ruin them all. To make matters worse, these excerpts include backhanded threatening messages. Her brother is long gone and so is her husband. Anna’s past has been completely transformed. As the correspondence becomes unmanageable Anna sets out to learn who is behind this laser focused torment. Aptly named, this sequel to The Plot is a thriller like no other. Exceptionally well written - a book within a book within a book - it is filled with thrilling twists and turns as this mysterious woman uncovers the many layers of deception. It is a strange and wild ride to find yourself rooting for the villain. Note: You can absolutely read this sequel as a stand alone but most enjoyable to read The Plot first!!

I received an ARC of this novel, a sequel to The Plot, through NetGalley.

I had very high expectations for this book. I loved The Plot and gave it a 5-star rating. But I wasn't taken in by The Sequel in the same way at all. Why? I think the plot in The Sequel was less credible. The main character (Anna) was very unlikable. And the twists, which occur in both books, were less surprising the second time around. This is still a good read, but not as great as I thought The Plot was.

The Sequel is about Anna's book, which comes out soon after her author-husband's death. Anna is an evil woman and has more than a few skeletons in her closet, all of which she is trying to hide and/or eradicate. As she goes on book tours, she learns of clues that are out there that would expose her sordid past. The book is much about how Anna deals with these threats to her desire to live the good life.

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!

Advance reader copy provided by Celadon Books and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

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 ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh I LOVED this! I really liked the Plot but the The Sequel is just so much MORE. So dark and devous!! I was lucky enough to be approved for both the e book and audio book version ..and both are outstanding!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I recommend reading JHK's The Plot before you read The Sequel. Both books are excellent cliffhangers. Additionally, the new novel discusses the world of writers, editors, and publishers. JHK takes several shots at writers and readers, but I still enjoyed her excellent storytelling!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book, which will be published on October 1.

Oh my. I must admit that I read this one before book number one but it was such a great book based on writers who steal others works. Anne's husband is dead and she must live on, so she writes about what she knows, being married to an author and then living after his suicide. Although t the book was like the first, it was still a quick read that left me hoping for more. The way Anne investigates messages that make her feel that her dead brother is back, you can feel her frustration and at times fear. She has to relive her childhood and her adulthood. Since she is such a horrible person you really do want her to fail. Well written, many horrible characters but such a great story. Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5 ⭐️s rounded up

100% you should read “The Plot” before reading “The Sequel.” If you’re even considering reading “The Plot,” STOP reading my review. DON’T read the blurb or book jacket. TRUST ME, you don’t want to know what this book is about until AFTER you’ve read “The Plot.”

What you need to know if read “The Plot” but forgot stuff:

Anna’s late-husband, Jake, stole the idea for his bestselling novel from his former student, Evan, who never published his book because his sister Dianna/Anna killed him and made it look like a suicide because Evan’s plot was really true crime based on Anna killing her daughter, Rose, and then assuming Rose’s identity as a college student. Oh yeah, and Anna was the one who anonymously threatened to dox Jake over his plagiarized plot and then staged his murder as suicide. Got all that?

Onto “The Sequel”…

Just when Anna thinks she’s gotten away with multiple murders, she receives her own anonymous threat to unearth the skeletons of her past. She’d destroyed Evan’s original manuscript, didn’t she? So how is it coming back to haunt her?

If you thought “The Plot” was a tangled tale of twisty threads… “The Sequel” is a set of Russian nesting dolls made of Silly String. To disentangle and separate the individual strands of this “3-stories-in-one” novel, set your thinking cap to maximum power. Or, just look at my spoiler-free cheat sheet.

Anna’s Identity Guide:
• Anna = Jake’s widow/main character
• Dianna = Anna’s real name/Evan’s sister
• Samantha = Her character’s name in Jake’s novel
• Diandra = Her character’s name in Evan’s manuscript

Rose’s Identity Guide:
• Rose = Anna/Dianna’s daughter
• Maria = Her character in Jake’s novel
• Ruby = Her character in Evan’s manuscript

Anna, Jake’s novel, and Evan’s manuscript each tell a different version of events… I feel almost like I had to set up a Venn Diagram to get to the truth.

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

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this ARC.

I loved THE PLOT but THE SEQUEL didn’t hit me quite the same way. This felt more like a thriller where the literary aspect was secondary whereas THE PLOT was the opposite. Here, Anna is trying to stay secure in her post-Jake life and ensure all her (many) secrets are safe, but I was letting wanting to know more about what Anna wanted once she did so. It was a lot easier to care about Jake and his thirst for success than Anna and her thirst for…something. That said, the book is well-written and moves fast, it just left me wanting more.

(4.5 stars)

Well, that was twisty! The Sequel could be read as a standalone, but If you haven’t read The Plot already, I’d advise you to do so, for maximum enjoyment of this book.

I don’t want to give much away so I won’t go into details about the plot of this excellent book. There’s a lot to love about it for book lovers, a sort of “inside baseball” look at publishing today, including book tours, book signings and more. In the future, I’ll make sure not to behave like some of the people at book signings do in this story!

The main character(s) in The Sequel are rather unlikeable, and yet somehow, I wound up rooting for Anna somewhat. It felt odd to do so since she was a pretty terrible person.

I loved how each chapter is the title of a well-known sequel, such as: The Testaments, sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, or Bring Up The Bodies, sequel to Wolf Hall. That was a fun touch.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient, and allowed me to continue with the story even when I could not sit down and read - or when I could not listen. I wound up mostly listening, because Julia Whelan is such a fabulous narrator.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.