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The Sequel

By: Jean Hanff Korelitz
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
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Publisher's summary

Long-listed, Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, 2024

"Fans of The Plot, and they were legion, will rejoice at this sequel, performed with mesmerizing skill by the wonderful Julia Whelan...Whelan's achievement here seems like a little miracle, relentlessly compelling and wonderfully satisfying."—AudioFile (Earphones Award Winner)

After the “insanely readable” (Stephen King) and “perfectly told” (Malcolm Gladwell) New York Times bestseller The Plot comes Jean Hanff Korelitz’s equally captivating new novel: The Sequel.

Anna Williams-Bonner has taken care of business. That is to say, she’s taken care of her husband, bestselling novelist Jacob Finch Bonner, and laid to rest those anonymous accusations of plagiarism that so tormented him. Now she is living the contented life of a literary widow, enjoying her husband’s royalty checks in perpetuity, but for the second time in her life, a work of fiction intercedes, and this time it’s her own debut novel, The Afterword. After all, how hard can it really be to write a universally lauded bestseller?

But when Anna publishes her book and indulges in her own literary acclaim, she begins to receive excerpts of a novel she never expected to see again, a novel that should no longer exist. That it does means something has gone very wrong, and someone out there knows far too much: about her late brother, her late husband, and—just possibly—Anna, herself. What does this person want and what are they prepared to do? She has come too far, and worked too hard, to lose what she values most: the sole and uncontested right to her own story. And she is, by any standard, a master storyteller.

With her signature wit and sardonic humor, Jean Hanff Korelitz gives listeners an antihero to root for while illuminating and satirizing the world of publishing in this deliciously fun and suspenseful read.

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books.

©2024 Jean Hanff Korelitz (P)2024 Macmillan Audio
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Critic reviews

"It’s another taut and compulsively readable spellbinder from Korelitz."Publishers Weekly, STARRED

“Fans of Korelitz’s literary thriller The Plot will (manuscript theft! identity theft! murder most foul! soup!) get excited for the sequel: The Sequel, in which a certain author’s widow decides to write her own book—and discovers that she’s not the only one who knows a few secrets after all. Fun.”LitHub, Most Anticipated Books of 2024

"[A] hilariously snippy and deliciously mean satire of the publishing world in addition to a nail-biting suspense novel."BookPage, STARRED

Editorial Review

Let’s do the twist
Well, well, well, I just finished The Sequel and my head is delightfully spinning. The Sequel is the sequel to The Plot. Writer Jean Hanff Korelitz is very brava because in this thriller she has put the “isty” in twisty. I lied for this book. “Oh, I have to make a call, let me get back to you later,” I said to a dear friend. I pressed play and listened to the last few chapters out loud. I’m liking books within books these days. The Plot was about an award-winning book, Crib, which was plagiarized from an aspiring writer’s work. Inside The Sequel there’s another book, The Afterword. Every character is a character, and they are whole people, some not so nice. Anna Williams-Bonner, the main character, is the ultimate antihero, one tough broad. Narrator Julia Whelan’s home must be filled with flowers—here are some more! — Yvonne D., Audible Editor

What listeners say about The Sequel

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  • Overall
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Great follow-up book!

Wow! So excited to get this book I binge read it! So makes you wonder if Jean “plotted” this while writing “The Plot,” as it so seamlessly expands the known universe of it! Absolutely appreciated the narrator this time out - the prior one was so awful I physically read the book instead. Also makes me wonder (and hope) if there this will become a trilogy (no spoiler alerts here).

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  • Overall
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Another solid work

This work is certainly not as great as The Plot was yet this is still a quality work. As the narrator herself offers, "the sequel is never as good as the original". Yet, nobody is going to hold that against Korelitz. This is worth the buy and worth the read.

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  • Overall
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Compelling story masterfully narrated

I was fully engrossed as the story revealed one twist after another. The story is multi-layered and it’s true you needn’t read The Plot to understand The Sequel.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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First, the narrator. Should definitely be nominated for audible awards

Well, rounded characters intriguing story can't wait for the follow up as this cannot be the end maybe a prequel included with an additional new beginning for the character

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Wicked good

This was more of an expansion of the previous story than a sequel, but I still couldn’t stop listening. Narration excellent, of course.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Really good but not her best for me.

I think Jean Hanff Korelitz is a terrific writer and I read everything she writes as soon as it comes out. I enjoyed The Sequel and The Plot, but they both seem a bit like a private joke when compared to the scope of ideas and characters she's developed in previous books. I've had more than my fair share of close friends and romantic interests who have been bonafide or aspiring writers, and I'm familiar enough with the world of publishing to appreciate the humor and wit. I even deeply love a mystery featuring a psychopath, but the world of the books in this series still seems. . .small. I will continue to read everything the author writes -- she occupies my top tier of favorite living authors -- but I hope she turns her talent to broader themes and truer characters again.

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Ride of the Anti-Hero!

This book is twisty and unnerving. If you liked the first book you will not be disappointed with this one. This is the best anti-hero since Hannibal Lecter. I loved the narration.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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confused with unanswered questions

so how did her daughter die? Does she have any remorse for her? what is this character? am I supposed to love or hate the character? I honestly can't tell if this is a good book or not

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Don’t bother

The incompleteness of the ending was a big let down. Women get overlooked, killing everyone was justified blah blah blah.

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Satisfying Sequel

I loved The Plot with its inside publishing POV , sharp writing and bold plot. Plus , the sly humor. The Sequel continues Anna’s story of ‘reclaiming’ her story at the cost of others. More good publishing/writers life material and observations.

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