Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Kindle
$14.99

Available instantly

Audiobook
$0.99
with membership

Hardcover
$11.56

Paperback
$18.99

Limited time deal NO_OF_HOURS hours NO_OF_MINUTES minutes Limited time deal NO_OF_MINUTES minutes Limited time deal NO_OF_MINUTES minutes NO_OF_SECONDS seconds Limited time deal NO_OF_SECONDS seconds Limited time deal

$11.56 with 60 percent savings

List Price: $29.00

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Saturday, May 3 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or Prime members get FREE delivery Tomorrow, April 29. Order within 9 hrs 48 mins.

In Stock

$$11.56 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Returns

30-day refund/replacement

Payment

Secure transaction

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (64) from $6.26 + $3.98 shipping

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Jean Hanff Korelitz

Follow

The Sequel: A Novel (The Book Series, 2) Hardcover – October 1, 2024

by Jean Hanff Korelitz (Author)

2,244 ratings

Book 2 of 2: The Book Series

Editors' pick Best Books of the Year 2024

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$11.56","priceAmount":11.56,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"11","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"56","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"gYyHnKJGdNsp%2BMAxLD5qMMQJWT60OeZFBMPb6Xhf6TBi9WvyTT%2Fwf6zz%2B7GS65hUFkQjNVjjrKVz27BZSC72uiUOEsySs2lvDSM9NbfZ7%2FiYf7KXbWdSDIIC4W5xGLBPbePeVmjy%2B%2FJptk10uW4r2w%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

“Sequels are notoriously tricky. Even the characters in The Sequel acknowledge it. “They’re never as good as the first book, are they?”… Well, this one is. By shifting the focus to Anna, Korelitz gives the novel what many sequels lack: a sense of newness. While the story grows more intricate, she remains in control. Her plot ― ha! ― is propulsive, her prose precise.”
―The New York Times

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 readers an antihero to root for while illuminating and satirizing the world of publishing in this deliciously fun and suspenseful read.

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Sequels are notoriously tricky. Even the characters in The Sequel acknowledge it. 'They’re never as good as the first book, are they?'… Well, this one is. By shifting the focus to Anna, Korelitz gives the novel what many sequels lack: a sense of newness. While the story grows more intricate, she remains in control. Her plot ― ha! ― is propulsive, her prose precise.”
―The New York Times

“[A] propulsive thriller... Korelitz spins Anna’s pursuit of her accuser into a satisfying hunt, threading it with her antihero’s hilariously jaundiced opinions of literary life.”
―The New Yorker

“Like Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley or Satan in Milton’s Paradise Lost, Anna is a heinous devil who may shock and offend, but never bores.”
―The Washington Post

"Ms. Korelitz’s book, mixing dark wit with coldblooded suspense, provides an unforgettable tour through the life and mind of a homicidal protagonist."
―The Wall Street Journal

"This follow-up to The Plot finds Anna Williams-Bonner basking in literary acclaim (and moola from her murdered husband’s estate) ― until pesky excerpts from a manuscript resurface and put questions of authorship, and the publishing world’s values, under the microscope."
―The New York Times Book Review, 21 Books to Read in October

“Korelitz fans will eat up this satirical, bookish suspense.”
―PEOPLE Magazine

"This delicious follow-up to 'The Plot' finds Anna Williams-Bonner basking in literary acclaim (and moola from her husband’s estate) ― until pesky excerpts from a manuscript resurface and put questions of authorship, and the publishing world’s values, under the microscope."
―The New York Times Notable Book of the Year

"Korelitz's leery view of intellectual posturing and the professionalization of the writing life brings out some of her own best writing."
―The Washington Post, Best Fiction of 2024

"Through the narration of this unforgettable antiheroine, a deliciously nasty storyteller, Korelitz delivers a ripping good read."
―Esquire, Best Books of 2024

“Wicked entertainment.”
―Kirkus, STARRED

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

“This book will fly off the shelves.”
―Library Journal

“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

"[A] compelling and worthy sequel, another rip-roaring thriller full of very amusing scenes of delusional writers and their awful prose and many twists and turns."
―Booklist

"[A] page-turner for sure and a worthy follow up (sequel!) to the author’s fantastic thriller The Plot."
―AARP

“Chilling, creatively woven.”
―Woman's World Magazine

"Korelitz delivers another sizzler of a story about literary theft and murder. Readers of her earlier book, The Plot, will welcome the return of the diabolical Anna Williams-Bonner. Posing as a grieving widow and promoting her novel ― a fictionalized account of her husband’s death ― she gets an unsettling note from an unknown person who appears to know too much about her past. Anna has a lot to hide, and a knack for eliminating her enemies."
―The New York Times, 10 Best Thriller Novels of 2024

"The Sequel, by Jean Hanff Korelitz, is an unpredictable continuation of the author’s 2021 novel, The Plot. The literary widow Anna Williams-Bonner, inspired by the success that her husband won by crafting a bestseller out of a story lifted from a deceased writing student, creates a novel of her own: a thinly disguised fiction based on her life before and after her spouse’s death. Sales are brisk, but an anonymous troll threatens to spoil everything by exposing deadly secrets from Anna’s hidden past. In the hope of protecting her reputation and freedom, Anna invents a killer of an ending for her tormentor."
―The Wall Street Journal, Best Mystery Novels of 2024

About the Author

Jean Hanff Korelitz is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels The Plot, The Latecomer, You Should Have Known (which aired on HBO as The Undoing, starring Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, and Donald Sutherland), Admission (adapted as a film starring Tina Fey), The Devil and Webster, The White Rose, The Sabbathday River and A Jury of Her Peers, as well as Interference Powder, a novel for children. Her company BOOKTHEWRITER hosts Pop-Up Book Groups in which small groups of readers discuss new books with their authors. She lives in New York City with her husband, Irish poet Paul Muldoon.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Celadon Books (October 1, 2024)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250875471
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250875471
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.55 x 1 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #6,767 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #351 in Murder Thrillers
- #817 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)
- #1,209 in Suspense Thrillers

Customer Reviews:
2,244 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Jean Hanff Korelitz

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Jean Hanff Korelitz is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels THE PLOT (The 2021 Tonight Show Summer Reads pick), YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN (adapted for HBO as "The Undoing" by David E. Kelley, and starring Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant and Donald Sutherland), ADMISSION (adapted as the 2013 film starring Tina Fey), THE DEVIL AND WEBSTER, THE WHITE ROSE, THE SABBATHDAY RIVER and A JURY OF HER PEERS. A new novel, THE LATECOMER, will be published on May 31st, 2022. Her company BOOKTHEWRITER hosts "Pop-Up Book Groups" in person in NYC and online, where small groups of readers can discuss new books with their authors. www.bookthewriter.com

Customer reviews

2,244 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book fast-moving and interesting to read, with well-written prose and a whirlwind of plot twists. However, the writing style receives mixed feedback, with some finding it well-written while others describe it as plodding. Moreover, character development is also mixed, with some customers loving the characters while others find the main character thoroughly unlikable.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Readability Pace Plot twists Writing style Pacing Character development

23 customers mention "Readability"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting and extremely enjoyable to read, with one customer noting there's never a dull moment throughout the story.

"I enjoyed this book and it had a few twists that I did not see coming. But, in the end I preferred the Plot to the Sequel...." Read more

"...A bit disappointing compared to "The Plot" but still, a fun read with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️" Read more

"...This is a book series I’m probably going to read again as it is extremely enjoyable and a bit scary...." Read more

"...It was a fun read and an interesting sequel, but I thought there was far too much redundancy, too much unnecessary and distracting internal dialogue..." Read more

4 customers mention "Pace"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pace of the book, describing it as fast-moving, with one customer noting how smoothly it flows.

"...I also felt that The Sequel flowed along much more smoothly for me than The Plot did...." Read more

"I read Sequel in one long evening. Could not put it down. It moves right along, and is the thriller its predecessor wanted to be...." Read more

"...She provides a true sequel to “The Plot.” Tense, thrilling, fast moving, never a dull moment. Rational … but emotional all at once. A great read...." Read more

"Really liked this. It moves at a faster pace then The Plot." Read more

47 customers mention "Plot twists"30 positive17 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the plot twists in the book, with some enjoying them while others find them far-fetched and repetitive.

"...I loved The Plot, not only for the mystery, but also for the scathing commentary - the author so deliciously includes - on the "writing" industry in..." Read more

"...compared to "The Plot" but still, a fun read with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️" Read more

"...Read to find out. Korelitz keeps you on your toes. Events in the book are repeated too often, but still a page turner." Read more

"...Snarky, sassy, beautifully written it's a great story about a sociopath you'll actually root for, and you'll also appreciate the satire of things..." Read more

22 customers mention "Writing style"14 positive8 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing style of the book, with some finding it well written while others describe it as plodding.

"...the mystery, but also for the scathing commentary - the author so deliciously includes - on the "writing" industry in general...." Read more

"...was far too much redundancy, too much unnecessary and distracting internal dialogue, and one murder too many, so to speak...." Read more

"...Snarky, sassy, beautifully written it's a great story about a sociopath you'll actually root for, and you'll also appreciate the satire of things..." Read more

"...The writing was good in both but, for me, The Sequel had me turning the pages faster...." Read more

13 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive9 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it extraordinary and sassy, while others describe it as boring.

"...But this is also an annoying piece of the story...." Read more

"...Snarky, sassy, beautifully written it's a great story about a sociopath you'll actually root for, and you'll also appreciate the satire of things..." Read more

"...It did keep my interest until the last 75 pages and then it just got silly and I was tired of her killing spree. A boring ending to boot." Read more

"...the premise behind this book is fine, the writing feels labored and uninspired...." Read more

9 customers mention "Character development"4 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book.

"The book is boring, the main character thoroughly unlikable, and the writing style torturous. I’m mad I kept going until the end. Wasted hours." Read more

"...But, in the end I preferred the Plot to the Sequel. I absolutely loved the characters." Read more

"...The main person was not likeable to begin with but there was very little to redeem her...." Read more

"...The plot intricacies, the main character, the stunning denouement all demand some serious reading time." Read more

Reviews with images

See all photos

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

Jessica R. M. Williams
Could Not Put this Down ... So Good!!!
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2024
Verified Purchase

I'll start with commenting on The Plot which is the first book in this series. You must read it first so that you understand Anna's story as a whole. I loved The Plot, not only for the mystery, but also for the scathing commentary - the author so deliciously includes - on the "writing" industry in general. As an English and composition teacher and someone who took creative writing classes in undergrad and grad school (but who is not a published author!) the disdain the author has for the "creative writing machine" including MFA programs, the publishing industry, and authors themselves - is relentlessly amazing.

I read a lot of fiction, and most of you who also read a lot of fiction know how much published garbage there is out there. But for those of you who also write creatively, we know how much we feel we aren't worthy of calling ourselves writers if we have not been published.

In any event - I fell in love with The Plot because of Jake's relationship with his "writing persona" as well as his "writing teacher persona." He obviously hated teaching writing and thought his students were beneath him though he had so much self-loathing at times. Reminds me so much of the creative writing professors I had in college who obviously did not want to be in a room with me, but who were not able to sell enough of their own work to save them from their students so desperate to have a little of what they had somehow achieved but couldn't quite maintain (or maybe they actually like teaching?) It's possible, I guess.

But I digress. I don't teach creative writing, btw. I teach college composition, and I wholeheartedly love every second of it. It's a whole other animal.

The Sequel is equally harsh toward the writing industry, especially the world of publishing which is where we find Anna, also a published author in the second book. Anna is certainly a psychopath/sociopath - I forget the difference between the two, but she's one of them - and we didn't realize to what extent until The Sequel. You root for her - like you do for the beautiful psycho/sociopath in Killing Eve - but at the same time you are horrified at the extent to which she will go to protect herself and her own interests. The mystery is thoroughly engaging in this book, and it's a guessing game until the end to see whether she can maintain the life she has "written" for herself.

There is a sense that the author wants you to understand that Anna is a woman who has been put upon by everyone and she is only trying to "save her own story" throughout the book. But this is also an annoying piece of the story. And in comes the annoying mention of modern politics and feminism ideology and the tired notion that all Southern white men are racists and misogynists, and that women like Anna - the psycho/sociopath that she is - is a victim of white men who listen to conservative radio and don't want "women to have bodily autonomy" and who don't want "people of color to vote" (the author's words, not mine). As annoying as this part is, I feel the author comes full circle with this implication by the end of the story when it's quite the opposite person who is again, trying to "steal" Anna's story from her. So hang in there for the end because the author does a great job of dismantling trite stereotypes in relation to Anna's "victimhood."

Read more

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
amy
I preferred the Plot
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2025
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this book and it had a few twists that I did not see coming. But, in the end I preferred the Plot to the Sequel. I absolutely loved the characters.

Read more

Helpful

Report
#EmptyNestReader
A fun read. I'd recommend reading first to better understand the story here.
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2025
Verified Purchase
The reader may find The Sequel to be confusing without having first read The Plot. I have provided my summation (as does Korelitz) but it is most assuredly not enough. A quick synopsis: When Jacob Finch Bonner, an English writing teacher from a small east coast college, “borrowed” the story of his first book, he expected that no one would ever notice. But someone did. And that someone began sending him notes threatening him. The anonymous notes tormented him and he worried perpetually that he would be exposed. His wife, Anna Williams-Bonner has stepped in and taken care of things for Jacob. That is,”she has taken care of her husband and laid to rest those anonymous accusations of plagiarism that so tormented him”.

Anna Williams-Bonner has settled into her new life as a widow, living on her husband’s royalty checks. Anna decides that, even though she has no experience or education in this area, she should write her own bestseller and so she does, The Afterword. When Anna begins receiving anonymous excerpts from the other book from long-ago she cannot understand what could have happened. Who could possibly know? and what can she do about it? Determined to take care of things once and for all, Anna attempts to do just that. After all, this is Anna’s story and she will not allow anyone to take it from her, no matter what the cost.

A bit disappointing compared to "The Plot" but still, a fun read with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read more

Helpful

Report
Leslie Bialler
Do not read without reading "The Plot{ first!
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2024
Verified Purchase
Continues the story of the talented Ms. Anna Williams Bonner, who we last met in a very Highsmith way in the previous book.

Snarky, sassy, beautifully written it's a great story about a sociopath you'll actually root for, and you'll also appreciate the satire of things common among people who write books, acquire them, publish them, and market them.

I have no idea if the author intends to write a third book, but I did notice a loose end or two, which makes me think there well might be. And I'll be there for it.

I would tell you more, but I might spoil not only this book for you, but also the previous one, if you hadn't got around to reading it yet.

So I'll just say enjoy the sly humor, and don't take it too seriously. Just go with it.

Notes and asides: Guns, drugs of various sorts, some violence. No cats were harmed in the making of this book.

Read more

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Mtlnative
A great sequel
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2025
Verified Purchase
I actually liked The Sequel more than The Plot, which I read a month ago. I gave The Plot three stars because some of the book echoed crime novels and crime shows I have seen before. And, to be honest, so does The Sequel but there are a couple of startling differences that I won’t give away. I also felt that The Sequel flowed along much more smoothly for me than The Plot did. The writing was good in both but, for me, The Sequel had me turning the pages faster.

If you haven’t yet read the Plot though I strongly recommend you read The Plot first. The Sequel can stand alone, and still be a very good thriller, but The Plot will give you a deeper understanding of Anna, The Sequel’s main character. Without The Plot, the first few chapters of The Sequel might give you a confusing picture of her. Which, thinking about it, might not necessarily be a bad thing because, as I said, The Sequel can stand very much on its own.

Read more

Helpful

Report
Poppytart
Intelligent and cleverly written thriller full of plot twists
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2025
Verified Purchase
Once again we are caught up in a whirlwind of plot twists along with some humor that makes The Sequel as good if not better than The Plot. This is a book series I’m probably going to read again as it is extremely enjoyable and a bit scary. The writing reminds me of Patricia Highsmith and Peter Swanson. I highly recommend this book and hope there’s a 3rd one coming!

Read more

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

Jay
Astonishing, gripping and just brilliant!
Reviewed in France on December 27, 2024
Verified Purchase

Do yourself a favor and pick up this novel, “The Sequel,” but only after you’ve read “The Plot”. You won’t be disappointed. Korelitz is a star, a true genius. Her prose, her sardonic wit, her style, her … everything, just brings these books (stories) alive and leave you wanting for more. I’d planned to read The Plot and The Sequel leisurely over the Christmas holidays, but ended up gobbling them down like a glutton. Now I’m bereft that the feast is over but the aftertaste is sublime.

Read more
Report
Mrs Armtrough
Ice cold and incisive as a serial killer's blade
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 23, 2024
Verified Purchase
The perfect sequel to the equally compelling 'Plot', the author has created a chilling but audacious psychopath as her lead who takes the reader on a complex roller-coaster of murder, stolen stories and identities as well as giving a scathing and often hilarious take down of the envy, self-interest and delusion of the publishing world. Immensely entertaining, I can't wait for Part Three.

Read more
Report
Michelle
Great product 👍
Reviewed in Canada on March 2, 2025
Verified Purchase
Fast shipping and brand new. Would buy again.

Read more
Report
EC
Fun Thriller
Reviewed in Canada on December 14, 2024
Verified Purchase
There are elements a reader may see coming, but overall a very satisfying thriller

Read more
Report
s.d.turner
Read The Plot first
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 18, 2025
Verified Purchase
Rather wordy and unlikely overall. Plenty of twists but the Plot is a much better novel.

Read more
Report

See more reviews

Amazon Prime includes:

Follow the author

The Sequel: A Novel (The Book Series, 2) Hardcover – October 1, 2024

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the author

Jean Hanff Korelitz

Customer reviews

Review this product

Customers say

Select to learn more

Images in this review

Reviews with images

Anna is unhinged!

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

5.0 out of 5 stars Could Not Put this Down ... So Good!!!

4.0 out of 5 stars I preferred the Plot

3.0 out of 5 stars A fun read. I'd recommend reading first to better understand the story here.

5.0 out of 5 stars Do not read without reading "The Plot{ first!

4.0 out of 5 stars A great sequel

5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent and cleverly written thriller full of plot twists

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Astonishing, gripping and just brilliant!

5.0 out of 5 stars Ice cold and incisive as a serial killer's blade

5.0 out of 5 stars Great product 👍

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Thriller

4.0 out of 5 stars Read The Plot first

Could Not Put this Down ... So Good!!!

I preferred the Plot

A fun read. I'd recommend reading first to better understand the story here.

Do not read without reading "The Plot{ first!

A great sequel

Intelligent and cleverly written thriller full of plot twists

Astonishing, gripping and just brilliant!

Ice cold and incisive as a serial killer's blade

Great product 👍

Fun Thriller

Read The Plot first