THE PLOT (2021)

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's been a while since I've stayed up late to finish a book, but I had to know how Jean Hanff Korelitz's "The Plot" ended before I closed my eyes last night!

FIRST LINE: "Jacob Finch Bonner, the once promising author of the "New & Noteworthy" (New York Times Book Review) novel The Invention of Wonder, let himself into the office he'd been assigned on the second floor of Richard Peng Hall, set his beat-up leather satchel on the barren desk, and looked around in something akin to despair."

THE STORY: Not having published anything worthy since his successful first novel, Jake Finch Bonner has been reduced to teaching a low-residency MFA program at a rural Vermont college teaching creative writing. His first year he encounters Evan Parker, an arrogant young man, who claims to have conceived a plot that can't help but to be the best selling book of all time and shares the plot with his instructor. Several years later, Jake unexpectedly finds an obituary for Evan and decides to write the book himself.

"Crib" becomes an enormous success and Jake is busy touring the country enjoying his new found celebrity when anonymous messages begin to arrive. Someone knows.

Our disingenuous hero thinks he can keep his guilty secret which only undermines everything he has achieved. When he finally decides to track down the person who is threatening him with exposure, the twists and turns tighten.

WHAT I THOUGHT: "The Plot" is devilishly clever. Inserted sections from "Crib" add to the overall arc of the story. Interesting characters, sophisticated writing, a glimpse into world of publishing and writers, plus a fascinating plot makes for a must-read book in 2021.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of was provided to me by Celadon Books /Net Galley for an honest review. 

Publisher : Celadon Books (May 11, 2021)
Hardcover : 336 pages
ISBN-10 : 125079076X
ISBN-13 : 978-1250790767 

THE AUTHOR: Jean Hanff Korelitz is the author of the novels 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 PLOT, will be published on May 11th 2021. Her company BOOKTHEWRITER hosts "Pop-Up Book Groups" in NYC, where small groups of readers can discuss new books with their authors. www.bookthewriter.com 

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