The Plot: A Novel

'The Plot' by Jean Hanff Korelitz was one I was greatly anticipating as my summer thriller, and it did not disappoint. As a former teacher, an avid reader, and wannabe writer, the idea of stealing a former student's plot once they have passed away was beyond intriguing.

Author Jacob "Jake" Finch Bonner is in quite a rut after the acclaim of his one major "hit" starts wearing off. But could he stoop so low as to steal the storyline of a deceased student...a plot that very few people even knew about? Maybe even just he and said student...?

But someone else must know since his new fame is being questioned by an anonymous social media poster as he/she starts outing Jake online.

I figured out most of the twists and turns of THIS story's plot, but was still incredibly impressed with how it was all planned out and presented. This was a solid 4.5 star read for me. It could have been a 5 star, but dropped down a smidge since I had figured out the "surprises" early on... But it was still an incredible ride.

A HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read and review this page-turning read.

Everybody said to read it for the ending, but even the ending didn't save it. I'm sorry, this was a slog.

Jake Bonner wrote a really good, very popular book. But he was in danger of remaining a one-hit wonder when chance threw an opportunity in his way. Many years ago, when Jake was a teaching at a low-rent writer's workshop, a student told him about the plot of the book he was writing. Recognizing that the idea was sure to become a bestseller, Jake couldn't help but be jealous. Several years later, he comes to learn that the student has died, his book never written. So Jake takes the idea and runs with it.

Sure enough, the book is a hit, jumping onto the bestseller list, becoming an Oprah pick, everything Jake always thought he wanted. But he can't enjoy his fame and fortune, because he's just waiting for someone to expose him. And then one day, he gets a note: "You are a thief." Someone knows his secret, but who? And what do they want? As the threats of exposure intensify, Jake falls down the rabbit hall of his former student's life, where he unearths more secrets than might be quite healthy for him.

Like other reviewers, I too found the plot twist to be kind of predictable, but there was still plenty of suspense as I read to find out how Korelitz was going to pull it all off. On one level, this book is a disturbing, twisty story, with a somewhat pathetic main character you couldn't help but have some sympathy for. On another level, this book is a meditation on the ownership of ideas and the responsibility wrtiers have to one another. On either level, the book falls a little short, as characters and ideas aren't as fleshed out as one might like, but that doesn't prevent it from being an overall enjoyable read.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.

predictable from the get-go

Very good book but a little too verbose, especially at the beginning.