Review of The Plot

If you love a good old-style psychological suspense story, you’ll enjoy this homage to The Talented Mr. Ripley. It’s about a guy with writer’s block who steals someone’s plot and ends up trapped in a web of lies! Check out my Review of the Plot and when you’ve read the book, come join our spoiler discussion for The Plot!

What’s The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz about?

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz. Published on May 11, 2021 by Celadon books. Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review.

Synopsis of the Plot: Jacob Finch Bonner was a promising young novelist. Today, he’s teaching in a third-rate MFA program and struggling to maintain what’s left of his self-respect.

When Evan Parker, his most arrogant student, announces he doesn’t need Jake’s help because the plot of his book in progress is a sure thing, Jake is prepared to dismiss the boast as typical amateur narcissism. But then . . . he hears the plot.

Jake returns to the downward trajectory of his own career and braces himself for the supernova publication of Evan Parker’s first novel: but it never comes.

When he discovers that his former student has died, Jake does what any self-respecting writer would do: tell a story that absolutely needs to be told. In a few short years, all of Evan Parker’s predictions have come true, but Jake is the author enjoying the wave.

He is wealthy, famous, praised and read all over the world. But at the height of his glorious new life, an e-mail arrives, the first salvo in a terrifying, anonymous campaign: You are a thief, it says.

Review of The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

I don’t remember if I read The Talented Mr. Ripley, but I did see the movie with Matt Damon and Gwenyth Paltrow. I LOVE old school suspense authors like Patricia Highsmith (you may also know her Strangers on a Train, which was adapted by Alfred Hitchcock.)

The Plot definitely has that older-school pacing, in which suspense slowly builds.The pace is measured, not breakneck.

Jacob isn’t the most likable character. He published his first novel to great acclaim, managed to write a second, and then struggled to get anything published.

Now he’s teaching at a writing program at Ripley (lol) College. One of his students is unbearably cocky, saying that he doesn’t really need Jacob’s help because he’s got a foolproof plot. (Not sure why he signed up for a two-week writing class, but okay.)

A year or so later, Jacob is still floundering and decides to Google his former student. Who seems to have died shortly after taking Jacob’s writing class. Jacob snoops around to see if the guy ever actually wrote his book, and when it seems like he didn’t, Jacob decides to write it. Fast-forward a few more years, and Jacob is a #1 best selling author whose book is being made into a movie. But then one day, Jacob gets a message from “Talented Tom” that says “you are a thief.”

The Plot alternates between Jacob’s point of view and chapter from his book, The Crib, which cribbed the plot (haha.) I didn’t enjoy the Crib chapters as much, but I think the book needed them for reasons that I can’t get into without spoiling the story.

The “plagiarism” angle of the story was interesting. Jacob didn’t really plagiarize, because you can’t copyright a plot. But his borrowing did give him a PR problem, which escalated as “Tom” upped the ante. The fun of the story was trying to figure out the identity of “Talented Tom,” the mystery letter writer, and their endgame.

Downside: I did figure most of the reveals pretty quickly. I felt there could have been more suspense as there was really only one person I thought could be writing the letters.

Join the Spoiler Discussion for The Plot!

There’s a LOT of fun stuff to talk about in The Plot, and I am READY to talk it out with you in my Spoiler Discussion and Plot Summary of The Plot. I’m putting all my spoiler discussions in one place and calling it The Armchair Bookclub. If you’ve read any of these books (many of which are celebrity book club picks) come and join in the fun. Our discussions are super lively with a lot of smart and insightful people participating!