Suspense

Appreciate dark psychological thrillers packed with twists and turns? Then this book is for you. Clarissa Virtanen, a renowned but troubled therapist, who remains guilt-ridden over the death of a young patient, takes on Ida, another young client. Ida is one disturbing young woman: angry, damaged, messed up, full of suicidal ideations. But Clarissa believes she can help Ida, providing that Ida agrees to refrain from self-harm for six months—enough time for Clarissa to unlock her past, learn her secrets, and save her. But what Ida has in store are murderous secrets that she’s been harboring for years, and that may well be Clarissa’s undoing.

Yes, in nearly every way The Sequel is The Plot Redux, but don’t let that stop you for a minute. In most regards, The Sequel is more fun, more sardonic, and much darker—although this is one of the few series in which reading the first book before the second pays enormous dividends. We are back in the world of Anna Williams-Bonner, whose late husband, novelist Jacob, died by suicide. His novel The Plot found its way to the top of the Times bestseller list, leaving Anna doing everything she can to succeed as a literary widow—including touring across the country in Jacob’s stead. Anna gets so into the publishing groove that she actually authors her own debut novel. If only the story could end there. Anna undergoes harassment from someone who knows all too much about her life, her husband, and even her brother. But this anti-hero isn’t one to go down easily. I have no doubt Anna will be kicking her way into #3, to the delight of her many fans.