Linda's Reviews > The Plot

The Plot is a fast-paced and highly entertaining mystery/thriller.
It centers on Jacob Finch Bonner, a once-promising novelist who suffers from writer's block. Bonner is supplementing his income by teaching in a Vermont-based low residency MFA in creative writing, and here he meets a student who shares his plot idea for a sure-fire hit novel. Three years after the meeting, Bonner learns that the student has died of a drug overdose, and he decides to use his plotline for his next novel.

The novel is a huge success. It makes the New York Times bestseller list, is selected by Ophray Winfrey's book club, and is under contract for a film adaptation by Steven Speilberg. Then Bonner begins to receive e-mails that accuse him of stealing his plotline. So he takes the role of amateur detective to track down his accuser.

The novel is well-written and cleverly satirizes the literary world and low residency creative writing programs. I enjoyed the characters, the pacing, and the humor. However, I figured out the mystery early on and kept waiting for the protagonist to get past his anxiety and guilt and do the same. However, I enjoyed the book despite its predictability. I listened to it on audio, and it was great fun.