Revenge Plot

by Stephanie Wrobel

A desperate writer’s pursuit of a powerful literary agent takes a dark turn in this new novel from the internationally bestselling author of The Hitchcock Hotel and Darling Rose Gold.

All Arnie Tenderton wants this Christmas—all he’s ever wanted—is to be a published author. For decades he has toiled over one novel after another. Each was missing something. Until now.

He’s finally written his perfect book.

What he needs next is a literary agent, someone who can get his book into publishers’ hands. Not just any agent will do, of course. Arnie wants the best. Arnie wants Claudia Conley.

She already rejected him once, and Arnie has never forgiven her. He could move on. Instead, he finds out where Claudia is spending the alone in a remote house in the Catskill Mountains. He decides to show up there to make his pitch.

Claudia may try to turn him down again, but this time Arnie won’t take no for an answer.

Because his book is about her.

And he’s not leaving until the story ends the way he wants.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Books About Books, Fiction, Christmas

416 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication November 10, 2026

About the author

Stephanie Wrobel is the internationally bestselling author of The Hitchcock Hotel, This Might Hurt and Darling Rose Gold, which sold in twenty-one countries and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. She lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revenge Plot by Stephanie Wrobel

The author plays with our minds in so many ways, dangling hints, letting us know the different direction a story can go, touching on or ramming right into the problems with agents, editors, publishers, authors, bloggers, influencers and more. This book was a page turner for me and I was never quite sure where it was going until the very last page. Oh, and there is a cute little kid named Theo who knows to be suspicious of a woman living in a treehouse.

We meet Arnie Tenderton and six year old Theo as they are driving through intense snow conditions. Arnie has a destination and that destination is the treehouse where agent Claudia Conley is staying for the holidays. She hadn't planned to be there alone but her companion for the holiday turned on her and cancelled their time together. And now Arnie and Theo have arrived thanks to Arnie losing control of his car, hitting a tree, and being stranded right at Claudia's treehouse.

Claudia doesn't know it, yet, but Arnie was coming to her, for her, and he means business. He has written a book and he doesn't care if no one else reads it but HER. She MUST read his book, he wrote it just for her (and as a catharsis) and since he couldn't get past her assistant, he now has her all to himself (and Theo).

What we have at the moment is a escape room via a treehouse and there is only one way out and it's down. We are going to learn all about Claudia and her manner of doing business. This story is about writers and how hard it is to even make a dent at all on the radar of those who can help an author get published. No one in the publishing industry has it easy so all kinds of ethical and honest stops can be pulled out as some people manipulate and bend the system into getting others to believe lies and half truths. Heck, just make things up completely, insure on one is allowed to talk, and the "make it up" world is open for exploitation.

But, don't let one of those true crime-ish type bloggers get a scent of dishonestly because they will be all over that trail and they will jump on a lie and tear it open until everything is exposed. But hopefully, Arnie and Theo are just at Claudia's temporary treehouse for a short time as they share the feast she has cooked. Then they can be on their way. Watch the author twist and turn things until we end up back in the same place with an entirely different story than we thought we started with, after we've been taken on a long and winding road.

Expected publication November 10, 2026

Thank you to Elisha, Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley, and NetGalley for this ARC

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 5 out of 5]

AN ENDING YOU WILL WANT TO TALK ABOUT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

One Powerful Literary Agent-Claudia Conley
Three determined Authors-Arnie, Neve and Jo

Christmas Day, 8 AM

Claudia Conley has rented a wonderful cabin for Christmas-a treehouse-perched two stories off of the ground, in the Catskills, with only a ladder allowing access to it. And, she is preparing a delicious gourmet dinner, to enjoy. As she preps her meal, everything from Appetizers through Dessert, my mouth was watering. And, as she cooked, I enjoyed her musings on the disappointing submissions she has been receiving- more husbands who become monsters-more characters in locked room locations-more happy occasions turning deadly. (Touché)

Christmas Day, 4 PM

All Arnie Tenderton wants for Christmas is to be a published author. All he needs to make his dream happen is the RIGHT literary agent-and he believes that agent is Claudia Conley. She is the agent who represents the HOTTEST author in the current market-the mysterious, reclusive Jo Stone. She/He is the author of the Severine female serial killer series- and through mixed media, we learn that EVERYONE is obsessed with trying to figure out the author’s identity and back story.

Arnie tried to do things the RIGHT way. He submitted his very ORIGINAL manuscript “The Unraveling” to Claudia but her assistant rejected it before it could ever reach her. So, he is changed its title, to one that will DEFINITELY catch her eye-one that she CANNOT ignore-since the book is about HER-and he plans to ambush her on Christmas to pitch the book in person. He has a foolproof plan to get invited to dinner, and he isn’t leaving until he gets what he came for.

Just as he hands her the manuscript, and we learn what the NEW title is, we move into Part Two-Neve’ story.

Over the course of the day, the story unfolds through the many courses of the Christmas meal, including Second Helpings, Dessert and even a NightCap. I also enjoyed being fed the insider tidbits about the Publishing Industry-the rise and fall of genres, tropes and even authors.

This was a psychological thriller that had me ENTHRALLED from the very first page! While one twist was a tiny bit hard to swallow, the final twist was VERY satisfying, especially the VERY LAST SCENE! Chef’s kiss! 💋

4.5 stars rounded up!

A buddy read with Ceecee and Marilyn-Do watch for their amazing reviews!

Expected Publication Date: November 10, 2026

Thank You to Berkley Publishing for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

[Holly B · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Meet Claudia - She is spending a quiet Christmas away. She has booked a treehouse rental so she can spend the holiday on her own. She found it on Airbnb's website. It is a secluded, one of a kind and sounds like a perfect getaway! She grabs it! 🌳🏠

The weather turns quite frightful and Claudia starts to regret her choice a bit! ❄️

Then she hears a sudden crash outside!

Things get twisted pretty quickly and I couldn't read fast enough to see what was happening. 😲 However, the pacing slowed down for me with some of the later POV chapters. There was a lot of info and revelations that were a bit hard to believe, some may think of them as a bombshell. Hmm....

This was a fun buddy with Kaceey though and we were guessing throughout and had many questions!

Overall, I enjoyed the literary references, anticipating what we thought was going on and one scene (yikes) in the later chapter that made me gasp, but the ending fell flat.

3.5 STARS

Thanks to Netgalley for my ARC! This one is available on November 10, 2026

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Moly! If you saw that ending coming you must be psychic! It was a complete shocker for me! I love it when that happens. Whew! What a plot! Revenge Plot is brimming with atmosphere, tension, dread, and of course, revenge! Arnie Tenderton wants to be an author. He has written what he considers to be a best seller; his only problem is that the literary agent he wants the most has rejected his work. But he has a plan, one which he feels once he pulls it off, Claudia Conley, the literary agent he wants, cannot refuse!

Claudia Conley has rented a treehouse in the middle of the snowy woods in hopes of celebrating the Christmas Holiday in the Catskill Mountains. It's off the beaten path, away from any town or other homes. It's the quiet and isolation she wants, a winter wonderland where she can destress and unwind. Unknown to her, Arnie Tenderton has found out where she is staying and has a plan to put his book into her hands. How can she refuse? The book is, after all, about her! But will they bond while sipping hot chocolate? Will she swoon over six-year-old Theo whom he has brought with him? Will she love his book? Will it be a happy reading or a terrorizing nightmare?????

Oh, what a tangled web this author has woven with Revenge Plot.I loved the setting of this book. I also love the trapped feeling in this book. A treehouse home in the middle of nowhere with the snow coming down really appealed to me. I also loved the tension which leapt from the pages. This book is unsettling and oozing with dread. I also enjoyed how the plot unfolded, and readers are also given a glimpse into various characters' lives, their perspectives, and other plot lines.

I found this book to be clever, fun, well thought out, and wonderfully written. Plus, there are quite a few twists in this book which left me reeling! I did not see quite a few of them coming, and I love it when that happens.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up

Life imitating art.
Christmas Day, The Three House, The Catskills, the prefect setting for a thriller? It’s surrounded by woods, a phone dead zone, the weather is utterly atrocious with snow falling on snow, reached only by tracks which are rapidly disappearing under the weight of snow and ice. As for the house itself, the setting is truly glorious but the buildings accessibly is somewhat tricky. This is where renowned literary agent Claudia Conley has booked for the festive season, alone, but needing the peace. However, when Arne Tenderton, along with six year old Theo, crashes his car very close to the Tree House, Claudia finds herself with unexpected guests. Arne has designs on being a published author and has a new (perfect) novel with him. Anyone would think he’s planned the outcome and once Claudia has read it, everything will change

Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere - this is rich in it. The setting for the dramatic events is perfect even if what transpires isn’t exactly festive. There is a constant sensation of being trapped, it’s claustrophobic as much as anything because of the weather closing in, as well as the design of the house. There’s a constant sense of unease, it’s unsettling but there’s also the anticipation of what’s to come. All this is accompanied by being caught up in a huge puzzle wrapped in several enigmas and as a consequence Stephanie Wrobel has me riveted.

The author is very skilled at presenting unlikeable characters but this is what makes her books such delicious reading. They’re flawed, perhaps because of circumstance, some are manipulative class acts, a couple despite their flaws are easy to like. Their portrayal is very good.

There’s much in the book that is very clever. It’s divided into four parts and the food related countdown in Part 1 sets the scene but also gets the novel up and flying at a fast pace, has me asking a multitude of questions, conjuring up solutions and it ends on a really good cliffhanger. I’m all in anyway but now the hook is deep!! Part Two helps to unravel, often literally, the mystery, the pace is slower but my interest levels are high. As Parts Three and Four continue the unravelling, there are many plot twists, turns and revelations, threat and danger levels are high, power shifts back and forth, there’s a red herring or two alongside the obligatory tension and suspense.

I have to reflect on how it ends for a while to sort out my thoughts but I think the author ties it all up well, perhaps with a bow, but nonetheless, it works. The ultimate ending is excellent!!

Overall, another very good thriller from one of must read authors.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

This was a great buddy read with my friend Jayme. What did she think of the book?

[Rachel Hanes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where do I start? Well, I was super excited to read this book, as I’m a fan of this author (I’ve read all of her books so far, and have enjoyed them all). The reviews (and ratings), have been extremely high for this newest release. But… although I did enjoy the “plot” of this book, I can’t say that I’m as blown away as everyone else is. My reason for that is because although the story started off strong (in what I thought was going to be a secluded, creepy thriller), it eventually went into a different direction. The book then began to drag on for me, and by the time the final reveal came, I was already over it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

This book is broken down into Four Parts. In Part I, we start off with Claudia Conley. Claudia is a literary agent, who is spending a Christmas holiday alone in a secluded Airbnb in the Catskill Mountains. A major winter storm is happening, and it is freezing outside. While Claudia is cooking a nice dinner for herself, she hears a car crash outside her rental. It is a man with his young son- so of course she invites them in while they wait for a tow truck. However, this man, Arnie, may have something else up his sleeve. And Arnie doesn’t plan on leaving until Claudia reads the book that he wrote that he feels needs to be published.

That’s when this book takes a turn and heads into Part II, which is the section on Neve White. Then there is Part III, which is about Arnie Tenderton, and Part IV, Jo. Now these parts were interesting, and obviously helped where this story was going- but as I mentioned above, these sections dragged on, and I lost a bit of interest at this point.

I absolutely love the cover for this book, and the plot for this story was interesting as we get some behind the scenes looks at the book world. For me personally, I was expecting more of a thriller, and this book only gave me a taste of that unfortunately. I also feel the length took some of my enjoyment away.

Overall, this was a still a good read and I know many others will enjoy this more than I did. I also think this book would be better read on a snowy, winter’s day.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group/Berkley, and the author for a DRC of this book in which I had the pleasure of reading for an honest review.
Publication date: November 10, 2026

[Kaceey · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

So, you ask what it takes to get a book published? Well, let’s start with finding a literary agent! Sounds easy enough. Not so fast!

Arnie has always dreamed of being a published author. And he knows precisely the agent he wants to represent him, Claudia. Problem is, she won’t give him the time of day. What’s a writer to do?💁🏻‍♀️

This book is divided into three main parts and told from three perspectives.
The first is from Claudia and WOW! Edge of your seat! I flew through her section.🤩

The book did slow down as we changed perspectives. Yes, backstory is needed to understand why everything is happening, but it felt a bit too long and slowed the momentum.

And though this read delivered plenty of twists and surprises, I was still left with a few unanswered questions.🙃

A buddy read with Holly! Make sure to check out her thoughts, too!

✍️ Stephanie Wrobel
📄 410 pages
🗓️ Anticipated release date: November 10, 2026
📈 3.5 /5🌟🌟🌟💫
👉 Thriller, suspense

Thank you to Berkley Publishing via Netgalley

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claudia Conley is a celebrated literary agent who finds herself renting a treehouse Airbnb in the middle of the Catskill Mountains where she'll spend Christmas alone. She'd rather not be alone, she wishes her brother could have joined her, but sadly those plans fell through. Not all is lost though, she plans to sip champagne while cooking up an elaborate spread of mouth watering cuisine to enjoy.

Arnie Tenderton is a struggling writer waiting for his big break. He's sure his latest effort will be a best seller. He just needs a literary agent that can spread the word to publishing houses. Claudia Conley is the very best and even though she's rejected him once before he's sure she won't be able to put this one down.

When Arnie finds out that Claudia will be alone in a remote place for the holiday he decides that will be the best time to get Claudia's attention. After all, she can't turn him down if she can't get away.

Easy peasy, or is it? You'll have to read this to find out.

This is a fun one! Watching this knot unravel was extremely satisfying. I had some ideas, I made some assumptions, but there was no way I could have predicted where Wrobel was going. The isolated setting and the blustery snowstorm really set the tone and atmosphere.

While this was fun it wasn't perfect. I have a minor complaint but to speak of it would ruin the entire book for future readers. All I will say is that it felt like a cheap and convenient trick to keep readers from guessing the outcome.

Purposefully using two different names for the same character making you believe that they are, in fact, two distinct and separate characters. I understand doing it for Michael / Arnie but it seemed cheap when it came to Liam / Will. The reasoning behind it also seemed kind of lame. Liam went on his honeymoon and came back as Will? Um, why? That makes no sense to me but it sure was convenient for the story.

I think future readers will enjoy this twisty page-turner. Prepare to be deceived by everyone! 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for my complimentary copy.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ rounded up.

This book is told in multiple timelines; 2014-2018 and present day.

It started out great and felt like a thriller.
The setting is a tree house in a remote part of the Catskills.
The only way in and out of the tree house is via a tall ladder that isn’t even firmly attached to the house or the ground.
No cell service, no neighbors less than 10 minutes away; the perfect creepy setting.

Fall and winter are my favorite seasons and right now, when it’s so hot in so many parts of the world, it was nice to take a mental vacation to a cold and snowy place.

To me it felt like this book was split into three parts.
The first part is present day on Christmas in the Catskills.
The second part is in NYC from 2014-2018.
In the third section, we return to present day Christmas in the Catskills.

I enjoyed the first and third parts; they felt the way a thriller should.
I became bored in the middle of the book.
I understand that this section had to be there to give the reader some necessary background information, but I would have preferred just getting the bullet points (I’m a mood reader and I read this because I was in the mood for a thriller).

Frustrated, towards the end of the second section I decided to DNF and went to bed.
Of course my curiosity got the best of me and the following day I returned to it, but skipped through until I got to the third section (something that I rarely do, but I did read enough of the second section to have gotten the important details).
I’m glad that I stuck with it, because I really did like the ending.

As an avid reader, one thing that I appreciated is that I saw the publishing industry through the eyes of an agent, author and publishing house.
It was interesting seeing all of the things that they experience and emotions that they go through.

I hope that before the final version of this is released it will include a TW for Adderall abuse.

Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley.

[CatsBnB · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Stephanie Wrobel, and Berkley Publishing Group for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when the desire for recognition becomes an obsession, and rejection pushes someone beyond the boundaries of what should ever be justified?

Claudia, a literary agent who has weathered her share of highs and lows in the publishing world, finds herself face-to-face with Arnie, a struggling writer whose pursuit of recognition takes a deeply disturbing turn. Convinced he deserves the chance he has been denied, Arnie sees nothing wrong with the lengths he's willing to go to get it.

The Catskill Mountains provide a haunting setting for this story, where a secluded treehouse, a gathering winter storm, and miles of isolation create an atmosphere thick with tension. As the storm closes in and the outside world feels increasingly out of reach, I could feel that sense of unease tightening, as though the walls were drawing closer with every passing moment. There's something especially chilling about the feeling of being so far removed from safety, where uncertainty lingers and danger feels just a little too close.

I enjoyed the glimpse behind the curtain of the publishing world. Beneath the dream of seeing a book in print lie the sting of repeated rejection, the pressure to succeed, and the longing to have someone finally believe in the words you've written. There was also something irresistible about the book within a book element, a story unfolding within a story, adding another thread of intrigue to an already captivating narrative.

As the story unravels, I found myself drawn deeper into this tangled web of ambition, fixation, and secrets, never quite certain what to believe or where the truth would lead. The characters’ motivations kept me questioning what lay beneath their carefully constructed façades, and as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, my curiosity only grew. I anticipated a few twists, while others caught me by surprise, and I was continually pulled forward, needing to know how it would all unfold. What was the most compelling was that feeling of never being entirely sure I had the full picture, of sensing that something more was waiting to be uncovered.

And that ending! It wasn't at all what I expected, and when I reached that final scene, I found myself sitting there thinking, Wait, how did we just get here? There was so much to take in, so much to ponder, and I loved that the story didn't simply hand me all the answers. Instead, it left room for reflection, allowing the weight of those final moments to settle in. And yet, for all its ambiguity, there was something so touching about the way the story came full circle, bringing us back to where it all began while leaving everything feeling somehow different. It was unexpected, deeply satisfying, and the kind of ending that invites you to linger a little longer, turning it over in your mind even after you're closed the book.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Dennis]

I do not enjoy books about publishing/books about authors/books about books. I wanted to give this one a try since people I trust have been praising it, but the sub-genre just isn't for me!

[Liana Gold]

Arnie is an unsuccessful writer, trying to get published for a very long time. But a rejection after rejection only makes him even more obsessed with the literary agent, Claudia. During Christmas, Claudia travels to remote Catskill Mountains and Arnie follows her there with his 6 year old son. He claims he was stranded and Claudia reluctantly lets him in. His agenda: make Claudia read his manuscript once more.

The manuscript? Somehow has revelations and secret dealings between Claudia and another best selling author, Jo Stone, and exposes BOTH parties to many wrong doings.

The situation ESCALATES.




This book is featured on BOTM for November 2026! Get your first copy for $5 using this link: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
I love BOTM, super easy to sign up, cancel, pause or skip a month at no additional cost to you. Enjoy!



Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group and the author, Stephanie Wrobel for an early ARC.

Publication date: November 10, 2026

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told in alternating timelines, this roller coaster thrill ride will keep you questioning everything right up until the very end.
A story that is just as complex as its character, this will be one you will have a hard time putting down.

*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

[Julie (JuJu) · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

“Revenge Plot” by Stephanie Wrobel
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5

It’s like this author reached into my brain and wrote exactly what I crave!

Thanks to the author and Berkley for the gifted ARC received via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

First, I read “Darling Rose Gold” and loved it. Then I devoured “The Hitchcock Hotel,” which was another huge hit for me. Now, after giving Wrobel’s latest novel 4.5 stars, I’m officially convinced she’s writing these books specifically for me!

“Revenge Plot” follows Claudia, a successful literary agent branching out with her own agency; Neve, her bestselling author; and Arnie, a desperate aspiring writer determined to get his manuscript published. What could possibly go wrong with that combination? A lot!

This story is best experienced knowing as little as possible, so trust me and go in blind. Wrobel carefully builds the characters and their complicated histories, planting details that may not seem important until the puzzle pieces begin clicking into place. The closer I got to the ending, the more grateful I was that I hadn’t known too much beforehand.

My only small complaint is that the book occasionally feels a little wordy. However, most of that detail gives the characters more depth and makes the eventual revelations hit even harder, so it worked for me.

And when everything started coming together? I was speechless. I had to pause and process what I’d just read, which is exactly the kind of reaction I want from a thriller.

Wrobel seems to publish a new novel about every two years, but after finishing “Revenge Plot,” I’m officially requesting that she speed up her schedule. Respectfully, of course. I’m ready for the next one now!

[BiblioPeeks (Katt) · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Oooo have I got a book for you! Listen up folks!!

An in-depth peek into the life of a literary agent and the publishing industry, this layered, nuanced tale of revenge is rich storytelling—I couldn’t put it down!

Arnie Tenderton desperately wants his novel published, but he was already rejected by his desired agent, Claudia. He must have her. He ambushes her at her holiday rental in the mountains—a small, cozy treehouse home with a ladder as the only way in and out. He won’t accept “no” this time and won’t leave until she’s read his manuscript—it’s about her after all.

I was hooked from the first chapter! An initial sense of awkwardness and unease slowly builds to mounting tension and then escalates to desperate measures within a tight, claustrophobic atmosphere. Arnie is determined and a little unhinged, but what is he really after?

These morally gray characters are full of depth and complexities while something deeper simmers beneath the surface. As the story unfolded, my feelings about things kept shifting. There are no easy allegiances here—though I did get attached to someone and had strong feelings about it! It’s best to go in as blind as possible, so I’m keeping things intentionally vague.

If you love character-driven psychological suspense thrillers with themes of reputation, recognition, and revenge wrapped up in ambition, appearances, and family, don’t miss this! REVENGE PLOT is twisty, addicting, and discussion-worthy—that ending!
____

Thank you to Stephanie Wrobel and Berkley Pub for my free copy. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

[Chelsea | thrillerbookbabe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so Stephanie Wrobel and Berkley for my copy of this book. I have been intrigued with her as an author and read all of her previous books, so I was excited about this one. It was about Arine, a man who wants to be a published author. He feels that his book is perfect and he tries to get the attention of Claudia, a literary agent who completely ignores him. But Arnie won't take no for an answer, and when he finds out she's spending the holidays alone in the Catskill Mountains, he decides to show up. His book is about her, and he needs her to read it.

Thoughts: This book was quite the premise. It started off strong, but got a lot slower and changed as the story went on. I thought the Arnie plot was a bit ridiculous, and the whole journey was illogical and overdone. I really liked the stories from Nev's POV and though that was the best part. The Liam/Will thing was too convenient and it just seemed kind of undone. I will still read her books, but this wasn't my favorite. 3-stars.

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tight, twisted, and TWISTY thriller set in the world of publishing and writing. And, boy, are things ever going to get nasty.

Claudia is a sought after literary agent. She's spending Christmas alone at a treehouse Airbnb when her brother (who has early onset Alzheimer's) wants nothing to do with her. There's a huge snowstorm rocking the area but she decides to cook herself a feast and snuggle in. Until she hears a crash and realizes a car has skidded off the road. Inside are a man and a little boy. Very reluctantly she decides to invite them in and share her Christmas feast because she can't leave them to freeze in the storm.

What starts as a nice gesture soon turns into something else, and Claudia will find herself tied up to a chair while the man insists she read his manuscript. Turns out, he's been stalking her for a long time. And while, at first appearance, this seems to be the story of a rejected writer trying to gain his revenge because her agency turned down his manuscript, it's something else altogether. And this is what's going to keep you reading those pages well into the night.

It seems that a man who has stalked this woman, tied her to a chair, and threatens more violence might be considered the "bad guy" in here but your thoughts will change and shift over the course of the book. The characters are so well written that it's difficult, eventually, to find a single truly bad person in here. Everyone has made some questionablly moral decisions to benefit themselves but at what cost? There's so much more to this book that you have to read because I don't want to spoil any of those dark twists which will come.

The author never flinches from the realistic world of publishing, how brutal it can be sometimes, how rejection can sting more than a little, and how, at the end of the day, it's all about the money for the agents, publishers, and authors at the top. There are moral lessons to be taken from this story but it stays clearly focused on this pulse pounding, edge of your seat narrative which twists itself around page after page. I highly recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.

[Carrie Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆, 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉, 𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒕? 𝑰𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒐𝒖𝒔, 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒇𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚’𝒓𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕."

All Arnie Tenderton wants for Christmas is a literary agent willing to recognize his genius. Specifically, he wants Claudia Conley, the powerhouse who already rejected him once, assuming that was the end of their communication. Instead, Arnie tracks her down to a remote house in the Catskills where she’s spending the holidays alone and decides this time she is absolutely going to hear him out. The problem is that the book Arnie desperately wants published is about Claudia herself, and he has become just a tiny bit detached from reality regarding boundaries, social cues, and basic human behavior. This book is fully unhinged in the most delicious way possible, and I inhaled it like a woman possessed.

Picture 𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒚 wandering into the publishing industry, pouring itself a glass of wine, and screaming about artistic integrity. Arnie is the kind of character who makes you physically recoil one second and laugh out loud the next because his absolute confidence in his own delusions is somehow horrifying and wildly entertaining at the same time. When the twists came, they hit hard, and my allegiances were shifting wildly. I believe my jaw dislocated at some point, but I was too invested in this twisted story.

What made this book so easy to binge is that underneath all the dark humor and escalating insanity was something sharply true about ambition, ego, and how people justify their behavior. I was obsessed with the snowy isolated setting, the claustrophobic tension, and the constant sense that everything was seconds away from going spectacularly off the rails. When I was finished, I was sitting there grinning like Annie Wilkes because this book explored something deeply important: sometimes the worst people really do think they’re the heroes of the story, and that is what makes them utterly terrifying. Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for this gem that will publish November 10, 2026.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book that I ended up finishing somewhere around 5 in the morning because I couldn't wait to see what happened. The story is broken into a couple parts- you get Arnie's POV as he tries to convince a hotshot agent to review his book, and you get a section of the book told from Neve's POV as she struggles to become a published author. These 2 storylines converge in a really interesting way. Though I enjoyed the Neve chapters more than the Arnie chapters, at least initially, I really enjoyed the way it all came together.

The story started off a little slow, with Claudia, the agent, at a remote cabin in the woods, making a Christmas dinner. There was some unnecessary detail related to the meal she was cooking and I was worried the book was going to be slow. However, once Arnie comes into the picture, the pace picks up and never slows again. The overall feeling is tense as the reader learns more about both these characters (not to mention the young boy, Theo, who is along for the ride). Right in the middle of the intensity, the author moves to Neve's story, which is intense in a whole different way. The story then veers back to Arnie and Claudia, along with many great twists that pull the story together. I enjoyed this way of storytelling, and also felt that the end of the book worked very well, and tied up loose ends successfully.

Overall, this was an interesting and unique read that I had trouble putting down. I would definitely recommend to those who enjoy psychological thrillers- I would give it 4.5 stars, rounded up.. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

so this one started off a little slow for me. there was so much detail about her cooking in the beginning, that it personally took away from the story a bit. BUUUUT once i got past all that, i definitely found myself a whole lot more invested.

i enjoyed the twists throughout the story. a few were predictable, but there was one i didn’t see coming. i wasn’t sure how this one was going to end, so the closer i got to finishing, the more curious i was. the ending was not something i was expecting, but im definitely happy with how it all wrapped up.

overall, i enjoyed this one minus the slower start. if you love a slow burn thriller with snowy cabin & christmas vibes, definitely check this one out!

thank you so much to simon & schuster canada for the gifted advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacy40pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revenge Plot by Stephanie Wrobel. Thanks to berkleypub for the gifted Arc

Arnie Tenderton just wants literary agent Claudia Conley to review his manuscript. She’s already rejected him via email but if she could just read it in person…

Trad wife and influencer thrillers had their time, but I am so here for the trend of aspiring author and publishing industry thrillers. Is there any other industry so competitive that could drive one to do such crazy things? The best part about this one is you think you have it pegged from the beginning, but it is so much more than you originally think. Lots of twists, lots of developments, and lots of unlikely connections - positive and negative. I can’t say much more but this is certainly one you’ll want to read.

“Readers want happy endings because they know real life doesn’t always deliver them. Fiction is escapism, a chance to order the universe into a just system.”

Read if you like:
-Books about books or authors
-Revenge stories
-Isolated, bad weather settings
-Don’t know who to trust
-Christmas stories

Revenge Plot comes out 11/10.

[Leisa Back Porch Pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Well that escalated quickly. And then we took a sharp turn, and oh dang not another twist. Oh shoot, we’re doing this again? Okay then… I’m pretty sure this book spent the entire time trying to outsmart me, and honestly, well played. I came for the aforementioned revenge plot; I stayed because I had absolutely no idea what was coming next. JUST THE WAY I LIKE IT! This book is the reason I love thrillers, and I have no doubt it will land a spot on my top ten for 2026.

✨If I get going, I’ll go forever, so here are the biggest things I loved about the book:

🍷The Misery vibes. An isolated snowy location, a writer, someone with a demand, and a manuscript that sits at the center of the conflict. SAY LESS!

🍷The publishing world angle. I was all in with the behind-the-scenes look at the world of books, authors, agents and the business behind the books.

🍷The structure. The layers. The depth. The twists. The unusual narrative structure. Absolute perfection.

🍷The book within a book.

🍷The dark humor.

🍷The setting. Nothing says Christmas quite like a snowstorm, an isolated tree house lodge, a mysterious stranger and a manuscript filled with all the secrets and lies. Sign me up please.

✨I’ve read all of Stephanie Wrobel’s books, and this one is her absolute best by far. The whole thing is clever, bookish, deliciously wicked, and a whole lot bonkers in the very best way. It totally messed with my head, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

🌿Read if you like:
✨Psychological thrillers
✨Christmas settings
✨Isolated, snowy locations
✨R E V E N G E
✨“I’m questioning everything” stories
✨Unreliable narratives
✨Publishing behind the scenes
✨Books within books

🎧 I listened to this book on audio, and I thought the narrator Jennifer Rubins did a fabulous job. She really brought the characters and story off the pages for me. So well done.

[Brittany | the nerdy fox · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5⭐️

“All I’m saying is, speed is only impressive if quality doesn’t suffer.”

This was so good. I was pulled into the story immediately and thoroughly enjoyed the writing. Stephanie is a new to me author, and I will definitely be adding her backlist to my TBR.

This story is told in 3 parts that provide great pacing to the story.

We open on Christmas Day, present to a snowy secluded AirBnB where literary agent Claudia Conley is spending her holiday alone. Unbeknownst to her Arnie Tenderton, aspiring author, is about to crash her holiday with his manuscript she just has to read. It gives some “Misery” vibes for sure. The end of this section leaves us on a bit of a cliffhanger.

The next part takes us back about 10 years to the start of one of Claudia’s writers careers. We follow her failures and successes to make a name for herself in the literary world.

Part three is where everything comes together. There is a major twist I did not see coming. Followed by a conclusion that is satisfying.

This story has such a unique telling it’s hard to write a review without spoiling anything. If you like secluded places, ulterior motives and people getting their just deserts add it to your TBR!

[Shazzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a review copy by the publisher.

[Sandrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so shocked by this book ! It was amazing! From the first chapter, it reeled me in and I just had to keep reading. It’s a very interesting premise. From the beginning, you feel like something is wrong with Arnie. Even Claudia feels it too. How far can an aspiring writer go to get his book published ? I loved how the book was structured. It’s a story inside a story. I found myself being so shocked at the plot twists, they really were unexpected. One caught me off guard so bad that I had to pause for a full minute to digest the information. Really, the author plotted this story so well. It was very intriguing and captivating. This book is now on my top reads of the year ! Do yourself a favour and read this story, you won’t regret it !

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book, opinions are my own.

[AMenagerieofWords Deb Coco · Rating 4 out of 5]

No one tells you that once you achieve your dream you’ll spend the rest of your life terrified of losing it.

Revenge Plot by Stephanie Wrobel

I am not much of a reader of thrillers, but I am also notorious for being very disappointed in contemporary thrillers — they are just so simple and so predictable. I am also very well known for announcing my enthusiasm for a book before finishing it - and then watching it tank, and I have to eat my words. So, I held off on the title of this one hoping against hope.

Revenge Plot broke both of those curses and I inhaled all 11 listening hours over the course of just more than one day, hardly ever taking out my ear bud.

A quick outline:

Our main character is Claudia Conley a well known and successful literary agent with a record for signing big name authors. She’s spending her Christmas vacation in a off-the grid, remote mountain cabin to pour over submissions and in hopes of uncovering her next best seller.

When a seemingly random car accident down the road from the cabin delivers a father and a young boy at her doorstep looking for help, she welcomes them in for shelter and Christmas dinner. When Claudia tells Arnie what she does for a living, he asks her to read his manuscript. It then becomes apparent that Arnie had been recently rejected by Claudia’s agency, and the tables turn. The random accident then takes on a sinister tenor and the tension behind Arnie’s plan becomes a nail biter.

As I read my summary, it sounds as if this might read as fairly cut and dried - angry author looking for vengeance from a vulnerable agent - we’ve seen this on shelves before. But just when I thought I knew where we were headed, Part 2 opens with a new “main” character and a new plot line. Now this is a relatively long book (400 plus pages, 11 plus hours on audio) so you have to stick with the build of section 2, which takes quite some time. I did question where we were going a few times, but the moment of realization is worth the investment of time. And it is not tied up with a bow (which I never like), but is a very well plotted end.

I’ll say now that I predict this being picked up by Netflix or HBO because it would make a great mini-series - it has all the necessary ingredients and checks lots of boxes.

What I loved the most about this story was the literary narrative. Lit agents, authors and publishing industry breadcrumbs are everywhere. It was smart and fun and just scary enough. I could not put it down.

Is it going to win literary awards? No. But we don’t read thrillers for the same reason we read literary fiction, and I was so surprised how solid it was. And right now, pre-publication, it sits at 4.30 here which is very high. It is rare to find a page turner that can deliver a chill (the first half was quite creepy) and then develop a very long backstory, and also land the plane with a smart, unpredictable end. This did all three of those very well.

Thank you PRH Audio for my copy! Revenge Plot is due out November 10!

[Christine Tistechok · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have an absolute weakness for stories centered around books and the publishing industry, so blending that insider world with a sinister thriller premise was total icing on the cake for me!
The story follows Arnie Tenderton, a desperate, struggling writer who has spent decades failing to get published. Believing he’s finally written his masterpiece, he becomes fixated on securing Claudia Conley—the powerful literary agent who once rejected him. Refusing to take no for an answer, Arnie tracks her down to an isolated house in the Catskill Mountains during a snowstorm to make a pitch she can’t escape, revealing a novel written directly about her.

The dual timeline seamlessly weaves past and present together, turning the reader into an armchair detective trying to map out exactly where and how these two narratives will collide. Stephanie Wrobel crafts an exceptionally tense, claustrophobic atmosphere within the snowy retreat, paired with a cast of thoroughly unlikable characters whose shifting dynamics keep you constantly re-evaluating where your allegiance lies. While a few beats felt slightly predictable along the way, the story delivered multiple sharp twists that completely caught me off guard.

A dark, moody, and satisfyingly tense read for anyone who loves high-stakes publishing drama!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Elena Enns · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Thank you Simon & Schuster, the author, and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This novel comes to you in multiple parts. I think the one I found the most interesting was the second part, following Neve to be the most exciting as she struggles at the beginning of her author career. I feel like it definitely encapsulates the current feeling or trying to get into a job but having both imposter syndrome and being willing to do anything to get what you want.

This second part also is very relevant to Arnie’s part of the novel, as he follows literary agent Claudia into the mountains to convince her to take on his debut novel.

All around, this book is full of twists and moment where I yelled out in shock, definitely a strong novel and one I’m excited to see the reception of.

[Emelia (emeliaisreading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Revenge Plot by Stephanie Wrobel
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Thriller
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: November 9, 2026

​An aspiring writer desperate to get published. A struggling literary agent fighting to build her own agency after being dismissed by her former boss. When their paths cross, chaos and deception follow.

​I will admit I was not sure where the story was going in the beginning, but once that first twist hit? SAT.

​There were twists after twists, puzzle pieces falling into place at the exact right time, and of course, the absolute perfect revenge plot! The momentum picked up so fast and kept me completely hooked all the way to the end.
​I loved this book so much and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fast-paced, twisty thriller!

Thank you so much Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the digital review copy!

[Kristi Lamont · Rating 2 out of 5]

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Revenge Plot, by Stephanie Wrobel, from Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

⭐ 2 ⭐

Oh the meh.

The meh, the meh, the meh, meh, meh.

Sigh.

I really hated that this book wasn’t more engaging, because I enjoyed Darling Rose Gold, also by Stephanie Wrobel, a lot, thus was very happy to get an ARC of this book.

It was just……derivative. Been there, done that. And that, that, and that, and, yes, that, too.

So maybe it’s me that’s derivative, being A Lady Of A Certain Age who has read many, many books?

Probably. I’m betting this will be a hit with lots of folks, and that is something good in this world. Of which we need more.

Much, much more.

DESCRIPTION
A desperate writer’s pursuit of a powerful literary agent takes a dark turn in this new novel from the internationally bestselling author of The Hitchcock Hotel and Darling Rose Gold.

All Arnie Tenderton wants this Christmas—all he’s ever wanted—is to be a published author. For decades he has toiled over one novel after another. Each was missing something. Until now.

He’s finally written his perfect book.

What he needs next is a literary agent, someone who can get his book into publishers’ hands. Not just any agent will do, of course. Arnie wants the best. Arnie wants Claudia Conley.

She already rejected him once, and Arnie has never forgiven her. He could move on. Instead, he finds out where Claudia is spending the holidays: alone in a remote house in the Catskill Mountains. He decides to show up there to make his pitch.

Claudia may try to turn him down again, but this time Arnie won’t take no for an answer.