Cecily von Ziegesar is writing a new standalone novel centered on Blair Waldorf, set nearly 20 years after Gossip Girl.
Fans of Gossip Girl may soon find themselves drawn back into the glittering, ruthless world of Manhattan’s Upper East Side. More than two decades after introducing readers to privileged teens, whispered secrets and social warfare, author Cecily von Ziegsar is returning to the universe that made her a household name.
Von Ziegsar’s original Gossip Girl novels, out between 2002 and 2009, became a publishing phenomenon. The series ran for 13 books and sold over six million copies worldwide, eventually being translated into more than two dozen languages. Its popularity also led to several spin-offs and experimental takes, including Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer, which playfully reimagined Blair and Serena as serial killers.
Gossip Girl author returns for Blair Waldorf sequel
As per Deadline, Cecily von Ziegsar is currently working on a new novel that revisits Blair Waldorf, one of the franchise’s most enduring and complex characters. Set nearly 20 years after the events of the original books, the story will follow Blair as she steps back into New York’s elite social circles, navigating power, ambition and reputation in a very different stage of life. While plot details remain under wraps, the novel is expected to explore how time, success and personal choices have reshaped a character once defined by teenage rivalries and social climbing.
The book is slated for a tentative release in the summer of 2027, though no official launch date has been announced yet. The announcement alone has already sparked excitement among longtime readers who grew up alongside the characters and are curious to see where life has taken them.
In the books, Blair’s world revolved around her complicated friendships with Serena van der Woodsen and Nate Archibald, with shifting loyalties and romantic tensions driving much of the narrative. Unlike the television adaptation, Blair’s relationship with Chuck Bass remained relatively brief in the books. IT will be interesting to see as, in the books Blair ends up with Nate Archibald.
The franchise’s influence extended far beyond bookstores. In 2007, Gossip Girl was adapted into a television series that ran for six seasons and became a defining pop culture moment. Leighton Meester played Blair Waldorf in the show. A revival series followed in 2021, cementing the brand’s lasting appeal. With Blair Waldorf stepping back into the spotlight once again, von Ziegsar’s return promises a nostalgic yet mature look at a character who helped define a generation of readers.
