Getting Better All The time

Why does traditional publishing get so excited about debut novels? I understand that there’s excitement to be had about the next big thing, the new model, latest craze, fresh, original, up to the minute, must have, must read book . . . but it strikes me that unless an author is a one book wonder, the second book will be better than the first and the third book better than the second and so on. For example, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl – her third book – is stronger both in concept and execution...