Book Review: Sidney Sheldon's After The Darkness

Sidney Sheldon’s After The Darkness by Tilly Bagshawe is an out an out Sidney thriller with all the ingredients that made Sidney a master story-teller. A young and beautiful protagonist, glamour, suspense, passion and unpredictable twists- Bagshawe’s After The Darkness has it all.

The lines on the cover of the book- What happens when a woman who has everything loses it all? And when a woman who has nothing realises she has nothing to lose? - instantaneously grips your attention and (unsurprisingly) lives upto the promise of thrill pledged by Sidney’s books.

The story begins at the Manhattan Criminal Courts Building in New York where one of the most sensational cases of the decade is to unfold. Hordes of people have gathered to witness the trial of Grace Brookenstein, wife of billionaire Lenny Brookenstein, the mastermind behind the Quorum fraud that had robbed millions of their shelter. With her husband dead, Grace Brookenstein must now face reality. Was it possible that Lenny, the one she had so blindly idolised and loved, had cheated millions out of their money or was he the unfortunate victim of a web of vicious lies that included all whom she had ever trusted and loved? Grace must risk it all in an attempt to uncover the truth and change from a trusting innocent victim to a ruthless cold hunter.

As the plot unveils, Grace finds herself the scapegoat of a planned deceit that threatens all she had ever known and believed. Lenny’s tragic death in a sailing accident, the strange disappearance of 75 billion dollars of the Quorum Hedge Fund money, the unexpected turn of events wherein Grace wounds up in Bedford Hills prison and from where she eventually escapes in the back of a delivery truck build up the initial scenario which turns innocent fragile Grace, the woman who has it all, to a hard cold huntsman desperate to find the truth. Therein begins a thrilling race as NYPD detective Mitch Connors embarks on one of the most high-profile investigations of his career, to capture the elusive Grace Brookenstein.

Like Sidney Tilly Bagshawe too delves deep into the minds of her characters and weaves a thrilling plot. Be it John Merrivale who would put everything at stake for friendship or Andrew Preston, trapped in his love for extravagant wife Maria- Tilly Bagshawe explores the lives of all her characters with intricate precision. Grace’s sisters Connie and Honor Knowles, fighting their very own demons while the complicacies of their marriage unfold as you dig deeper into the book help knit a plot so twisted and unpredictable that you cannot keep the pages turning fast enough. High on suspense and excitement, the novel is one exhilarating journey of one unexpected revelation after another.

For all Sidney fans out there, Tilly Bagshawe continues the master story-teller’s grand tradition by promising a book that gives you back ten times it’s worth in price. A must read if you can’t get enough of Sheldon.

Publishers: Harper Collins
Price: Rs.250

Verdict: Go grab a copy right now!!

Rating: 4.3/5