There are some authors whose books we read just so that the end can thrill us. Sidney Sheldon is ofcourse, one such author. So I think if I just tell you what I felt after reading this book you should be able to make your decision whether to buy it or not. The author actually leaves you to think about it (the conclusion) in your own way and he also gives his own opinion - there’s a separate chapter "Author’s Note" at the end. And this is what made me to simply shun the book! To simply dismiss it - just throw it away and forget about it .. I read his other books The Best Laid Plans and The Sky Is Falling and so I kept waiting for ’vintage Sheldon’ but that eluded me till the very end! And so I just threw away the book and instead was looking around the house to occupy myself for something more intreresting.
For people who ain’t aquainted with Sheldon, by ’vintage Sheldon’ I mean a fantastic ending; an absolutely mind-blowing climax.
The book nonetheless is readable; indeed many would find it good. I do not want to mean that the book ’isn’t complete’ but all I am saying is that it did not complete giving me the thrill I was looking for. Actually the plot that Sheldon draws is very interesting, you meet three very attractive ladies Ashley Patterson(28), Allette Peters(20) and Toni Prescott(22). All three ladies work for a software company in Silicon Valley. This gal Ashley is our protagnist. These three girls are all very talented. Ashley is very skilled at her work. Allette is a fabulous painter; Toni sings exceptionally well. Therefore the charatcters are very well defined indeed and the book is very much readable.
This book is a murder mystery. Ahsley patterson feels someone is stalking her. She gets nightmares. She is living in a flat alone in a town called Cupertino. And so the book is ofcourse a page-turner. For the record, with Sheldon there ain’t any complicated philosophies or anything spiritual or mystical to deal with: it’s all very plain and earthy. Go for it but if you are a newcomer in the world of Sheldon then it would be better to first read better books by him say The Best Laid Plans or The Sky is Falling (actually these are only the other two I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed them especially the latter).
The books also successfully addresses the issue of sexual violence against females also exploring the long-time phsycological impact. That ways Sheldon deserves huge amounts of respect for writing this book. There is phsychiatry, and a lotta things happening in the book so that ways it’s good read for somebody whose llinked in someway with sexual crimes against women.
Of all the books I have read, Puzo’s The Sicilian is my fave book in this ’thriller category’ of books. Do try it.