I feel in love with Tilly Bagshawe's works after reading "Sidney Sheldon's Mistress of The Game", purchased from BookXcess last year.
Sidney Sheldon's After The Darkness tells the exciting story of Grace Brookstein, the young and beautiful wife of billionaire Lenny Brookstein. Her life is the envy of all her friends and even sisters. What is not to envy? She have everything that a woman wants, a loving husband, a charmed life, rich and surrounded by tonnes of "friends".
That is until the death of her husband in a tragic sailing "accident". After his death, it was discovered that billions of dollars were missing from the company. FBI suspected Lenny and Grace took the money and had prepared to run away before Lenny's "accident".
Grace's life took a drastic dive. Not only that she become penniless, all her "friends" and her "sisters" also deserted her. She become the most hated woman in the country.
She tried to clear Lenny's and her name, she was drawn into well planned lies and deceit which sole purpose to make her as the "'scapegoat". When she became "dis-Grace", there was someone who "helped" and stood by her. She thought she had found a true friend.Unknown to her, this friend was a "wolf in sheep's clothing". Grace was used and betrayed mercilessly.
There was a surprise ending which drove the knife of betrayal deeper into her heart. A Judas.
Yes, this books is about false sense of security and betrayal. It's a world where the naive and those with kind intention were fed to the dogs. Lenny and Grace had showed kindness to their friend. But when no benefit can be had with association with Grace, these friend become like "pea forgetting the pods'". There were so many Judas in this book.
Some may ask, with so many betrayal and will this book make sense? Yes, the book makes sense. The betrayal were not overly exaggerate. I may not have a degree in Psychology but I know something about human nature and the need of survival. During desperate time, self preservation tends to dominate.
I have to salute Ms Tilly Bagshawe. I found that this book is equal if not more exciting that some of Sidney Sheldon's novel.
There are many exciting twist in the plot. None were confusing nor unbelievable. She really makes my heart bleed for Grace. I love the way how she developed the character "Grace" from being a naive sort of personality into a woman with inner straight-like a bamboo bending but not breaking under strong wind.
This is certainly a very good book. I wonder if Ms Tilly's next book will be able to surpass this one
Grace must be very hurt. Losing husband and betrayal of friends. In fact, they should not be considered as friend. As we don't make use of our friends, we don't take advantage of their kindness.
ReplyDeleteI hope the ending is good.
Chee Yee
ReplyDeleteIn the story, Grace was mostly bewildered coz she thought they were her friends. But the greatest betrayal was at the ending of the story. You wanna read? I can lend u. Sure you will geram