Are You Afraid of the Dark? (by Sidney Sheldon)

I just finished reading the novel “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”, authored by the late Sidney Sheldon. It was published in 2004 – one of Sheldon’s last novels (possibly the last?) to be published. Look at the pic on the right – the cover of the novel hails Sheldon as “the master of the unexpected”. I would agree to that. For Sheldon is a true master when it comes to story-telling. I have read a few of his books, & “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” is as good as any of those that I have read.

Not that Sidney Sheldon’s talents are confined to novel writing; he is also a renowned screenwriter & playwright. On the screenwriting side, I remember Sheldon for giving us I Dream of Jeannie; though of course, he has done a number of other good works for TV. Sheldon the novelist has written a number of novels, some of which are best-sellers. I don’t know if “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” is one of those best-sellers. But that notwithstanding, trust me when I say this – that book was a terrific read. I thoroughly enjoyed it, & I am sure many who have read it would have felt the same way.

In “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”, 4 individuals in Berlin, Paris, New York & Denver all died simultaneously in mysterious & suspicious circumstances. In the wake of the deaths, widows of 2 of the dead – Diane Stevens & Kelly Harris – were then constantly harassed by unknown assailants hell bent on eliminating them. Both widows found each other unwittingly & learned of their common plight. Horrified by what might happen to them, the widows reluctantly joined forces.

The duo would discover that their husbands had one the thing in common – their dead husbands had worked for an international think-tank. They would discover that their deceased husbands had intended to travel to Washington DC to meet with someone, perhaps to reveal something important. The husbands were killed well before they even had the chance to get to Washington DC. And they would learn that their harassment by the assailants had everything to do with their husbands’ deaths – they are being hunted down to prevent them from discovering the dark secret that claimed their husbands’ lives. Diane & Kelly had to use all their intelligence to fend off their assailants. And in the process, they would discover the deep conspiracy within the think-tank that could have catastrophic, world-wide implications. The conspiracy which was responsible for their husbands' deaths. The conspiracy which was responsible for the attempts on their lives by the assailants in order to prevent them from learning the truth.

The novel is thrilling & fast-paced (Sheldon style), with danger lurking at every corner. At the risk of repeating myself, Sheldon is one heck of a story-teller. The way he tells the story (simple yet effective) kept me engaged & enthralled with every turn of the page. Alas, Sheldon is with us no more, which means no more new novels from him. But at least he has authored a sizable number of novels. I have already read a few, & I look forward to reading the others in the future.