Review: Sidney Sheldon's Angel of the Dark

Title: Sidney Sheldon’s Angel of the Dark
Author: Tilly Bagshawe
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: April 3, 2012
Reviewer: Ethan

Summary (as quoted from Amazon): It was his first big murder case—and one of the bloodiest and most violent crimes LAPD detective Danny McGuire would ever encounter. Andrew Jakes, an elderly multimillionaire art dealer, had been brutally murdered in his Hollywood home, his lifeless body tied to his naked young wife. Raped and beaten, the lovely Angela Jakes had barely survived the attack herself. Gazing into her deep, soulful eyes, Danny swore that he'd find the psychopath behind this barbarous act. But the investigation didn't turn up a single solid lead, and within days of Angela's release from the hospital, the stunning young widow—Danny's only witness—had vanished.
For ten years Danny McGuire could not forget the sweet face of Angela Jakes and the terrible crime that had shattered her life; his obsession with her nearly cost him his sanity. Now in France, thousands of miles from the past—with a new life, a new job with Interpol, and a ravishing new wife—he's happier than he's ever been . . . until he meets Andrew Jakes's estranged son, Matt Daley.
Curious about his father's murder, Matt has been digging into the cold case—and made some shocking discoveries. Three killings nearly identical to his father's have taken place across the globe. The victims were elderly, newlywed millionaires, their young wives assaulted. And in each case the widow, the sole beneficiary of the will, donated her newfound wealth to children's charities and then vanished. Could it be true? Had the Jakes killer struck again? If so, Danny knows he must tread carefully or risk losing everything for good.
The evidence points to a single killer—a brilliant and ruthless criminal who travels across the globe under a string of assumed identities, cleverly keeping one step ahead of the law. Joining forces, Danny and Matt pursue this intriguing shadow from Los Angeles to London, New York to Italy and the French Riviera, in a tantalizing game of cat and mouse filled with promising leads and frustrating dead ends. When another murder fitting the profile occurs, Matt heads to Hong Kong, hoping to get answers from the latest widow, Lisa Baring, and perhaps uncover the hard evidence they need.
But Matt becomes besotted with the irresistible beauty, nearly derailing the investigation, and Danny wonders whether Lisa is truly a victim or something more sinister. When a break in the case sends Danny to Mumbai, he knows he must act quickly, for the clever killer is poised to strike again.
A fast-paced story full of mystery, glamour, excitement, and spectacular twists that build to a stunning ending, Sidney Sheldon's Angel of the Dark is quintessential Sheldon from first page to last.

Review:
Every detective has a case that haunts them. For former LAPD Detective Danny McGuire, that case is the murder of millionaire art dealer Andrew Jakes. When police arrived at the Jakes home, they found the elderly Mr. Jakes savagely murdered and tied to his much younger wife, Angela, who had been brutally raped. With stolen art and jewels, the scene looks like a horrific burglary. Suspicion is placed on the young Mrs. Jakes, who survives the incident and whom Mr. Jakes left his entire fortune. Surprisingly, Angela leaves her entire windfall to a local charity, and disappears from LA. With his number one suspect/witness gone, Danny McGuire is left to ponder the case with no leads.

Ten years later, Danny McGuire, newly married, living in France, and working for Interpol, has all but moved on from the Jakes case. He is still haunted by the look in the young wife's eyes, but has accepted that he will never know the truth behind the killing. Then one day Matt Daley contacts him. Daley is a struggling scriptwriter who happens to be the estranged son of Andrew Jakes. In an attempt to discover a compelling story, he looks into his father's case and finds that other murders fitting the exact profile of his father's have occurred in various cities around the world. When he relays this information to Danny, the two embark on a fast paced, worldwide investigation to uncover the truth behind these murders.

Although the bestselling author, Sidney Sheldon, passed away in 2007, author Tilly Bagshawe continues his tradition of fast paced, intriguing mysteries in a expert manner. This story had as many plot twists as we've grown accustomed to in stories like this, and the ending is sure to leave readers reeling. The beginning of this novel has several time, location and character changes over a short number of pages. While this is vital to the telling of the story, I felt that the jumps could be a bit confusing. Fortunately, I stayed with it, and the last two-thirds of the novel were clearly written and very entertaining. This novel is a solid addition to the mystery genre and a nice continuation of the Sidney Sheldon legacy.
- Ethan