Tell Me Your Dreams

Rating:
Summary: Sidney Sheldon is back after a long hiatus
Review: For years, Sidney Sheldon has entertained us with his masterful story-telling. From "The Other Side of Midnight," to "A Stranger in the Mirror," "Bloodline," "Rage of Angels," "Master of the Game," "If Tomorrow Comes," and "Memories of Midnight." However, then Mr. Sheldon's novel began to faulter. His stories were weak, often sketchy and his characters lacked any substantial depth - all of which culminated in last years novel, "The Best Laid Plans" which appeared to show Mr. Sheldon as a writer that only cared about selling books because of his name as that novel showed no character development and interjected surprise elements purely for shock value which had nothing to do with the story. It is with great enthusiasm that I can say Mr. Sheldon is back with, "Tell Me Your Dreams." This novel tells the story of 3 women - Ashley, Toni and Alette - all of whom are suspected of committing a series of brutal murders. As their stories are told, the truths begin to unfold resulting in a suspensful, engrossing read. The pages rapidly turn while the heat beats quickly. This is vintage Mr. Sheldon as he shows us he can create well-developed characters and surprising plot developments. Once again I am looking forward to the next Sidney Sheldon novel and I am glad to be able to say he is "the master of the game."

Rating:
Summary: There's Movies Like This...Made before the book came out.
Review: I won't give away the story because the synopsis given in the editorial review is really all you should know about the book if you really want to enjoy it. No sense in giving away any bits of plot to what IS a Murder Mystery. But the problem was, as good as the book is, it becomes very predictable towards the end. The true highpoint and most memorable part of the book is the very last paragraph on the very last page: it brings this evil "oh-my-damn-god" smile to your face. Unfortunately, if you watch a lot of Psyche-Thrillers(Good or sub-standard, doesn't matter) or even shows like The X-Files; you probably will see the end coming. One more point, the courtroom scenes aren't as great as one might expect. I actually found the scenes from a TV Show like Ally McBeal or The Practice to be more Intelligent. The only reason I finished the book in a single sitting is because half-way through the book, I figured how the book would end..I got a little bit of it right and after she*****SPOILER********
gets into rehab, I knew EXACTLY how she was gonna get out of there. And that's why I LOVED finishing this book: I got a big kick out of knowing that I knew EXACTLY how it would end!!! Read it at your local library. I've never really felt like going through it again.

Rating:
Summary: Add a Star if You are Listening to Unabridged Audio Version
Review: Sheldon uses his tried and true formula to produce a fast paced tale based on a true story. The plot hinges on the unraveling of a lovely computer graphics analyst working at a large Silicon Valley company --- someone is following her with the intent to kill her; she has no where to turn, her passive personality prevents her from speaking about her fears the her friends and her uncomfortable relationship with her famous heart surgeon father further defines her as someone who reacts rather than interacts. When Ashley suddenly finds herself as the prime suspect in a series of brutal sex-related murders, she discovers that the world she relied on is a fantasy and there are only two close friends that can help her recover her sense of reality.

I'll say no more about the plot -- to say more would ruin the reader's fun. As with other Sheldon novels, the author uses dialogue to move the story along at a quick pace. There are snappy courtroom scenes, revealing patient doctor sessions using hypnosis and other trademark techniques to keep you reading chapter after chapter until the last page. Although fun, don't expect Sheldon at the top of his game, the story, once the secret has been revealed becomes too familiar rather than formulaic. When reading a Sheldon novel, one expects and applauds his formula. I think the subject basis of this story has been over utilized by so many popular writers and recent money-grossing films. Hence, a slight lack of punch. Since the story is advertisized as based on a true story, I would have liked to have seen references to the actual facts listed in the back of the book rather than the lists of institutions and articles written on the subject itself.

I listened to the unabridged audio version of this book--and believe me it is just the type of story you want to be listening to as you mindlessly exercise. I found that the page turning characteristic of the story made me want to run further just to discover just what had happened at a particular junction in the plot. At times the narrator when playing Ashley is a little too naive---but her performances of the two other main characters are well done, accents and all.

Bottom line: predictable, but if you like Sheldon's fast-paced fun, give it a shot especially on audio-book. However, I would not recommend this for family listening.