Advance Booking

NIMBLE FINGERS, SHARP MIND

I read The Naked Face sometime back, but didn't like it, so that put me off Sidney Sheldon for quite some time. But at the insistence of my friends, I decided to give Sheldon another try. If Tomorrow Comes was highly recommended by all my Sheldon-reading friends, and after a taxing exam yesterday, I read it before burying myself in my textbooks again. I am glad I did, because this book was a really fun read.

Everything was going well for Tracy Whitney, until her mother committed suicide. A rash decision found her in prison framed for theft and attempted murder, abandoned by the man she was going to marry, and facing hostile prison conditions for fifteen years. She vows to get revenge on the people responsible for her situation and does so, when a stroke of luck sees her walk out of the prison gates. But life outside the bars is as difficult as life inside, so Tracy turns to a life of dangerous adventure, living by her wits. On the way, she meets a roguishly charming con-artist, Jeff Stevens, and the competition heats up.

The book starts off a little shakily, but picks up tempo as it goes along. The heists are pretty ingenuous, though impractical, but then, that applies for most robber stories (earthquake simulation, anybody?). I especially liked the idea behind the chess game, and also the Prado heist. Tracy starts off as a naive, slightly weak character, but matures into a smart, savvy heroine whose exploits I enjoyed. Sheldon's TV influences are noticeable, as the novel races from one situation to another. If you're a fan of heist capers like I am, you'll enjoy this book.