"Are you afraid of the dark?"

The title of the new novel by Sidney Sheldon. The plot is simple: Two widows try to take on the head of the world's foremost thinktank to avenge the murder of their husbands. The twists are predictable. The villain is the type you would find in a typical James Bond flick - "Weather Master" - He has a device to control the weather. He holds countries at ransom by modifying their weather patterns. He kills four of his employees who are working on different parts of the device, in different countries, when they figure out what they are trying to build. He also eliminates the scientists who are heading similar projects for the rival companies. When the families of the deceased start to put the pieces together he starts eliminating them too. Finally this diabolical villain meets his end through a tornado generated by his own weather machine. A poetic justice of sorts. The work is mediocre when compared with earlier works by Sheldon. The twists are predictable. If you haven't read the earlier works of Sheldon like "If tomorrow comes" "Bloodline" or "Rage of the Angels", then you might find it good. For hard core fans of Sheldon it is a let down. I can't even figure out why he named it "Are you afraid of the dark?" (There are 4 central characters in the story and why did Sheldon zero in on just one to name the book?). If you are free for the weekend and have nothing better to read then this book would keep you company ...