An interesting plot. Keeps you reading till the end.
Ashley Patterson, aged 28, working for global computers in Cupertino is a workaholic and she gets this feeling that she's being constantly stalked and followed.
Tony Prescott, 22, also working for global computers is a vivacious, i-dare-to-do-anything kind of a girl. She has a great voice and an awesome singing talent. She frequents night clubs and sings when the singers take a break.
Alette peters,20, works for global computers too. She's sensitive, calm and quiet. She is a talented artist and volunteers at church to teach painting to kids.
A series of murders takes place and the victims are all men. They are all stabbed and castrated.
The evidence (finger prints and DNA tests) shows that Ashley Patterson has committed the murders. But it turns out that Ashley Patterson, Toni Prescott and Alette peters are all the same person; and Ashley suffers from MPD (multiple personality disorder) - a medical condition in which different personalities occupy the same body!
Toni Prescott, the dominant alter ego is the one who is responsible for committing the murders and Ashley is not even aware of it. So Ashley is released from the murder charge and sent to a mental asylum where she gets treated. It then comes out to light that she has had a terrible childhood. The alters had been born when she was six and her father molested her and she couldn't cope with the emotional trauma. Moreover, Ashley's mother had hated her when she was a child, and that had added to the reasons for the alter-personalities getting created.
However, finally, when Ashley gets cured and comes out of the asylum, she sings Toni's (her alter's) favorite song which leaves us in a quandary whether she has been really cured or whether Toni still resides in her..
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I personally liked the book. But Tamilians who've watched ANNIYAN, a film which derives it's plot from the inspiration drawn from this book will agree that half the thrill is lost as we're already familiar with the plot.
However, Anniyan is a complete commercial film made for the Indian audience, and it was quite a hit!
I would advise people to not read the book in the nights. It gives creeps. But it makes us all agree that Sidney Sheldon is truly a mastermind and that he manages to make all his books compelling reads.
