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Tracy Whitney #3
Reckless
#1 New York Times bestselling author Sidney Sheldon’s most popular and enduring heroine—Tracy Whitney of If Tomorrow Comes and Sidney Sheldon’s Chasing Tomorrow—finds herself caught in a nefarious and far-reaching scheme involving international terrorism and corruption in this compelling thriller packed with heart-stopping twists and breathtaking action
Once upon a time, Tracy Whitney was one of the best thieves in the business. Then she settled down and had a child—a beautiful, bright, mischievous boy who was the center of her life. Tracy planned to spend the rest of her days quietly, living anonymously deep in the stunning Colorado mountains, devoted to raising her son. But tragedy forces her to face her greatest nightmare. Now, with nothing left to protect, this superb con artist, jewel thief, computer wizard, and cat burglar returns to the hunt, more dangerous, ruthless, and reckless than ever.
The world faces a new terror threat from Group 99, a diverse collection of global hackers intent on the
collapse of capitalism and private wealth and the creation of a new world order. When the group turns to violence—kidnapping an American investigative journalist, shooting a British military hostage, and blowing up an international industrialist—the mysterious woman pulling their strings, a wily and wealthy American known only as Althea, becomes the CIA’s most sought criminal. But their only hope of finding her is a woman with a dark and dangerous past of her own. A woman who has also successfully evaded detection by the authorities around the world: Tracy.
Convinced that Althea is behind the deadly act that shattered her life, Tracy sets out on a global hunt to flush out her prey. But as she soon discovers, the truth is as elusive as her target. Hampered by corruption, lies, and enemies masked as allies, Tracy will be pushed to the brink, where she must face her darkest demons. All of her experience tells Tracy that the answers are right in front of her—if only she can look at the clues in the right way.
Propelled by an unquenchable thirst for revenge, and with the fate of so many resting in her hands, just how reckless will Tracy become when she has nothing left to lose?
An addictive tale of espionage, mystery, passion, greed, betrayal, and vengeance that takes you from the beautiful Rocky Mountains to Europe’s oldest and grandest cities, filled with a cast of intriguing characters both new and familiar, Sidney Sheldon’s Reckless is a glamorous thrill ride that will leave you breathless until its shocking end.
Once upon a time, Tracy Whitney was one of the best thieves in the business. Then she settled down and had a child—a beautiful, bright, mischievous boy who was the center of her life. Tracy planned to spend the rest of her days quietly, living anonymously deep in the stunning Colorado mountains, devoted to raising her son. But tragedy forces her to face her greatest nightmare. Now, with nothing left to protect, this superb con artist, jewel thief, computer wizard, and cat burglar returns to the hunt, more dangerous, ruthless, and reckless than ever.
The world faces a new terror threat from Group 99, a diverse collection of global hackers intent on the
collapse of capitalism and private wealth and the creation of a new world order. When the group turns to violence—kidnapping an American investigative journalist, shooting a British military hostage, and blowing up an international industrialist—the mysterious woman pulling their strings, a wily and wealthy American known only as Althea, becomes the CIA’s most sought criminal. But their only hope of finding her is a woman with a dark and dangerous past of her own. A woman who has also successfully evaded detection by the authorities around the world: Tracy.
Convinced that Althea is behind the deadly act that shattered her life, Tracy sets out on a global hunt to flush out her prey. But as she soon discovers, the truth is as elusive as her target. Hampered by corruption, lies, and enemies masked as allies, Tracy will be pushed to the brink, where she must face her darkest demons. All of her experience tells Tracy that the answers are right in front of her—if only she can look at the clues in the right way.
Propelled by an unquenchable thirst for revenge, and with the fate of so many resting in her hands, just how reckless will Tracy become when she has nothing left to lose?
An addictive tale of espionage, mystery, passion, greed, betrayal, and vengeance that takes you from the beautiful Rocky Mountains to Europe’s oldest and grandest cities, filled with a cast of intriguing characters both new and familiar, Sidney Sheldon’s Reckless is a glamorous thrill ride that will leave you breathless until its shocking end.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2015
849 people are currently reading
4823 people want to read
About the author
Tilly Bagshawe
50 books911 followersMatilda Emily N. Bagshawe was born on 12 June 1973 in England, UK. She attended local all-girls Catholic schools near her family home in Surrey. She was a single mother at 17, but she won a place at Cambridge University and took Persephone, her ten-month-old baby daughter with her. As a journalist, she went on to enjoy a successful career in London, and contributed regularly to The Sunday Times, Daily Mail and Evening Standard, before turning her hand to novels. Her first book, Adored as Tilly Bagshawe, was a smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 2005, and she hasn't looked back since.
Tilly is married Robin Nydes, a US businessman, and the couple have two sons together, Zac and Theo. The family divide their time between their homes in London and Los Angeles. Tilly is also the sister of the writer and politician Louise Bagshawe.
Tilly is married Robin Nydes, a US businessman, and the couple have two sons together, Zac and Theo. The family divide their time between their homes in London and Los Angeles. Tilly is also the sister of the writer and politician Louise Bagshawe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 313 reviews
January 25, 2016
"Everyone knows that fracking poisons the air and water. We wanted to show how it tears apart local communities and subverts democracies and corrupts political leaders and eviscerates all the things that Americans value."
----Matt Damon
Tilly Bagshawe, an English bestselling writer, who is holding up Sheldon's legacy as a best-selling author of so many crime fiction books. Tilly Bagshawe, herself, is an author, but claimed to fame, when she became the torch bearer of Sidney Sheldon's books even 27 years after his death. Reckless is the third book in the Tracy Whitney series. Although to be honest, the books are getting sold and still breaking all records only because of the name of Sidney Sheldon- known as "prince of potboilers". And all thanks to Tilly Bagshawe, since she is skillfully and perfectly penning out those enthralling feminist stories just like in Sheldon's mannerism. Yes, I believe Sheldon's stories are all very feminist, which all have the same story line- a female badass heroine, who will use mainly her attractive looks and, most of the time, her body to lure the villains. And here I'm just like any other die-hard Sheldon fan, is still reading and rooting and looking forward towards the Sheldon stories every year.
Reckless brings back Tracy Whitney, an unexceptionally attractive once-upon-a-time-con-artist, to action, when another powerful nameless and faceless woman tries to threaten the world in order to get back to Tracy.
Synopsis:
Once upon a time, Tracy Whitney was one of the best thieves in the business. Then she settled down, had a baby, and planned to spend the rest of her days quietly, living anonymously, devoted to her son. But tragic news has forced Tracy to face her greatest nightmare. Now, with nothing left to protect, she returns to the hunt—and she’s more dangerous than ever.
Tracy is not the only woman with a dark and dangerous past. The world faces a new terror threat from a group of global hackers intent on the collapse of capitalism and private wealth and the creation of a new world order. When this group turn to violence, with deadly effect, the mysterious woman pulling their strings becomes the CIA’s public enemy number one.
Only one clever and ruthless woman is capable of tracking down the terrorist: Tracy. But as Tracy discovers, the truth proves as elusive as her target. Hampered by corruption and enemies masked as allies, Tracy will be pushed to the brink, where she must face her darkest demons. But just how reckless will a person become when she have nothing left to lose?
Honestly, I feel the publishers should stop publishing or rather say market Tilly's books under Sheldon's name. I mean, it is okay, every best-selling and famous author leave a legacy of so many great stories throughout their lifetime, and I believe such an author will live forever in the hearts of his readers and fans after his/her death. Similarly, Sidney Sheldon will remain as one of the remarkable authors in the field of crime fiction and thrillers and in fact, he has remain, but I believe a legacy must come to an end, otherwise how can we judge whether the author great or not when he was alive. Every time a Sheldon book comes out, I feel like he is alive. That should not be the case. But as long as money minded people especially, I believe, his agent and publishers and his family members want to earn money out of his name, than Sheldon books are going to publish every year and all the hungry and foolish Sheldon fans and readers will buy a book just like me. If I had some self control, then I wouldn't have waste my hard-earned money on something like this. This habit of mine reminds me of a famous quote by Will Rogers:
“Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people that they don't like.”
There is yet another aspect about Sheldon's books. Most of the readers of Sheldon's books are female. And that has a very obvious reason- the story line has a classic feminist punch with a kick-ass, hot, sexy and equally intelligent heroine who uses "sexism" as well as "sex" to gain power or to reach at the top, who are equally dominating and powerful and always targets the millionaires and top-class politicians for their own purpose. In short, the heroine is a classic Mean Girl. And why do women love such stories? Because we all want to be like Sheldon's heroines in some way in real life- powerful and in control, and not to mention, beauty with brain.
Well I pretty much diverted from the aim of writing a review of Reckless. Well, to be honest, Reckless is not written recklessly, the story itself has so many folds and so many unexpected twists, that it will keep even an occasional reader gripped and glued to the edge of their seats. Although there is not much character development, yet the characters perform their roles with a flair and flamboyancy.
The mystery is really tight that will keep the readers anticipating till the last page and not to mention the mystery will give the readers a roller-coaster ride kind of feel as it is layered with lots of heart-throbbing actions, violence and mind games. In short, an adrenaline-rushing story with a power-packed heroine who would go at any length to give justice to her son. And Sheldon's books are always famous for racy sex scenes, which Tilly Bagshawe has justified perfectly.
Verdict: This is the last ever Sheldon book that I read and I resolute that I will never ever waste my money on a fake Sidney Sheldon novel. Fake because: there can be only one Leonardo da Vinci, and also one Sidney Sheldon and if Vinci's new paintings are exhibited or Sheldon's new stories are published, then those are fake, as those legendary human beings have already left their mark on this planet.
Courtesy: My electronic hard-earned money!
----Matt Damon
Tilly Bagshawe, an English bestselling writer, who is holding up Sheldon's legacy as a best-selling author of so many crime fiction books. Tilly Bagshawe, herself, is an author, but claimed to fame, when she became the torch bearer of Sidney Sheldon's books even 27 years after his death. Reckless is the third book in the Tracy Whitney series. Although to be honest, the books are getting sold and still breaking all records only because of the name of Sidney Sheldon- known as "prince of potboilers". And all thanks to Tilly Bagshawe, since she is skillfully and perfectly penning out those enthralling feminist stories just like in Sheldon's mannerism. Yes, I believe Sheldon's stories are all very feminist, which all have the same story line- a female badass heroine, who will use mainly her attractive looks and, most of the time, her body to lure the villains. And here I'm just like any other die-hard Sheldon fan, is still reading and rooting and looking forward towards the Sheldon stories every year.
Reckless brings back Tracy Whitney, an unexceptionally attractive once-upon-a-time-con-artist, to action, when another powerful nameless and faceless woman tries to threaten the world in order to get back to Tracy.
Synopsis:
Once upon a time, Tracy Whitney was one of the best thieves in the business. Then she settled down, had a baby, and planned to spend the rest of her days quietly, living anonymously, devoted to her son. But tragic news has forced Tracy to face her greatest nightmare. Now, with nothing left to protect, she returns to the hunt—and she’s more dangerous than ever.
Tracy is not the only woman with a dark and dangerous past. The world faces a new terror threat from a group of global hackers intent on the collapse of capitalism and private wealth and the creation of a new world order. When this group turn to violence, with deadly effect, the mysterious woman pulling their strings becomes the CIA’s public enemy number one.
Only one clever and ruthless woman is capable of tracking down the terrorist: Tracy. But as Tracy discovers, the truth proves as elusive as her target. Hampered by corruption and enemies masked as allies, Tracy will be pushed to the brink, where she must face her darkest demons. But just how reckless will a person become when she have nothing left to lose?
Honestly, I feel the publishers should stop publishing or rather say market Tilly's books under Sheldon's name. I mean, it is okay, every best-selling and famous author leave a legacy of so many great stories throughout their lifetime, and I believe such an author will live forever in the hearts of his readers and fans after his/her death. Similarly, Sidney Sheldon will remain as one of the remarkable authors in the field of crime fiction and thrillers and in fact, he has remain, but I believe a legacy must come to an end, otherwise how can we judge whether the author great or not when he was alive. Every time a Sheldon book comes out, I feel like he is alive. That should not be the case. But as long as money minded people especially, I believe, his agent and publishers and his family members want to earn money out of his name, than Sheldon books are going to publish every year and all the hungry and foolish Sheldon fans and readers will buy a book just like me. If I had some self control, then I wouldn't have waste my hard-earned money on something like this. This habit of mine reminds me of a famous quote by Will Rogers:
“Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people that they don't like.”
There is yet another aspect about Sheldon's books. Most of the readers of Sheldon's books are female. And that has a very obvious reason- the story line has a classic feminist punch with a kick-ass, hot, sexy and equally intelligent heroine who uses "sexism" as well as "sex" to gain power or to reach at the top, who are equally dominating and powerful and always targets the millionaires and top-class politicians for their own purpose. In short, the heroine is a classic Mean Girl. And why do women love such stories? Because we all want to be like Sheldon's heroines in some way in real life- powerful and in control, and not to mention, beauty with brain.
Well I pretty much diverted from the aim of writing a review of Reckless. Well, to be honest, Reckless is not written recklessly, the story itself has so many folds and so many unexpected twists, that it will keep even an occasional reader gripped and glued to the edge of their seats. Although there is not much character development, yet the characters perform their roles with a flair and flamboyancy.
The mystery is really tight that will keep the readers anticipating till the last page and not to mention the mystery will give the readers a roller-coaster ride kind of feel as it is layered with lots of heart-throbbing actions, violence and mind games. In short, an adrenaline-rushing story with a power-packed heroine who would go at any length to give justice to her son. And Sheldon's books are always famous for racy sex scenes, which Tilly Bagshawe has justified perfectly.
Verdict: This is the last ever Sheldon book that I read and I resolute that I will never ever waste my money on a fake Sidney Sheldon novel. Fake because: there can be only one Leonardo da Vinci, and also one Sidney Sheldon and if Vinci's new paintings are exhibited or Sheldon's new stories are published, then those are fake, as those legendary human beings have already left their mark on this planet.
Courtesy: My electronic hard-earned money!
December 3, 2015
Tracy Whitney is dull, Jeff Stevens simply sleeps around. Both of them are recruited by rival investigation agencies to hunt a Hunter Drexel. Both of them start travelling a lot looking for this guy. There is a group 99 that has a cult following and suddenly turns violent.
Does this sound rather vague to you??
Well that's what the book is like.
Come on...Sidney Sheldon heroines are exciting, intelligent and physically super attractive.
Take that all away and what you have left is a main character that is an empty shell. Same goes for Jeff Stevens. Another review called him spineless-and that is bang on!
There is absolutely no character development for any of them-including the secondary ones. And if you have to build on a story regarding con artists-please do include some cons in the book!!!!
No I have not forgotten the plot-its just that there doesn't seem to be any.
There are random story arcs introduced and there is no follow through.
There is a group 99 that was mentioned earlier, but there are no details about how they actually operate. And the link between the leader Althea and Tracy starts off as a mystery and ends up in a whimper.
Seriously- stop butchering these well etched and well loved fictional characters!
Does this sound rather vague to you??
Well that's what the book is like.
Come on...Sidney Sheldon heroines are exciting, intelligent and physically super attractive.
Take that all away and what you have left is a main character that is an empty shell. Same goes for Jeff Stevens. Another review called him spineless-and that is bang on!
There is absolutely no character development for any of them-including the secondary ones. And if you have to build on a story regarding con artists-please do include some cons in the book!!!!
No I have not forgotten the plot-its just that there doesn't seem to be any.
There are random story arcs introduced and there is no follow through.
There is a group 99 that was mentioned earlier, but there are no details about how they actually operate. And the link between the leader Althea and Tracy starts off as a mystery and ends up in a whimper.
Seriously- stop butchering these well etched and well loved fictional characters!
February 5, 2017
It's too bad that after a fine first half, this novel degrades from heartache to hardship and losing two stars. 6 of 10 stars
March 15, 2017
I would have given the book just 2.5 stars out of 5, but it was either 2 or 3 so gave the author an one up and gave the book 3 stars instead. Reckless though well written disappointed me on the story front and how it progressed. While the writer spent useless amount of pages talking about a character and their relationship (Tracy, Nicholas, Cameron, Cameron's wife...) she left the story half ended.
I am very much happy to read stories which are open ended, but these were just ridiculous. You kill a person and give no detail (Nicholas ) or satisfaction as to why it was needed (waste of a character) , you introduce another one (Cameron's wife) and then just take her out of the book without any reason or cause (then why bring her up in the first place) you have an awesome character with all the backing you need for a story line and you leave her untapped (Kate) you bring in a villain who is everything that is relevant in current day issues (Apolo) and you hardly give him any place.The list is endless.
While I can take apart every character in this book, the fact of the matter is the story itself has nothing in it. The mystery was never a mystery, I figured out the book almost the beginning itself and there was useless twist and turns which was not required or can be done away with (Tracy in Coma). Honestly a complete disappoint which is now making me feel even those 3 stars are too much for this book.
I am very much happy to read stories which are open ended, but these were just ridiculous. You kill a person and give no detail (Nicholas ) or satisfaction as to why it was needed (waste of a character) , you introduce another one (Cameron's wife) and then just take her out of the book without any reason or cause (then why bring her up in the first place) you have an awesome character with all the backing you need for a story line and you leave her untapped (Kate) you bring in a villain who is everything that is relevant in current day issues (Apolo) and you hardly give him any place.The list is endless.
While I can take apart every character in this book, the fact of the matter is the story itself has nothing in it. The mystery was never a mystery, I figured out the book almost the beginning itself and there was useless twist and turns which was not required or can be done away with (Tracy in Coma). Honestly a complete disappoint which is now making me feel even those 3 stars are too much for this book.
Read
December 6, 2015A deadly game of cat and mouse begins when 2 Americans are kidnapped by a terrorist group: Group 99 believed to be funded by a mysterious woman named Althea.
One of the men is murdered on live tv and the other escapes and then refuses to be rescued by the American rescue troops.
Thus the chase is on to find Althea, the American: Hunter Drexel and to uncover the reason behind Group 99 which has to do with corruption at the highest level of several worldwide governments and the oil fracking business.
Tracy Whitney gets involved as does her former husband Jeff Stevens when Althea issues them a challenge in the form of a personal tragedy.
A very thrilling book.
One of the men is murdered on live tv and the other escapes and then refuses to be rescued by the American rescue troops.
Thus the chase is on to find Althea, the American: Hunter Drexel and to uncover the reason behind Group 99 which has to do with corruption at the highest level of several worldwide governments and the oil fracking business.
Tracy Whitney gets involved as does her former husband Jeff Stevens when Althea issues them a challenge in the form of a personal tragedy.
A very thrilling book.
November 16, 2015
When author Sidney Sheldon passed away in 2007 he was the 7th best-selling author of all-time. His success spanned multiple platforms and earned him an Oscar, a Tony and an Edgar Award. His name was synonymous with crime thrillers and he owned the Best Seller's list throughout the 1970's.
Sheldon's work was also as well known for steamy and sultry sex scenes as they were for nail-biting suspense. Through it all, strong women always emerged as the central characters in most of his work. Author Tilly Bagshawe has now picked up the mantel penning a series of novels in Sidney Sheldon's name.
The latest Sidney Sheldon inspired thriller is entitled RECKLESS and the cover features a pair of long female legs inside a pair of six-inch high red high heels. Quite simply, sex still sells. However, some may claim false advertising after reading this taut thriller which --- outside of one brief sex scene --- goes straight for the jugular with a timely and relevant story-line that lends itself to the term 'page turner'.
Tracy Whitney is the protagonist and a long-time favorite of Sidney Sheldon's work. Tracy is a former con artist and thief who now does her work for the CIA. A terrorist group calling themselves Group 99 include an international base of global hackers out to attack the establishment and big business. Their name comes from the 99% who fall outside of the extremely wealthy 1% who hold most of the world's financial clout.
Group 99 appears to have escalated from mere hacking to out and out murder. They execute a British soldier and transmit the murder throughout social media. Additionally, the terrorist faction has kidnapped an American investigative journalist and blown up an international industrialist. Supposedly funding this nefarious activity is a woman known merely as Althea.
The CIA tasks Tracy Whitney with assisting to infiltrate and bring down Group 99. Part of this will include finding out why the kidnapped journalist --- Hunter Drexel --- was targeted and what motive he had for running away from the military group who fought to free him from his captors. Tracy's allegiance in this case goes beyond the defense of her country. She believes that some of the people working with Group 99 may have had a hand in the death of her son, Nicholas.
Now, Group 99 seems to be targeting billionaire Cameron Crewe who's business plans include fracking efforts that many see as raping the land and poisoning the environment at large. Tracy hooks up with Crewe, in more ways than one, and they both share the tragic loss of their children as a common trait that instantly draws them together. Little does Tracy realize that the death of her son may have been played up by the CIA as a murder to ensure her involvement in this situation.
RECKLESS tackles many issues and juggles them all equally well. Both the CIA and MI6 are colored with various shades that highlight more than just the black and white paint brush they are usually seen with. Tilly Bagshawe deftly plots this exciting novel and throws in enough twists and surprises to keep the most astute thriller fans on the edge of their seats.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader
Sheldon's work was also as well known for steamy and sultry sex scenes as they were for nail-biting suspense. Through it all, strong women always emerged as the central characters in most of his work. Author Tilly Bagshawe has now picked up the mantel penning a series of novels in Sidney Sheldon's name.
The latest Sidney Sheldon inspired thriller is entitled RECKLESS and the cover features a pair of long female legs inside a pair of six-inch high red high heels. Quite simply, sex still sells. However, some may claim false advertising after reading this taut thriller which --- outside of one brief sex scene --- goes straight for the jugular with a timely and relevant story-line that lends itself to the term 'page turner'.
Tracy Whitney is the protagonist and a long-time favorite of Sidney Sheldon's work. Tracy is a former con artist and thief who now does her work for the CIA. A terrorist group calling themselves Group 99 include an international base of global hackers out to attack the establishment and big business. Their name comes from the 99% who fall outside of the extremely wealthy 1% who hold most of the world's financial clout.
Group 99 appears to have escalated from mere hacking to out and out murder. They execute a British soldier and transmit the murder throughout social media. Additionally, the terrorist faction has kidnapped an American investigative journalist and blown up an international industrialist. Supposedly funding this nefarious activity is a woman known merely as Althea.
The CIA tasks Tracy Whitney with assisting to infiltrate and bring down Group 99. Part of this will include finding out why the kidnapped journalist --- Hunter Drexel --- was targeted and what motive he had for running away from the military group who fought to free him from his captors. Tracy's allegiance in this case goes beyond the defense of her country. She believes that some of the people working with Group 99 may have had a hand in the death of her son, Nicholas.
Now, Group 99 seems to be targeting billionaire Cameron Crewe who's business plans include fracking efforts that many see as raping the land and poisoning the environment at large. Tracy hooks up with Crewe, in more ways than one, and they both share the tragic loss of their children as a common trait that instantly draws them together. Little does Tracy realize that the death of her son may have been played up by the CIA as a murder to ensure her involvement in this situation.
RECKLESS tackles many issues and juggles them all equally well. Both the CIA and MI6 are colored with various shades that highlight more than just the black and white paint brush they are usually seen with. Tilly Bagshawe deftly plots this exciting novel and throws in enough twists and surprises to keep the most astute thriller fans on the edge of their seats.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for New Mystery Reader
December 30, 2015
I have been a fan of Sidney Sheldon books for a long time. I was sad to hear of his passing. When I saw a new book with his name on it I was very curious to see how the writing would be. It had the feel of his unique writing and I became instantly intrigued.
We again get to read about Tracy Whitney. She had a gift of being a con artist that she did with ease. She left that behind to work with the CIA. At least she can put her talents to good use now with inside knowledge of how these people think and operate. Tracy has an assignment that could be very dangerous but she is up for the job. She will be trying to get close to Group 99. They are a very tight group of hackers who want to take down corporations and of course the wealthy. Sounds like a simple assignment doesn't it?
When it is learned that Group 99 has upped their game by executing a British soldier and kidnapped an Anerican journalist, things take a more serious note. Will Tracy be able to befriend this group? Can she be trusted to do the right thing? Tracy will come in contact with someone from her past that could affect her emotionally. What tragedy does she face that makes this assignment personal?
Overall the book was well written and had strong characters. The action was good and I loved the intrigue that developed throughout the story. It is a book that will have you guessing and twists that may surprise you. Don't miss this gripping action packed story.
I received a copy of this book from the Goodread Giveaway for an honest review.
We again get to read about Tracy Whitney. She had a gift of being a con artist that she did with ease. She left that behind to work with the CIA. At least she can put her talents to good use now with inside knowledge of how these people think and operate. Tracy has an assignment that could be very dangerous but she is up for the job. She will be trying to get close to Group 99. They are a very tight group of hackers who want to take down corporations and of course the wealthy. Sounds like a simple assignment doesn't it?
When it is learned that Group 99 has upped their game by executing a British soldier and kidnapped an Anerican journalist, things take a more serious note. Will Tracy be able to befriend this group? Can she be trusted to do the right thing? Tracy will come in contact with someone from her past that could affect her emotionally. What tragedy does she face that makes this assignment personal?
Overall the book was well written and had strong characters. The action was good and I loved the intrigue that developed throughout the story. It is a book that will have you guessing and twists that may surprise you. Don't miss this gripping action packed story.
I received a copy of this book from the Goodread Giveaway for an honest review.
October 16, 2022
By the time this book was published I believe Sidney Sheldon was not alive, his name is just there simply because his original characters are used.
To say it straight and honest the #3 in the Tracy Whitney tribology is a pathetical attempt of lame and poor fiction.
Rather than sticking to the original plot which by all means is unique and commendable, the author goes on babbling of explanations about previous iterations of the characters. Even still the facts are false. Daniel Cooper is depicted as an FBI agent ¡
What is written is also shamefully inconsistent :
"Balke had beamed with pride to be escorting her, even though everybody knew they were mother and son." Ah, old Blake and Tracy - and mother and son?
Tracy who never thought of another man for decades ends in bed with Cameron in their second encounter, which seems a little far fetched for the quality of Tracy's character. They end up making love until the 'sun rose,' the and ends the discussion "Good night, my darling." 😂
I strongly recommend anybody who wouldn't want to waste their time, and treat themselves to something other than cheap, disordered and disorganised fiction to NOT PICK UP THIS BOOK.
To say it straight and honest the #3 in the Tracy Whitney tribology is a pathetical attempt of lame and poor fiction.
Rather than sticking to the original plot which by all means is unique and commendable, the author goes on babbling of explanations about previous iterations of the characters. Even still the facts are false. Daniel Cooper is depicted as an FBI agent ¡
What is written is also shamefully inconsistent :
"Balke had beamed with pride to be escorting her, even though everybody knew they were mother and son." Ah, old Blake and Tracy - and mother and son?
Tracy who never thought of another man for decades ends in bed with Cameron in their second encounter, which seems a little far fetched for the quality of Tracy's character. They end up making love until the 'sun rose,' the and ends the discussion "Good night, my darling." 😂
I strongly recommend anybody who wouldn't want to waste their time, and treat themselves to something other than cheap, disordered and disorganised fiction to NOT PICK UP THIS BOOK.
August 24, 2017
I like it a lot!!
Finally, I find again the great Tracy Whitney mind.
Under her sadness and frustration, she still shows her ability to "cheat" the system and shame the government.
My fave part, of course, when Tracy and Jeff decide to start everything all over again.
I'm about to give 4 stars, but there are some details that irritate me since it is not fit with the previous series. Such as, when it describes that Daniel Cooper is a crazy FBI agent, meanwhile on the first book, Cooper is an Insurance investigator.
But, overall, I love it! And I would love to read the next series :)
Finally, I find again the great Tracy Whitney mind.
Under her sadness and frustration, she still shows her ability to "cheat" the system and shame the government.
My fave part, of course, when Tracy and Jeff decide to start everything all over again.
I'm about to give 4 stars, but there are some details that irritate me since it is not fit with the previous series. Such as, when it describes that Daniel Cooper is a crazy FBI agent, meanwhile on the first book, Cooper is an Insurance investigator.
But, overall, I love it! And I would love to read the next series :)
June 29, 2016
Catchy. The protagonist Tracy is a great character. Her love interest Jeff is also nice. The mystery is pretty decent and page turning! But to many unnecessary characters!
June 25, 2022
Went on a Sidney Sheldon binge. Not proud of it. -_-
March 14, 2017
Sheldon manages to keep the reader engaged albeit this book is not the sharpest knife in his drawer.
Negatives:
The novel seemed quite lagging while trying to portray the cat-and-mouse play. Especially towards the end, it was tending to abrade, making the reader feel something akin to wearing a pair of sandpaper underpants.
The climax of the novel also fell short of its target. Though he tried to wrap it all up in a pretty parcel of suspense, it did not come through that well, being accompanied by a prickle of unease. In short, the END was a bitter cherry on top of the under-baked cake.
The author brands Tracy and Jeff as con-artists, but fails to characterize them properly that way. This makes the novel look murky and gray compared to his other clear ‘black-and-white‘ novels.
In nooks and corners of the plot, the novel flits from safe house to safe house recklessly with neither rhythm nor reason.
Positives:
Sheldon seems really artistic throughout the narration. He gets into your brain with a brush and paints each scene brilliantly with lot of colors. His way of using figures of speech seemed quite uncanny in a nice way.
Though rare, there were moments at which the author succeeded in flexing your thrill muscles.
To conclude, I would say the author made the best out of a bad job. Thus loosely classing it as an OK read.
Negatives:
The novel seemed quite lagging while trying to portray the cat-and-mouse play. Especially towards the end, it was tending to abrade, making the reader feel something akin to wearing a pair of sandpaper underpants.
The climax of the novel also fell short of its target. Though he tried to wrap it all up in a pretty parcel of suspense, it did not come through that well, being accompanied by a prickle of unease. In short, the END was a bitter cherry on top of the under-baked cake.
The author brands Tracy and Jeff as con-artists, but fails to characterize them properly that way. This makes the novel look murky and gray compared to his other clear ‘black-and-white‘ novels.
In nooks and corners of the plot, the novel flits from safe house to safe house recklessly with neither rhythm nor reason.
Positives:
Sheldon seems really artistic throughout the narration. He gets into your brain with a brush and paints each scene brilliantly with lot of colors. His way of using figures of speech seemed quite uncanny in a nice way.
Though rare, there were moments at which the author succeeded in flexing your thrill muscles.
To conclude, I would say the author made the best out of a bad job. Thus loosely classing it as an OK read.
February 10, 2017
Among all the books that I've read by Sidney Sheldon, 'If Tomorrow Comes' has been my favorite. And Tracy Whitney, my favorite protagonist.
She's smart, intelligent, a con-artist who's always been two steps ahead of those chasing her, always able to wriggle herself out of the dangers with her wit and charm. Her heists were all impossible until she had carried them off and the owners proud for having foolproof security, but nothing could be safe if Tracy had her eyes on it. And with Jeff Stevens, they made a lethal combo and were almost unstoppable.
After Sidney, Tilly Bagshawe continued their story in 'Chasing Tomorrow' and it was as unputdownable as its prequel. Albeit this time it was Jeff's life that was in danger and Tracy had to save him. And she successfully manages to.
And 'Reckless' is no different. Fast paced, racy, suspense thriller. A group of anti-rich activists kidnap a British officer and execute him, which was the group's first instance of violence instantly brandishing them as terrorists. British and American agencies work together to stop these guys but there's not enough trust. America's CIA rope in Tracy and British's MI6 rope in Jeff to help them. So starts the game of staying ahead and leaving no trail behind until the truth is found.
The best part is when Tracy and Jeff outsmart each other and their respective agencies are left fuming.
Some instances are really long and you wish to skip too, but the book manages to keep you on the edge.
Worth a read for those who enjoy the genre. Or Sidney's books.
She's smart, intelligent, a con-artist who's always been two steps ahead of those chasing her, always able to wriggle herself out of the dangers with her wit and charm. Her heists were all impossible until she had carried them off and the owners proud for having foolproof security, but nothing could be safe if Tracy had her eyes on it. And with Jeff Stevens, they made a lethal combo and were almost unstoppable.
After Sidney, Tilly Bagshawe continued their story in 'Chasing Tomorrow' and it was as unputdownable as its prequel. Albeit this time it was Jeff's life that was in danger and Tracy had to save him. And she successfully manages to.
And 'Reckless' is no different. Fast paced, racy, suspense thriller. A group of anti-rich activists kidnap a British officer and execute him, which was the group's first instance of violence instantly brandishing them as terrorists. British and American agencies work together to stop these guys but there's not enough trust. America's CIA rope in Tracy and British's MI6 rope in Jeff to help them. So starts the game of staying ahead and leaving no trail behind until the truth is found.
The best part is when Tracy and Jeff outsmart each other and their respective agencies are left fuming.
Some instances are really long and you wish to skip too, but the book manages to keep you on the edge.
Worth a read for those who enjoy the genre. Or Sidney's books.
April 10, 2024
3.5⭐️ Finished this majorly backlistes series and it was overall enjoyable. I saw who the bad guy was coming pretty early on, it wasn’t hard to figure out the mastermind behind group 99 going deadly. But I hated the part of the storyline that killed her son and Blake. As annoying as Milton Buck was, it even seemed like a stretch for him to be behind the murder of a teenager and an old man. And there was still no resolution for Jeff and Tracey. But lots of turns and twists that kept the book interesting.
September 13, 2019
I hate the direction this book went in. They plot was dull. There was a lot of running around from place to place but nothing getting accomplished. And if I had to read about one more poker game I was going to throw the book across the room. I did not like what the author turned Jeff into in the end.
I miss the fun guilty pleasure that was the first book. I’m going to pretend the sequels don’t exist and keep the good memories of reading the original.
I miss the fun guilty pleasure that was the first book. I’m going to pretend the sequels don’t exist and keep the good memories of reading the original.
December 19, 2015
A great book. As the dates suggest, it did not take long to get to the end.
Please click on the link below or paste it onto your browser.
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Please click on the link below or paste it onto your browser.
http://onerightword.blogspot.co.uk/20...
May 30, 2017
I wasn't a fan of the characters in this story. There was no real connection with Tracey or Jeff. The story overall was average. I felt at times the reading was really slow. Didn't at any point feel like I couldn't put this book down.
May 11, 2020
It took me 2months to finish this book. Normally, it takes me one day to finish one. The characters had flaws but I won’t say the whole book was flawed. I really hated the ending, and it all just seemed absurd to me. It’s an average read if you ask me!
December 11, 2015
Quick read with enough suspense thrown in to keep you wondering. Airplane or hotel read adequate.
August 16, 2016
The characters, in my opinion, did not have redeemable qualities that made me want to root for them. This was a below average book.
March 18, 2017
I just could'nt help thinking that Sheldon would have done so Much better.
December 30, 2020
From being a soccer mom to CIA Advisor, the journey of The Incorruptible Tracy Whitney to uncover the mystery behind her son's tragic death 👏👏
In my opinion, the story line is very predictable and with random story arcs introduced with no follow through. The suspence on which the whole story was built turns out to be the worst disappointment.
In my opinion, the story line is very predictable and with random story arcs introduced with no follow through. The suspence on which the whole story was built turns out to be the worst disappointment.
November 15, 2020
Enggak seru walaupun nyaman bacanya.
February 4, 2022
It is always a pleasure to read Sidney Sheldon's books.
September 25, 2017
Another sequel to Sidney Seldon's character, Tracy Witney's story. Though not as good as the previous sequel, Chasing Tomorrow, this book still keeps us hooked to the story. Not a must read book but yet picked it up just to know what can happen to Tracy.
July 15, 2018
It could have been a 50-100 pages short.
Still a good book to read with a lot of suspense on the way.
Still a good book to read with a lot of suspense on the way.
March 18, 2020
RECKLESS BY SIDNEY SHELDON, TILLY BAGSHAWE
Ratings: 4.6/5⭐
Genre: Fiction; Thriller, Mystery, Politics
Number of Pages: 416
Format: Paperback
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published in: 2015
Reckless is the third book of Sidney Sheldon's Tracy Whitney series, penned downed by Tilly Bagshawe. Reckless is definitely not written 'recklessly' and was therefore the worldwide bestseller!
SUMMARY
Group 99 were the modern day Robinhoods, a group of over-smart, geeky teenagers, basically global hackers exposing 1% of the population which consists of the "rich people", aiming to end communalism and set up a new world order. Initially, they earned praises from the public, until they turned to violence by kidnapping Captain Bob Dylan and Hunter Drexel. Bob was shot in the head and the video of the shootout made the Britishers and Americans shift in their seats. Something had to be done to stop them. They found that Althea, an extraordinary smart American woman, was funding the group and also allowed the violence, had connections with Tracy Whitney.
Tracy was a con artist and a jewel thief in her times, who with her 'partner' Jeff Stevens had outsmarted even CIA. But after her son, Nicholas was born, she decided to leave her reckless life behind, settle down, live anonymously and look after her son, with a friend, Blake Carter. When the CIA approaches her to help them find Althea and Hunter Drexel, she refuses initially. But on a snowy evening, the worst tragedy occurs which leaves Tracy with nothing with nothing else to lose now. For justice and vengeance, she decides to assist the Americans.
Jeff Stevens too gets involved in this as MI6 approaches him. He keeps a close eye on Tracy. Tracy meets Cameron Crewe and feels a sexual tension between them from the very first meet. As days pass, more cases of violence take place by Group 99, which happen to kill scores of innocent people. Jeff and Tracy face each other and decide to work together to find Hunter and Althea, but Tracy being the cunning woman doesn't trust anyone and leaves everyone behind to find Hunter on her own. She's oblivious of what lies beyond what she had assumed. Will Tracy really get the justice she has been looking for?
PERSONAL REVIEWS
I wanted to read a spy fiction since a long time and I guess reading Reckless totally justified it. The characters are strong, especially the character of the heroine, Tracy Whitney, a strong, independent, beautiful and smart American woman. The unexpected plot twists and the suspense kept me glued to the last page of the book. Even though I had my board examinations, I was so intrigued that simply couldn't put down the book till I read the last page. The storyline is primarily powerful and worth a shot. Since I haven't read the other two titles of the series, I don't really have anything to compare it to but as a stand alone, the book was an amazing read!
Ratings: 4.6/5⭐
Genre: Fiction; Thriller, Mystery, Politics
Number of Pages: 416
Format: Paperback
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published in: 2015
Reckless is the third book of Sidney Sheldon's Tracy Whitney series, penned downed by Tilly Bagshawe. Reckless is definitely not written 'recklessly' and was therefore the worldwide bestseller!
SUMMARY
Group 99 were the modern day Robinhoods, a group of over-smart, geeky teenagers, basically global hackers exposing 1% of the population which consists of the "rich people", aiming to end communalism and set up a new world order. Initially, they earned praises from the public, until they turned to violence by kidnapping Captain Bob Dylan and Hunter Drexel. Bob was shot in the head and the video of the shootout made the Britishers and Americans shift in their seats. Something had to be done to stop them. They found that Althea, an extraordinary smart American woman, was funding the group and also allowed the violence, had connections with Tracy Whitney.
Tracy was a con artist and a jewel thief in her times, who with her 'partner' Jeff Stevens had outsmarted even CIA. But after her son, Nicholas was born, she decided to leave her reckless life behind, settle down, live anonymously and look after her son, with a friend, Blake Carter. When the CIA approaches her to help them find Althea and Hunter Drexel, she refuses initially. But on a snowy evening, the worst tragedy occurs which leaves Tracy with nothing with nothing else to lose now. For justice and vengeance, she decides to assist the Americans.
Jeff Stevens too gets involved in this as MI6 approaches him. He keeps a close eye on Tracy. Tracy meets Cameron Crewe and feels a sexual tension between them from the very first meet. As days pass, more cases of violence take place by Group 99, which happen to kill scores of innocent people. Jeff and Tracy face each other and decide to work together to find Hunter and Althea, but Tracy being the cunning woman doesn't trust anyone and leaves everyone behind to find Hunter on her own. She's oblivious of what lies beyond what she had assumed. Will Tracy really get the justice she has been looking for?
PERSONAL REVIEWS
I wanted to read a spy fiction since a long time and I guess reading Reckless totally justified it. The characters are strong, especially the character of the heroine, Tracy Whitney, a strong, independent, beautiful and smart American woman. The unexpected plot twists and the suspense kept me glued to the last page of the book. Even though I had my board examinations, I was so intrigued that simply couldn't put down the book till I read the last page. The storyline is primarily powerful and worth a shot. Since I haven't read the other two titles of the series, I don't really have anything to compare it to but as a stand alone, the book was an amazing read!
April 11, 2020
Yhaaa... Saya nggak tahu kalau ini ternyata buku ketiga petualangan Tracy Whitney.
Buku pertama, If Tomorrow Comes (yang saya pernah baca zaman SMA dulusaat Presiden RI masih Suharto, tapi udah lupa ceritanya) ditulis om Sydney, lalu buku kedua dan ketiganya dilanjutkan oleh mbak Tilly ini.
Dan buku kedua saya belum baca, udah loncat baca buku ketiga ini. Namanya juga nggak tahu, ya.
Rasanya nggak ada yang berubah dari plot cerita buatan Om Sydney maupun mbak Tilly, walaupun ditulis dalam selang waktu lama. Berapa... 30 tahun? Masih dengan tokoh sentral perempuan menarik, cerdas, punya karir bagus, kekasih tampan idaman, yang hidupnya kemudian berubah akibat pengkhianatan sang objek cinta. Kepedihan menguasai semesta, lalu berikutnya sang wanita bertransformasi menjadi sosok kuat, bergelimang harta, berfisik menggoda, dan diselubungi kekuasaan. Tujuan hidupnya terfokus pada mengalahkan pria penghancur mimpi masa mudanya.
Bumbunya juga masih sama. Kekuasaan bukan hanya datang dari uang dan tampang, melainkan juga lewat koneksi politik, bahkan lika-liku spionase. Makanya, lokasi cerita sungguh mudah untuk pindah benua dan negara. Baik karangan Om Sydney maupun Mbak Tilly bisa menyelipkan isu internasional aktual sebagai latar cerita. Di buku ini, misalnya, mengisahkan gerakan global anak muda menentang kapitalis yang merusak bumi, atau peresmian hubungan Pangeran William dan Kate Middleton. Mbak Tilly wajarlah diberi kepercayaan oleh keluarga almarhum Om Sydney untuk melanjutkan fanfiction beliau.
Tapi yaa... Saking miripnya plot demikian, penokohan jadi nggak terasa buat saya. Mungkin karena saya udah terbiasa baca buku zaman now, rasa buku ini tetap jadul, walau udah ada internet, peretas, segala macam.
Ada bolong dalam banyak bagian buku ini, tak terjelaskan hingga akhir. Makanya aaya kasih bintang 2.5 aja karena nanggung. Tapi saya berpikir, mungkin mbak Tilly sudah menyiapkan buku keempat kisah petualangan kak Tracy dan mas Jeff.
Entahlah.
Buku pertama, If Tomorrow Comes (yang saya pernah baca zaman SMA dulu
Dan buku kedua saya belum baca, udah loncat baca buku ketiga ini. Namanya juga nggak tahu, ya.
Rasanya nggak ada yang berubah dari plot cerita buatan Om Sydney maupun mbak Tilly, walaupun ditulis dalam selang waktu lama. Berapa... 30 tahun? Masih dengan tokoh sentral perempuan menarik, cerdas, punya karir bagus, kekasih tampan idaman, yang hidupnya kemudian berubah akibat pengkhianatan sang objek cinta. Kepedihan menguasai semesta, lalu berikutnya sang wanita bertransformasi menjadi sosok kuat, bergelimang harta, berfisik menggoda, dan diselubungi kekuasaan. Tujuan hidupnya terfokus pada mengalahkan pria penghancur mimpi masa mudanya.
Bumbunya juga masih sama. Kekuasaan bukan hanya datang dari uang dan tampang, melainkan juga lewat koneksi politik, bahkan lika-liku spionase. Makanya, lokasi cerita sungguh mudah untuk pindah benua dan negara. Baik karangan Om Sydney maupun Mbak Tilly bisa menyelipkan isu internasional aktual sebagai latar cerita. Di buku ini, misalnya, mengisahkan gerakan global anak muda menentang kapitalis yang merusak bumi, atau peresmian hubungan Pangeran William dan Kate Middleton. Mbak Tilly wajarlah diberi kepercayaan oleh keluarga almarhum Om Sydney untuk melanjutkan fanfiction beliau.
Tapi yaa... Saking miripnya plot demikian, penokohan jadi nggak terasa buat saya. Mungkin karena saya udah terbiasa baca buku zaman now, rasa buku ini tetap jadul, walau udah ada internet, peretas, segala macam.
Ada bolong dalam banyak bagian buku ini, tak terjelaskan hingga akhir. Makanya aaya kasih bintang 2.5 aja karena nanggung. Tapi saya berpikir, mungkin mbak Tilly sudah menyiapkan buku keempat kisah petualangan kak Tracy dan mas Jeff.
Entahlah.
December 1, 2017
Tracey Whitney, former high-end art/jewelry thief and elite con artist is now content to live peacefully in her lovely Colorado home with her bright but precocious son who has become the center of her life. But in the outside world, a new terror group called Group 99 has gained notoriety by hacking the computer accounts of the top one percent of the wealthy and depositing into the accounts of the less fortunate. This Robin Hood approach is celebrated by many but when they turn violent and begin kidnapping and murdering key individuals it is clear they have a new direction. A mysterious woman seems to be pulling the strings and when she drops hints that the CIA should engage Tracey Whitney to catch her, the CIA reluctantly does so.
This follow-on novel to Sidney Sheldon's Chasing Tomorrow, (itself a sequel to Sidney Sheldon’s original If Tomorrow Comes) is a nicely-paced thriller with a major mystery plot at its center. I found the concept of Group 99 to be intriguing and when combined with Eco terrorists against fracking, shady characters from the CIA, FBI, and MI-6 and of course, Tracey’s old partner in crime and love, Jeff Stevens, we have a nice potboiler of a story. Plenty of intrigue, action, romance, and chases combined with emotional ups and downs make this a page turner to be sure.
There are those that rant against a different author taking over Sidney Sheldon’s characters but Tilly Bagshawe was selected by the Sheldon estate and in my estimation has done a good job of providing sequels for those of us who like to see what happens to some of these characters.
This follow-on novel to Sidney Sheldon's Chasing Tomorrow, (itself a sequel to Sidney Sheldon’s original If Tomorrow Comes) is a nicely-paced thriller with a major mystery plot at its center. I found the concept of Group 99 to be intriguing and when combined with Eco terrorists against fracking, shady characters from the CIA, FBI, and MI-6 and of course, Tracey’s old partner in crime and love, Jeff Stevens, we have a nice potboiler of a story. Plenty of intrigue, action, romance, and chases combined with emotional ups and downs make this a page turner to be sure.
There are those that rant against a different author taking over Sidney Sheldon’s characters but Tilly Bagshawe was selected by the Sheldon estate and in my estimation has done a good job of providing sequels for those of us who like to see what happens to some of these characters.
February 24, 2020
It's one more of Tilly Bagshawe books under name of veteran author Sidney Sheldon. As usual it's a thriller. With a mysterious, strong woman in lead with equally charming man wooing her. This time the villan in question made out to be group 99 spreading terrorism acts in various parts of the world. A known journalist from US was kidnapped along with one more famous person from UK, who was terminated violently & the video was released worldwide for everyone to see. UK & US teams CIA & M16 people were all over one another, backed up by their respective presidents to get to the root of the issue, to save the journalist who survived. US military attacks the terrorist camp to get the journalist back alive but to everyone astonishment, the journalist in question, Hunter Drexel runs for his life & get AWOL. Amid all this chaos, enters two charming characters, veteran old time thieves, Tracy Whitney & Jeff Stevens, who once had a colorful history together. Tracy lives clean life with single handedly raising her son who was mysteriously killed in accident. The CIA from US hires Tracy to find out about group 99 & leading suspect women called Althea. The Brits M16 hires Jeff to follow Tracy to get to the bottom of the issue. All these leads to cat & mouse games from one poker game to another in different parts of the world to catch the journalist Hunter Drexel, unrevealing rampant curruption in fracking business (oil drills) globally, the fracking business cartel & the real killer behind the group 99 terror operations. I wouldn't spoil the surprise here, so not naming the real culprit here. All in all, it's regular, usual thriller rolled out by the author. 03 stars for this one.
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