Book review: The Tides of Memory - swept away

With great power, come a lot of enemies.

As soon as you see Sidney Sheldon’s name scrawled in large letters on the cover of the book, The Tides of Memory, it immediately catches your attention given that the author passed away in 2007. But a closer look reveals that the author is not Sheldon, but rather Tilly Bagshaw, who has emerged as Sheldon’s successor, writing books in both his literary style, and at times using the same characters created by the late author.

The story revolves around the life of Alexia De Vere, newly instated Home Secretary of the UK, second only to the prime minister himself. Hailed as Britain’s second Iron Lady, De Vere is truly a force to be reckoned with. From her controversial political stances to her tumultuous background, she has more than one skeleton in her closet.

With a supportive husband, a playboy son, and a daughter who tried to commit suicide followed by a doomed affair, De Vere’s family is hardly picture perfect. Her constant struggle to balance her political life with her personal one proves to be one of the major recurring themes in Bagshawe’s latest offering.

People often talk about the great responsibility that comes with power but the inevitable army of enemies that power creates is often forgotten. Alexia De Vere’s career as a politician has earned her more than just a few rivals.



Before she was home secretary, De Vere was prisons minister, and her passing of a bill regarding sentence reforms extended more than one person’s stay in the dog house, making her a target for not only convicts but also their families and supporters. One particular convict, Sanjay Patel, has managed to haunt De Vere from the grave. Patel, who committed suicide after his prison sentence was increased to life has a number of loyal followers, one of whom is committed to ending De Vere’s life.

The story continues with tragedy after tragedy befalling De Vere and her family, as she tries to find an elusive link between the series of events. To her good fortune, she has her faithful American friend Lucy Meyer by her side, who is portrayed as De Vere’s rock, the keeper of her secrets, and the only person De Vere feels truly comfortable with.

As the book progresses, mystery unravels, and it is clear that De Vere had put both, her life and the lives of those she loves, in the wrong hands by trusting the wrong people.

While The Tides of Memory isn’t unforgettable, it is an interesting read. No one can do justice to Sidney Sheldon, but Tilly Bagshawe comes about as close as one can get to Sheldon’s masterwork. Despite the initial reservation, as Sheldon’s work is considered incomparable, Bagshawe doesn’t disappoint, and comes about as close as one can to Sheldon’s genius, keeping his love for strong female protagonists intact.

Mashal Abbasi is a Life & Style sub-editor for The Express Tribune. She tweets @Mashal_A

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Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, November 24^th, 2013.