Sidney Sheldon is now an official ghost, something that every dead writer covets to be. The pop maestro of fast-paced thrillers—so addictive that his fanclub extends to the hermetic interiors of North Korea—will delight his readers from beyond the grave with a new book The Silent Widow, penned by Tilly Bagshawe. The book will be released this month.
Commissioned by Sheldon's publisher, Bagshawe explores the underbelly of Los Angeles, a city in which the author resided. A successful television writer, Sheldon found fame when he shifted to fiction at 50.
“Sheldon has entertained generations of book lovers with stories of mystery, intrigue and enjoyable whodunnits,'' says Ananth Padmanabhan, CEO of Harper Collins India. “Long before the advent of television, these writers inspired millions to read. This new book is simply fantastic. I'm sure it will entertain the fans and find new readers.'' Bagshawe, a journalist-turned-writer, was chosen for her writing style, which is very similar to the author's. To quote his daughter Mary Sheldon: “She’s young and beautiful to boot—a Sidney Sheldon heroine come to life.''
Sheldon is not the only writer with a rather lucrative afterlife in the offing. There is Enid Blyton, who has shaped childhoods across the world, introducing goblins, elves and adventures to kids. Over the years, there have been several authors who have chosen to continue her series to much success. Blyton originals, however, are still a rite of passage for millions across the world. The first writer to have chosen to go down her magical path was Claude Voilier, who wrote in French. The books were later translated into English.
Then, there are the immortal writers. Agatha Christie continues to be the queen of crime, courtesy crime writer and poet Sophie Hannah. James Bond, created by Ian Fleming, continues to romance and spy uninterrupted. From Kingsley Amis, who wrote under pseudonym Robert Markham, to Sebastian Faulks, Bond has had six literary handlers. Then there is Sherlock, who refuses to retire. Written by Antony Horowitz, The House of Silk and Moriarty did well. Horowitz seems to a good spirit conjurer. He has now been asked by the (Ian) Fleming estate to pen a new Bond novel. In Forever and a Day, Horowitz will use Fleming's original material. And it is a prequel.
The question is, do they work? Filling Christie's shoes is no easy task, but Hannah seems to have managed to find just the right pitch. (The Christie estate, that is known to guard her legacy zealously, authorised Hannah and are not complaining so far.) Nor are the fans, who, in Christie's case, tend to be extremely devout.