One of the great things about books is their ability to transport the reader to another time or place. In SIDNEY SHELDON’S CHASING TOMORROW, if you feel like visiting London, Brazil, New York City, Italy or even Bulgaria, Tilly Bagshawe will take you there. Not only does she take you globetrotting to various exotic and intriguing locales with the turn of a page, she does so while remaining true to Sidney Sheldon’s clever storytelling ways.

Tracy Whitney, Sheldon’s beloved and unfaltering heroine from IF TOMORROW COMES, returns, along with the love of her life, Jeff Stevens. In fact, CHASING TOMORROW begins right where its prequel left off, so readers are immediately drawn back into Jeff and Tracy’s world.

Tracy and Jeff start their new life in London, settling down as law-abiding citizens living in (initially) domesticated happiness. Tracy’s focus becomes starting a family while Jeff plunges into his antiquities work at the British Museum. As time goes by and Tracy’s desire for a baby doesn’t happen, she begins to question her identity and happiness living life on the straight and narrow. It is about this time that an enigmatic stranger enters their lives and shatters their stable marriage. Consequently, Tracy abruptly disappears, leaving Jeff devastated and searching for answers.

"While the pace of the story led me to keep flipping pages to see what would happen next, what I liked best about CHASING TOMORROW is Bagshawe’s ability to write so vividly that I truly felt I was gazing at the mountains in Colorado or surrounded by the humid air in Asia."

In true Sidney Sheldon fashion, the plot continues at breakneck speed, taking us to Paris nine years later when we meet Jean Rizzo, a steadfast Interpol inspector who’s investigating the brutal murder of a prostitute. We soon discover that this is but the latest murder in a string of prostitute killings (11 to be exact) taking place in 10 different cities over the past nine years, all with the same clues (or lack thereof) left behind. It just so happens that these are the same cities where Tracy executed some of her most impressive heists. Coincidence? Jean doesn’t think so as he tirelessly, often to the point of neglecting his family, tries to put the pieces of the puzzle together. One piece definitely seems to involve the elusive Tracy.

Bagshawe effortlessly switches plot direction, taking us back to Jeff and Tracy, and we discover what has become of them over the past nine years. While Jeff has never made peace with Tracy’s disappearance, he has managed to go on with the help of his old friend, Gunther, who has encouraged him to rekindle his passion for the con. We then learn that Tracy also may have reignited her con artist abilities in the name of retribution. Meanwhile, Jean’s investigation takes him to an unexpected place: Tracy’s doorstep. It seems there’s a serial killer on the loose with mysterious ties to her. Questions arise. Which ghost from her past is out to get her and why? And how does Jeff Stevens, the man Tracy never stopped loving, figure into the killer’s plan? As another prostitute is found murdered, time becomes of the essence, and Tracy must step out of the shadows to help stop a killer.

In CHASING TOMORROW, Bagshawe has brought back two characters readers grew to love in IF TOMORROW COMES. While it isn’t absolutely necessary to read this first book before the new one (Bagshawe provides thorough backstory throughout the story), I would highly recommend it. Part of the fun of getting to know Tracy and Jeff is their life stories told in IF TOMORROW COMES. In both books, they have their own brand of vigilante justice that makes you root for them as they take down the bad guys, while at the same time disregarding the fact that they are breaking the law by committing some really clever heists. While it may be necessary to suspend your disbelief in places with respect to the heists, that shouldn’t detract from the enjoyment of the novel.

While the pace of the story led me to keep flipping pages to see what would happen next, what I liked best about CHASING TOMORROW is Bagshawe’s ability to write so vividly that I truly felt I was gazing at the mountains in Colorado or surrounded by the humid air in Asia. Overall, readers will enjoy this fast-paced sequel to IF TOMORROW COMES. Keep in mind, though, just when you think you know how it will end, you may be in for a bittersweet surprise.