The
Manolo Matrix
The
Codebreaker Trilogy
Julie
Kenner
Downtown
Press (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-7434-9614-0 (0743496140)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7434-9614-8 (9780743496148)
Publication Date: February 2006
List Price: $13.00
Synopsis (from
the publisher): USA Today bestselling author of The Givenchy Code
Julie Kenner reloads for her second novel of high-heeled thrills as
another woman gets pulled into a mysterious world of extreme gaming
where she must play or die.
Aspiring actress Jennifer Crane knows all about games -- the games
girls play to get a guy; the games actresses play to land a part; and
the good old game of credit-card roulette. (How else is a girl supposed
to afford her shoes?) But she never expected to be playing a game with
life-or-death consequences. Unable to successfully score an acting gig,
she has, instead, been cast in the role of reluctant bodyguard to a
real-life assassin's target -- a dashing FBI agent of all people! --
and must embark with him upon a scavenger hunt across Manhattan in
search of the ultimate prize: survival. Before this, Jenn's definition
of fighting dirty has been elbowing her way to the front of the line at
a Manolo sample sale. Now, if she wants to stay alive, she's going to
have to learn a few new uses for her stilettos ... and they ain't
pretty.
Fast, flirty, and full of great footwear, The Manolo Matrix
is another electrifying adventure in this breakout series for
fashionistas who love a perfectly appointed mystery.
Review:
The individual books of the best trilogies should be able to stand on
their own, but The Manolo Matrix
fails in this regard. The basis of the scavenger hunt (clues from
Broadway plays) seems overly contrived, and the relationship between
Jennifer and Devlin is never believable. The book is billed as an
action-packed mystery and romantic comedy, but it is neither of these.
It seems the author was simply trying to fill in the gap between the
first and third books as quickly as possible with little regard to plot
or character development.
Kenner is clearly taking advantage of the incredible publicity
surrounding The Da Vinci Code (the title of the first book, The Givenchy Code,
being an obvious clue) in penning this trilogy. But while The Da Vinci Code
would never be classified as fine literature, it was at least fun to
read. The
Manolo Matrix is neither.
Special thanks to Book Trends for providing an ARC of The Manolo Matrix for this review.
Review Copyright © 2006 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read The Manolo Matrix? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series ...
The
Givenchy Code
Downtown Press (Trade Paperback), May 2005
ISBN-10: 0-7434-9613-2 (0743496132)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7434-9613-1 (9780743496131)
The Manolo Matrix
Downtown Press (Trade Paperback), February 2006
ISBN-10: 0-7434-9614-0 (0743496140)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7434-9614-8 (9780743496148)
The
Prada Paradox
Downtown Press (Trade Paperback), March 2007
ISBN-10: 0-7434-9615-9 (0743496159)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7434-9615-5 (9780743496155)
Omnimystery
keywords for The Manolo Matrix
...
Location(s) referenced: New York City.
