Wednesday Review

The Givenchy Code by Julie Kenner

Because of the writing conference last week and a crazy busy school schedule, I decided to do this week’s review on one of my favorite books. The Givenchy Code is the first book in the Julie Kenner’s Codebreaker Trilogy and I read it right after having read the DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. Ms. Kenner did an amazing job of leading the reader on twists and turns, just as Mr. Brown did in his infamous book.

Melanie Prescott’s life is complicated enough with picking up doggie doo to make her rent payment and stressing about her dissertation. She definitely doesn’t need her ex-boyfriend trying to bribe her back with a pair of Givenchy shoes. But hey, they are Givenchy! How could she possibly say no to his offer of a simple dinner as the price of such fabulous shoes? But when a stranger hands her a mysterious coded message and then she discovers her ex-boyfriend dead, her life is suddenly spiraling out of control. The doggie doo and dissertation suddenly don’t seem like that big of a deal, anymore.

When Mathew Stryker checks his e-mail, he can’t believe it’s all happening again. The last time he received an e-mail entitled Play.Survive.Win, a woman ended up dead because he hadn’t believed. Not wanting to be responsible for another senseless death, he vows to keep this one alive.

The Givenchy Code is a life or death race as Mel and Stryker make their way across New York, all the while keeping one step ahead of a killer. I loved this story. It has suspense, a thrilling chase, amazing riddles to unravel and a romance hidden in amongst it all. This book is one of my top five favorite books of all times; right next to The DaVinci Code.

While you’re at it, check out the other two books in the trilogy; The Manolo Matrix and The Prada Paradox. Ms Kenner does a fabulous job of keeping her characters on their toes and the reader glued to the pages.