The Intelligencer
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Paperback
Author:
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Paperback
Anna L. (annalovesbooks) reviewed on
ISBN 0743432932 - Touted on the cover as "The International Bestseller" and "A Thriller", The Intelligencer strives to be all that the Da Vinci Code could be - and was. Unfortunately, that was much more than this book could be, leaving me with the feeling that I just read a wanna-be.
Kate Morgan works for a deep-undercover organization. As a front, The Slade Group functions as a fairly straightforward firm of private investigators. Behind the scenes, the group - run by a former CIA man - does those things and goes those places where the CIA fears to tread. Kate became involved after the death of her fiance, through her senator father's friendship with Jeremy Slade. Deciding to dedicate her life to doing something that matters doesn't detract from her first interest, English Renaissance studies, particularly Christopher (Kit) Marlowe.
When Cidro Medina brings a case involving the attempted theft of an old manuscript to The Slade Group, Kate is the obvious choice to work with him. The bad guy is working under the name the Jade Dragon and the manuscript he's after appears to have been put together in 1593 by Thomas Phelippes, a known spy of the era. At the same time, a mysterious man going by the name of de Tolomei, an assumed identity, takes a strong interest in Kate. His reasons are unknown, but he is every inch a threatening presence. Quick-witted Kate has to solve several riddles at once - and one of them is clearly a threat to her life!
Hopping back and forth between the present and Christopher Marlowe's last days in 1593, the pattern is easy to follow and keep straight. On the other hand, the threads of several mysteries going on at the same time does none of them any particular justice. If it wasn't fairly obvious early on that two of the cases were entwined, it would be a frustrating book to read. It was a pleasant surprise which stories turned out to be entwined, but not enough of a thrill to make up for the too-much-going-on-at-once atmosphere.
The obvious Kit Marlowe/Kate Morgan relationship is a little too cutesie; the screen name of Jade Dragon was incredibly unimaginative and the characters that seemed to me to have the greatest potential - Kate's father, Senator Donovan Morgan, her friends Jack and Adriana - were almost pointless, for the amount of time spent on developing them. Oxford student Vera Carstairs, director Alexis Cruz and others were introduced for what seems no reason at all, unless the author is hoping to follow this book up with another. If she does, I'll probably read it when the price reaches a penny on Amazon, but I'm not likely to make much of an effort otherwise. As a last thought, I'm not at all fond of books that include Book Club guides - it gives me the feeling the author and/or publisher might just think a wee bit too highly of their book.
- AnnaLovesBooks
Kate Morgan works for a deep-undercover organization. As a front, The Slade Group functions as a fairly straightforward firm of private investigators. Behind the scenes, the group - run by a former CIA man - does those things and goes those places where the CIA fears to tread. Kate became involved after the death of her fiance, through her senator father's friendship with Jeremy Slade. Deciding to dedicate her life to doing something that matters doesn't detract from her first interest, English Renaissance studies, particularly Christopher (Kit) Marlowe.
When Cidro Medina brings a case involving the attempted theft of an old manuscript to The Slade Group, Kate is the obvious choice to work with him. The bad guy is working under the name the Jade Dragon and the manuscript he's after appears to have been put together in 1593 by Thomas Phelippes, a known spy of the era. At the same time, a mysterious man going by the name of de Tolomei, an assumed identity, takes a strong interest in Kate. His reasons are unknown, but he is every inch a threatening presence. Quick-witted Kate has to solve several riddles at once - and one of them is clearly a threat to her life!
Hopping back and forth between the present and Christopher Marlowe's last days in 1593, the pattern is easy to follow and keep straight. On the other hand, the threads of several mysteries going on at the same time does none of them any particular justice. If it wasn't fairly obvious early on that two of the cases were entwined, it would be a frustrating book to read. It was a pleasant surprise which stories turned out to be entwined, but not enough of a thrill to make up for the too-much-going-on-at-once atmosphere.
The obvious Kit Marlowe/Kate Morgan relationship is a little too cutesie; the screen name of Jade Dragon was incredibly unimaginative and the characters that seemed to me to have the greatest potential - Kate's father, Senator Donovan Morgan, her friends Jack and Adriana - were almost pointless, for the amount of time spent on developing them. Oxford student Vera Carstairs, director Alexis Cruz and others were introduced for what seems no reason at all, unless the author is hoping to follow this book up with another. If she does, I'll probably read it when the price reaches a penny on Amazon, but I'm not likely to make much of an effort otherwise. As a last thought, I'm not at all fond of books that include Book Club guides - it gives me the feeling the author and/or publisher might just think a wee bit too highly of their book.
- AnnaLovesBooks
