Gold Diggers

In Howard's ineptly executed latest (after Never Kiss and Tell), wealthy housewife Lauren, her scheming publicist cousin Paulette, disgruntled NBA wife Reese and aspiring actress Gillian are more or less friends. But greed and marital infidelity cause problems big and small, ensuring punishment for the plotters and happiness for the victims. Unfortunately, Howard's L.A. is hackneyed and her New York is 20 years out of date (Williamsburg, Brooklyn, for instance, is portrayed as a scary industrial wasteland), and though her fashion name-dropping is lackluster (expect the expected: Prada, Gucci, more Prada), she's markedly bling-conversant, especially when talking about her own jewelry line (items from which are described as ""stunning,"" ""exquisite"" and ""one of a kind""). The characters may be swathed in decadence, but the novel is lacking.