Jennifer Sturman The Jinx

The Jinx

Jennifer Sturman

Red Dress, Dec 2005, $12.95, 320 pp.

ISBN: 0373895402

Winslow, Brown investment banker Rachel Benjamin piles up the frequent flyer miles working mergers and acquisitions. Her boyfriend Peter Forrest works across the continent in San Francisco, but soon will join Rachel in Boston where she is on assignment and he is attending a conference. Over the six months together they have seen each other when either is on the other coast or over holidays at the homes of relatives.

Rachel thinks this relationship is going to last, which surprises her because usually her confidence is zero when it comes to the staying power of men. However, she is concerned that Peter's assistant Abigail is beautiful, brainy, and on the left coast. . Already thinking of trailing Peter, Rachel becomes sidetracked when someone attacks her friend Sara who lands in the hospital. Unable to ignore the PACT she made with Sara and three other friends back in college, Rachel combines the two situations into a big investigation to uncover who battered Sara and whether Peter is cheating with Abigail, not knowing which one is more dangerous to her heath.

With a pinch of chick lit as Rachel wonders if she is THE JINX in her relationships (Murphy looks optimistic next to her), this is a fine amateur sleuth romance. The story line focuses on the dichotomy of Rachel's mindset as she is a successful business woman (made it on Fortune magazine cover) but lacks confidence in love. The who-done-it with hints of a serial killer lurking and further assaults on Sara pending is deftly handled with a neat twist as Rachel investigates to protect her friend. Her inquiries into Peter and Abigail also include a delightful twist. Fans will appreciate this fine tale.

Harriet Klausner