Harriet Klausner's Review Archive
Not even five years out of Harvard Law, Benjamin Franklin Kravner works at an eminent New York firm, working in the Trusts and Estates Department. When his mentor Fritz Fox suffers a heart attack, he is placed in charge of the non-money making cases.
Ben takes over the estate of the recently deceased renowned Adams Thompson. Among the papers, Ben finds an envelope addressed to Fritz as the trustee. Questionably opening the envelope, Ben finds an interesting poem inside it. The words imply that a group calling itself the Royal Order of the Millennium Knight has caused the deaths of presidents since 1840. Apparently, the descendants have enacted vengeance ever since Harrison killed one of their own. Ben soon learns that a special scenario using a race war is planned for the current election that will bring this group to power. Ben ponders the probability that seven presidents serving on the even number ending in zero in a row die in office. Of the remaining presidents, only one dies in office, but that one is a rather healthy charismatic Taylor who might have had the strength to stop the Civil War. Is THE JINX a far-fetched tale for X-Files buffs or has Larry Kahn proved these deaths are not just a cosmic coincidence? Mr. Kahn provides an entertaining, often winking tale that makes the conspiracy seem plausible because his main hero is bumbling and human while his villains contain self-effacing humor. Is the story line a stretch? Absolutely, but it is fun to wander down that road as Mr. Kahn writes an exciting political thriller.