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Rachel Gold Mysteries #2
Death Benefits
Determined to reap insurance benefits from her husband's sudden death, the wife of the late Stoddard Anderson hires Rachel Gold to find evidence to prove that Anderson's death was not a suicide
- GenresMystery
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
About the author
Michael A. Kahn
25 books44 followersPseudonym for Michael Baron.
Michael Kahn is a trial lawyer by day and an author at night. He wrote his first novel, GRAVE DESIGNS, on a challenge from his wife Margi, who got tired of listening to the same answer whenever she asked him about a book he was reading. "Not bad," he would say, "but I could write a better book than that." "Then write one," she finally said, "or please shut up." So he shut up for a few months--no easy task for an attorney--but finally wrote one.
Kahn is the award-winning author of 11 Rachel Gold novels, the most recent being BAD TRUST, and three stand-alone novels: the recently published PLAYED!, about which Library Journal wrote, "“Fans of quick reads . . . will be well served by this thriller’s fast pace"; THE SIRENA QUEST, which Publishers Weekly praised as “Equal parts rollicking adventure, existential and spiritual quest, and coming-of-(middle)-age tale”; and THE MOURNING SEXTON, a mystery novel under the pen name Michael Baron. His most recent Rachel Gold novel, THE DEAD HAND, was published last fall.
In addition to his day job as a lawyer, he is an adjunct professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis, where he teaches a class on censorship and free expression. Married to his high school sweetheart, he is the father of five and the grandfather of, so far, five.
Michael Kahn is a trial lawyer by day and an author at night. He wrote his first novel, GRAVE DESIGNS, on a challenge from his wife Margi, who got tired of listening to the same answer whenever she asked him about a book he was reading. "Not bad," he would say, "but I could write a better book than that." "Then write one," she finally said, "or please shut up." So he shut up for a few months--no easy task for an attorney--but finally wrote one.
Kahn is the award-winning author of 11 Rachel Gold novels, the most recent being BAD TRUST, and three stand-alone novels: the recently published PLAYED!, about which Library Journal wrote, "“Fans of quick reads . . . will be well served by this thriller’s fast pace"; THE SIRENA QUEST, which Publishers Weekly praised as “Equal parts rollicking adventure, existential and spiritual quest, and coming-of-(middle)-age tale”; and THE MOURNING SEXTON, a mystery novel under the pen name Michael Baron. His most recent Rachel Gold novel, THE DEAD HAND, was published last fall.
In addition to his day job as a lawyer, he is an adjunct professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis, where he teaches a class on censorship and free expression. Married to his high school sweetheart, he is the father of five and the grandfather of, so far, five.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 22, 2014
Excellent story. I am becoming a big fan of Michael Kahn and Rachel Gold. In this second of the series, Rachel is again hired by her old firm to represent one of their clients since they have a potential conflict of interest. The firm's St. Louis managing partner, Stoddard Anderson, committed suicide, his body having been found in a hotel near the airport following a four day period when he was completely missing.
There is a quirk in Missouri law that prevents an insurance company from not paying out a life insurance claim in case of suicide, but the insurance company need not pay an accidental death rider if the deceased was sane at the time of his death. If he was ruled insane, or not in his right mind, then the death could be ruled accidental so Rachel has the difficult task of deciding for the widow, her client, if Anderson was insane at the time when he slit his wrists. His firm certainly does not want the possibility that their managing partner was insane raised in the press. That might not go well with clients. The insurance policy had a triple indemnity rider in case of accidental death. “If he was insane at the time he committed suicide, then his death would be deemed an accident under Missouri law, and the carrier would have to pay an additional one-point-four million dollars in death benefits.” The case gets even more bizarre when Rachel discovers that Stoddard might have been instrumental in smuggling an ancient Mexican artifact worth millions.
I love Kahn’s cynical view of the law. Here’s his take on insurance law: “There are trial lawyers out there—thousands—who make their living litigating the meaning of terms in insurance policies. One of the mysteries of the law is the way that basic words—words as hard and precise as cut diamonds—become warm saltwater taffy when inserted at critical points in insurance policies. Because millions of dollars can hinge on a court's explication of one of the Four Horsemen of the Insuring Clause—“sudden,” “unexpected,” “occurrence,” and “loss”—entire law firms have been built on the legal fees paid by insurance companies, to say nothing of the cottage industry of legal publishers and law school professors that have been feasting at the insurance trough for years.”
Benny is a great character who adds a nice scatological and humorous touch, and Rachel has a wonderful no-nonsense view of things. The way she handles two guys in a Porsche who hit on her is priceless.
Interestingly, in each of the Rachel Gold books I have read so far, there is a code that Rachel must solve to get to the bottom of the mystery. My only complaint, and it’s a small one, is that there is more mystery than legal drama, but I quibble. Good series.
There is a quirk in Missouri law that prevents an insurance company from not paying out a life insurance claim in case of suicide, but the insurance company need not pay an accidental death rider if the deceased was sane at the time of his death. If he was ruled insane, or not in his right mind, then the death could be ruled accidental so Rachel has the difficult task of deciding for the widow, her client, if Anderson was insane at the time when he slit his wrists. His firm certainly does not want the possibility that their managing partner was insane raised in the press. That might not go well with clients. The insurance policy had a triple indemnity rider in case of accidental death. “If he was insane at the time he committed suicide, then his death would be deemed an accident under Missouri law, and the carrier would have to pay an additional one-point-four million dollars in death benefits.” The case gets even more bizarre when Rachel discovers that Stoddard might have been instrumental in smuggling an ancient Mexican artifact worth millions.
I love Kahn’s cynical view of the law. Here’s his take on insurance law: “There are trial lawyers out there—thousands—who make their living litigating the meaning of terms in insurance policies. One of the mysteries of the law is the way that basic words—words as hard and precise as cut diamonds—become warm saltwater taffy when inserted at critical points in insurance policies. Because millions of dollars can hinge on a court's explication of one of the Four Horsemen of the Insuring Clause—“sudden,” “unexpected,” “occurrence,” and “loss”—entire law firms have been built on the legal fees paid by insurance companies, to say nothing of the cottage industry of legal publishers and law school professors that have been feasting at the insurance trough for years.”
Benny is a great character who adds a nice scatological and humorous touch, and Rachel has a wonderful no-nonsense view of things. The way she handles two guys in a Porsche who hit on her is priceless.
Interestingly, in each of the Rachel Gold books I have read so far, there is a code that Rachel must solve to get to the bottom of the mystery. My only complaint, and it’s a small one, is that there is more mystery than legal drama, but I quibble. Good series.
October 8, 2021
A St. Louis native author, Kahn does a great job of allowing you to explore the city, all while solving mysteries. I learned more about the River Des pères underground sewer tunnels than I ever expected to. This is my 3 Rachel Gold book, I’ve got to say, it’s a lot of fun exploring the city through the eyes of a kick ass lawyer.
October 2, 2021
I am loving this series!
Rachel Gold - tough, irreverent, moxie with a capital M. Kahn has drawn a heroine with humour and courage, and gives us storylines that are as refreshingly different as they are nail biters. What more can you ask for, after all? Highly recommend!
Rachel Gold - tough, irreverent, moxie with a capital M. Kahn has drawn a heroine with humour and courage, and gives us storylines that are as refreshingly different as they are nail biters. What more can you ask for, after all? Highly recommend!
April 20, 2020
3.5 stars
Implausible fun. Legal thriller with a kick-ass female lawyer protagonist and lots of humor.
Implausible fun. Legal thriller with a kick-ass female lawyer protagonist and lots of humor.
October 9, 2020
Wonderfully forgettable. A good summer read.
September 25, 2022
A good mystery but there was so much profanity that I wouldn't read another book in this series.
April 1, 2009
I am instantly derisive of any male author writing a female character. Nineteen times out of twenty they completely butcher it, and you get the vapid, carniverous femmes of Sydney Sheldon or the obsequious, intelligent barbie dolls of Heinlein (and yes, I love both authors). I have found, traditionally, that women are better written by women (Christie, Grafton, Evanovitch, Stewart).
Kudos to Kahn, then, for writing a female character I could identify with and not want to instantly choke. Even as my little voice was telling her all was not it could/should/would be with her new pseudo-beau (blessedly 3rd down in the list of plot points) she herself was telling herself the same.
I definitely want more, and the way the book is architected I can almost certainly see previous and post "episodes" for me to find. Again, not a book I would have selected for myself, but Andie got me into it.
Kudos to Kahn, then, for writing a female character I could identify with and not want to instantly choke. Even as my little voice was telling her all was not it could/should/would be with her new pseudo-beau (blessedly 3rd down in the list of plot points) she herself was telling herself the same.
I definitely want more, and the way the book is architected I can almost certainly see previous and post "episodes" for me to find. Again, not a book I would have selected for myself, but Andie got me into it.
July 20, 2015
Well done. Very cute. A fast read, fun characters, plot moves along without a lot of law jargon. This is the first Rachel Gold book I've read. Eventually I'll go back and find the others. Not really popular in the library.
July 7, 2008
DEATH BENEFITS - G+
Kahn, Michael A. - 3rd in series
Rachel Gold is an attorney. The books are set in Chicago and St. Louis. It's a good series with good characters.
Kahn, Michael A. - 3rd in series
Rachel Gold is an attorney. The books are set in Chicago and St. Louis. It's a good series with good characters.
July 10, 2013
Eh, not good enough to read anymore of them
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews