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Rachel Benjamin #2
The Jinx
In this sequel to The Pact, investment banker/detective Rachel Benjamin heads to Boston, where she plans to squeeze in quality time with her promising new boyfriend. Things change when Rachel's friend is attacked, perhaps by a serial killer on the loose.
313 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 2005
9 people are currently reading
342 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Sturman
9 books82 followersJennifer Sturman is the author of several mystery novels, including The Pact and The Jinx. After graduating from Harvard College, Jennifer earned her MBA from Harvard Business School. She now lives in New York City, a few blocks from Delia’s aunt Charley (And Then Everything Unraveled). She has no free time, but if she did she would probably spend it watching teen movie classics from the '80s.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 7, 2025
The best parts of this story involve investment banking. Make of that what you will.
September 28, 2011
Jan. 16, 2008
I'm close to the middle of the book and am not sure if I want to read on because of these reasons...
(1) I've picked this book up numerous times, in many months I might add, and have only read a few pages at a time. Definitely not a good sign.
(2) It's slow and rather boring
(3) Rachel's been irritating - whiny, pompous, dumb, and she overreacts.. This doesn't sound like the girl from the first book.
(4) I am so sick of hearing about her Diet Coke addiction! WTF?????!!!!!
(5) Ms. Sturman seems to like throwing out words that are hardly used in the English language in attempt to make her look smarter than she might, in fact, be.
(6) I think I already figured out who's the culprit to this mystery (and I use this term loosely since there's hardly any mystery so far). Of course I'm not sure about this, but who's to tell?
I'm still thinking I might read towards the end because I have the next one at the ready. Hopefully it will improve. If not, then it's the end of the line for me. But then again, I might just 'cheat' and read the last chapter or two.
Jan. 17, 2008
I give up! I am not enjoying this book at all and I might as well give it up as a lost cause. I mean there's no sense in finishing it if I'm not liking it. I did read the last few chapters and they were utterly ridiculous - now I'm not even sure if I want to read the next book. I might try though. It's such a disappointment because I really liked The Pact and thought it was a nice change in the Chick Lit scene. *sigh* Oh well. Good luck to future readers.
I'm close to the middle of the book and am not sure if I want to read on because of these reasons...
(1) I've picked this book up numerous times, in many months I might add, and have only read a few pages at a time. Definitely not a good sign.
(2) It's slow and rather boring
(3) Rachel's been irritating - whiny, pompous, dumb, and she overreacts.. This doesn't sound like the girl from the first book.
(4) I am so sick of hearing about her Diet Coke addiction! WTF?????!!!!!
(5) Ms. Sturman seems to like throwing out words that are hardly used in the English language in attempt to make her look smarter than she might, in fact, be.
(6) I think I already figured out who's the culprit to this mystery (and I use this term loosely since there's hardly any mystery so far). Of course I'm not sure about this, but who's to tell?
I'm still thinking I might read towards the end because I have the next one at the ready. Hopefully it will improve. If not, then it's the end of the line for me. But then again, I might just 'cheat' and read the last chapter or two.
Jan. 17, 2008
I give up! I am not enjoying this book at all and I might as well give it up as a lost cause. I mean there's no sense in finishing it if I'm not liking it. I did read the last few chapters and they were utterly ridiculous - now I'm not even sure if I want to read the next book. I might try though. It's such a disappointment because I really liked The Pact and thought it was a nice change in the Chick Lit scene. *sigh* Oh well. Good luck to future readers.
July 8, 2025
I think Jennifer Sturman hates men.
I’m all for being pro women and feminist isn’t a bad word to me, but come home… if you hate every guy in this book… it might just be you.
This s the second book in the Rachel Benjamin series, I didn’t realize that when I got the book, but it’s a stand alone book but does give a little spoilers to the first book when reading. I don’t think this was well done, it’s pretty predictable but also the serial killer was just kind of … thrown in there and then who it was didn’t seem to fit to me. The whole things wasn’t so much surprising as disappointing.
Rachel is a financial person at some firm and she’s going to Boston to her old school to recruit the next generation. She 100% hates white men and makes fun of an pokes fun of them. Actually the only ones she doesn’t seem to make fun of are the pretty white males, the other ones are nerds, or stocky or just anything to make you not like them. I got tired of hearing how much she didn’t like them and thought maybe if she was nicer she wouldn’t have a problem. Which I do understand sounds like maybe she should smile more… but .. I feel like it fits with her. She loves Diet Coke, which is just unhealthy and apparently she is rocking hot but doesn’t ware make up.. just… and the Boston attitude isn’t east cost you’re just kind of bi*chy.
I won’t be reading any more books about Rachel Benjamin if I can help it. I could have DNF it, but I was 50% in and I powered through it … it was not enjoyable.
I’m all for being pro women and feminist isn’t a bad word to me, but come home… if you hate every guy in this book… it might just be you.
This s the second book in the Rachel Benjamin series, I didn’t realize that when I got the book, but it’s a stand alone book but does give a little spoilers to the first book when reading. I don’t think this was well done, it’s pretty predictable but also the serial killer was just kind of … thrown in there and then who it was didn’t seem to fit to me. The whole things wasn’t so much surprising as disappointing.
Rachel is a financial person at some firm and she’s going to Boston to her old school to recruit the next generation. She 100% hates white men and makes fun of an pokes fun of them. Actually the only ones she doesn’t seem to make fun of are the pretty white males, the other ones are nerds, or stocky or just anything to make you not like them. I got tired of hearing how much she didn’t like them and thought maybe if she was nicer she wouldn’t have a problem. Which I do understand sounds like maybe she should smile more… but .. I feel like it fits with her. She loves Diet Coke, which is just unhealthy and apparently she is rocking hot but doesn’t ware make up.. just… and the Boston attitude isn’t east cost you’re just kind of bi*chy.
I won’t be reading any more books about Rachel Benjamin if I can help it. I could have DNF it, but I was 50% in and I powered through it … it was not enjoyable.
December 26, 2017
Rachel Benjamin is on her way to Boston for work, friendship and love. Although nothing really goes as planned. Rachel is blindsided by attacks on her friend, the serial killings taking place in Boston and the fact that her boyfriend, Peter, is spending all of his time with another woman "working".
This book is the sequel to Jennifer Sturman's "The Pact". I didn't realize this when I picked up this book at the library book sale. Luckily if you haven't read the first book you can still pick this book up. It works as a stand alone but would probably be more fun to read it in the series.
I found this book to be a fun read. I enjoyed the whodunit aspect and having 3 different crimes that required solving. Was it one person doing all 3 or multiple people... You'll have to read it to find out. I would recommend this book for someone who likes cozy mysteries.
This book is the sequel to Jennifer Sturman's "The Pact". I didn't realize this when I picked up this book at the library book sale. Luckily if you haven't read the first book you can still pick this book up. It works as a stand alone but would probably be more fun to read it in the series.
I found this book to be a fun read. I enjoyed the whodunit aspect and having 3 different crimes that required solving. Was it one person doing all 3 or multiple people... You'll have to read it to find out. I would recommend this book for someone who likes cozy mysteries.
August 17, 2019
I didn't realize this book was part of a series and I can see that one should really read the first novel called "The Pact" to become familiar with many of the characters who are continued in this story. I can't say that I particularly liked any of the characters....even Rachael Benjamin who is a very clever woman working in Mergers and Acquisitions at a very competitive financial firm seems very flighty and unorganized as she deals with her love life, trying to save the company from a takeover, solving a few murders which were vaguely included in the story, meeting up with her university friends, interviewing new candidates for her company, all in one very hectic 4-day weekend.
The mystery part was not crisp, but vague. The only interesting part was the ending to find that the killer was not at all whom I expected it to be.
The mystery part was not crisp, but vague. The only interesting part was the ending to find that the killer was not at all whom I expected it to be.
July 28, 2025
4 stars. Decent mystery and easy read.
January 20, 2017
4.5 stars. Great mystery!
March 16, 2014
I read and loved `THE PACT' by Jennifer Sturman and couldn't wait to get my hands on her newest mystery featuring the always lovable and intelligent heroine Rachel Benjamin. I expected great things from Sturman's newest and `THE JINX' definitely delivered.
In Jennifer Sturman's second novel the gangs all back together, this time in Boston for their annual "roommate reunion". Rachel, while there on business vows to dedicate her weekend to her friends Hillary, Luisa, Jane and Emma while squeezing in a little time for canoodleing with her boyfriend of six months Peter. However, plans quickly change when, Sara, a client and friend of hers is attacked on the Harvard campus. The police believe the attack is related to a string of murders that have been occurring around the Boston area but Rachel thinks it may have more to do with the potential hostile takeover of Sara's company that seems to be in the works. To make matters worse it seems that Peter is spending his time canoodling with Abigail, his Christy Turlington look alike assistant rather than Rachel. Is it possible that Rachel dismissed the jinxing gods a bit too soon?
Jennifer Sturman is definitely a new talent to watch out for in chick lit mystery and Rachel Benjamin and gang are definitely a group to root for. If you haven't read `THE PACT' get it and pick up `THE JINX' too while your at it, you wont be disappointed
In Jennifer Sturman's second novel the gangs all back together, this time in Boston for their annual "roommate reunion". Rachel, while there on business vows to dedicate her weekend to her friends Hillary, Luisa, Jane and Emma while squeezing in a little time for canoodleing with her boyfriend of six months Peter. However, plans quickly change when, Sara, a client and friend of hers is attacked on the Harvard campus. The police believe the attack is related to a string of murders that have been occurring around the Boston area but Rachel thinks it may have more to do with the potential hostile takeover of Sara's company that seems to be in the works. To make matters worse it seems that Peter is spending his time canoodling with Abigail, his Christy Turlington look alike assistant rather than Rachel. Is it possible that Rachel dismissed the jinxing gods a bit too soon?
Jennifer Sturman is definitely a new talent to watch out for in chick lit mystery and Rachel Benjamin and gang are definitely a group to root for. If you haven't read `THE PACT' get it and pick up `THE JINX' too while your at it, you wont be disappointed
March 17, 2013
Since this is the second book in the series, it continues with the relationship of Rachel and Peter. I LOVED the end of this book, and I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the series. I knew that Peter would never cheat on Rachel, but because of my stupidness, I looked at the end of the book before ever starting reading the book (so I knew that he would propose). Buy I know that if I didn't know the end, I would start to get a little suspicious, especially with the late calls, jewelry stores, and snoring ;)
Just another great book, recommend it if you liked the first book
Just another great book, recommend it if you liked the first book
July 28, 2011
It was an easy read. It took a while to get into, but I stayed up an hour and a half later than I wanted to last night so that I could finish the book. Quite a bit of it was predictable, but it was an easy, mindless, fun read.
September 30, 2016
Romantic suspense chick lit romp featuring an investment banker from New York who gets caught up in bizarre circumstances involving a serial killer, a stalker, an MIA boyfriend, and a company takeover while in Boston on a business trip.
June 13, 2007
Another installment in chick lit mystery by Sturman. Same heroine, different plot. Just as good. Loved it.
August 3, 2007
There were a few times I thought the mystery was obvious and I thought I knew whodunit, but I ended up being wrong! Always a nice surprise when reading a mystery.
January 9, 2008
This is the second book I have read by this author and I loved this one as much as the first! Fairly quick read, not entirely predictable. Great!
May 9, 2012
Fun read...I enjoy this series.
July 16, 2008
Same characters from the Pact, but not as good as the Pact
September 15, 2008
read this since it was written by a Goldman classmate of mine - entertaining, light read
September 26, 2008
Very entertaining
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January 9, 2010ereader ebook
April 17, 2010
The Jinx (Red Dress Ink Novels) by Jennifer Sturman (2005)
January 6, 2013
I almost gave this Girly, fast and frantic book three stars instead of four because of the main character's hatred towards live jazz. What's up with that?!?!
October 22, 2013
I enjoyed the first book much better. The Jinx seemed to drag.
March 6, 2014
I was surprised by how good this little mystery was. It had wit, charm, intrigue and kept me reading. You can't help but like the main character, Rachel.
August 23, 2014
Easy and enjoyable read.
February 8, 2015
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2015
This was pretty slow going in the beginning and a little hard to get in to. But it picked up the pace later and I ended up enjoying it.
August 16, 2015
Despite its issues, I am enjoying this series. Rachel is my kinda girl.
December 9, 2015
Fun, pretty silly at times, light read! Enjoyed it!
June 11, 2014
A fast light read but good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews