Jinx

Order now:

Or scroll to explore the story...

Things are quiet in the morning, especially in an unassuming town like Aledale. When sixteen-year-old Jan (often referred to as “Jinx”) and her best friend Shelley attempt to catch low tide early in the morning at the local cove, Jan uncovers a little box with a mermaid carved into the lid, adorned with shining emerald eyes and a mysterious message and locket inside. After putting the necklace on, Jan begins to experience painful and unsettling episodes that leave her floundering for an explanation. Accompanied with the unrelenting desire to keep the locket close, Jan drags Shelley on a search for clues as to whom the necklace and box belong to. As they fall further into the intricate web spun by the people trying to get back what they claim is theirs, Jan and Shelley learn about a peculiar legend and why what they found needs to fall into the right hands. But not all hands are the right ones, and not all secrets can be kept. After all, some things are predestined to be jinxed.

*Genres: Teen/YA (12-17+), dark/urban fantasy, supernatural thriller, mystery

Captivating [and] hooking...Melissa K. Magner and Patricia M. Kaspar did a wonderful job bringing this story to life.

Readers' Favorite

What starts out as an innocent adventure quickly takes a more sinister and dark turn...[Jinx] is thought-provoking, original, and well-written.

Author Gill D. Anderson

A wholesome YA mystery that grows darker and more deadly as it goes on, [Jinx] delivers exactly what it promises.

Author Robert Appleton

Nancy Drew meets

Lord of the Rings...this witty, action-packed thrill ride snagged me by my senses and would not let go.

Amazon Reviewer

Patricia M. Kaspar

Started "Jinx" (circa ~1970-80)

Patricia M. Kaspar grew up in Santa Monica, California, where she set the original version of "Jinx" (written sometime during the 1970s or 80s). It is heavily implied throughout the story that the character Shelley is an extension of herself, while Shelley's father (Mr. Waldbauer) was a nod to her father, Earl. Jan was likely inspired by her childhood best friend. Likewise, the family has heard stories of an old car called "The Blue Bomb."

Patricia was a loving mother, grandmother, and friend. Her talent for writing lives on in her work, both professionally (as a technical writer at NASA) and creatively (through her poetry, short stories, and "Jinx" itself).

1932-2012