Jinx

Some things are predestined to be jinxed…

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.

Published: August 2018
Dark fantasy, mystery, thriller. Young adult. Standalone.

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Praise for Jinx

  • “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."

    — Gill D. Anderson, Author

  • “Magner is an adept storyteller with a keen sense of pace, plot and character. [...] The story unfolds like clockwork, with a couple of twists thrown in that pull the rug out from under our spunky young heroine, Jan. [...] A wholesome YA mystery that grows darker and more deadly as it goes on, [Jinx] delivers exactly what it promises, and I was entertained the whole way through."

    — Robert Appleton, Author

  • "[Jinx] begins in a way that echoes teen mystery novels of the seventies, only to unravel so the reader gets glimpses of things going wrong...and finds out it's too late to go back.”

    — Kate, Reader/Reviewer

  • "An old-timey mystery turned dark fantasy thriller with shocking twists and memorable characters. I can't believe this is a debut!"

    — Naomi, Reader/Reviewer

  • “This book reads like a classic Nancy Drew mystery...until it doesn’t. And wow, was that shift in tone done well!”

    — Kathryn, Reader/Reviewer

  • “Small seaside town in the 70s, juxtaposed with dark magic and horror. Now that’s a summer read!”

    — Jackie, Reader/Reviewer

Immersive Audio

Music is a huge part of my writing process. Listen to the Spotify Playlist to hear songs that inspired the book or dive deeper into the “Signature Songs” list to match the song with scenes and characters.

Signature Songs

Like a cinematic score, this playlist follows the story’s emotional beats, from overarching themes to defining scenes and key characters.

1. An eerie, curious theme song

2. “She made the box in her image…”

3. Small towns, ancient legends

4. Finding the Mermaid Box (Ch 2)

5. Emerald eyes fade into blue (Ch 37)

6. The sea reclaims her treasure

7. Jan’s song

8. Shelley’s song

9. Aiden’s song

10. Owen’s song

11. Nolan’s song

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