Kahn, Michael A. 1952–

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Kahn, Michael A. 1952–

(Michael Baron, Michael Andrew Kahn)

PERSONAL: Born July 28, 1952, in St. Louis, MO; son of William (a social worker) and Shirlee (a social worker; maiden name, Fink) Kahn; married Margi Lenga (a social worker), August 17, 1975; children: Hanna, Jake, Joshua, Zachary, Kayla. Education: Amherst College, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1974; North-western University, Chicago, IL, M.A.T., 1975; Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, J.D. (cum laude), 1979. Politics: Independent. Religion: Jewish.

ADDRESSES: Home—20 Heather Hill Ln., St. Louis, MO 63132. Office—Blackwell Sanders, 720 Olive, St. Louis, MO 63101. E-mail—mkahn@blackwellsanders.com.

CAREER: Attorney and writer. Elementary school teacher, Chicago, IL, 1974–76; Reuben & Proctor (law firm), Chicago, IL, associate, 1975–85; Husch & Eppenberger (law firm), St. Louis, MO, associate, 1985–87; Gallop, Johnson & Newman (law firm), St. Louis, MO, partner, beginning 1987; Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin, trial attorney, 2003–.

MEMBER: American Bar Association, Author's Guild, Mystery Writers of America, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis.

WRITINGS:

"RACHEL GOLD" MYSTERIES

The Canaan Legacy, Lynx (New York, NY), 1988, published as Grave Designs, Signet (New York, NY), 1992.

Death Benefits, Dutton (New York, NY), 1992.

Firm Ambitions, Dutton (New York, NY), 1994.

Due Diligence, Dutton (New York, NY), 1995.

Sheer Gall, Dutton (New York, NY), 1996.

Bearing Witness, Forge (New York, NY), 2000.

Trophy Widow: A Rachel Gold Novel, Tom Doherty Associates (New York, NY), 2002.

OTHER

(As Michael Baron) The Mourning Sexton, Doubleday (New York, NY), 2005.

Contributor of articles to magazines, including Chicago magazine.

SIDELIGHTS: Michael A. Kahn has a great deal in common with Rachel Gold, the protagonist of Kahn's legal thrillers. Both are natives of St. Louis, Missouri; both attended Harvard Law School, then launched their careers as junior associates of large law firms in Chicago; and both eventually returned to St. Louis to practice law. Despite his literary success, Kahn continues to practice law, doing his writing each night from 10 p.m. until midnight.

Rachel Gold's legal exploits, however, are likely more exotic than her creator's. For example, in Firm Ambitions, she must protect her sister Ann, who is a suspect in the murder of an aerobics instructor. After the man is found dead, a search of his possessions uncovers graphic pictures of him in sexual situations with many of his students. When Rachel begins digging into his tangled business and personal relationships, she soon finds herself the target of death threats. A Publishers Weekly reviewer commented on Kahn's "keen eye for details, both legalistic (Rachel is merciless to those less intelligent) and familial. Although the pieces fit together a bit too neatly toward the end, Rachel remains one of the more engaging sleuths on the mystery scene."

In Due Diligence, Gold's boyfriend is murdered. The victim was a rabbi, and the evidence points to a group of neo-Nazis. Gold has her own ideas, though, and links her lover's death with another recent murder. Despite the tragic events in the story, Kahn keeps "a light touch," according to a Publishers Weekly contributor. "Rachel's first-person narration is intelligent and breezy (she vows never to read thrillers written by attorneys)." The reviewer also approved of Kahn's secondary characters, including Gold's transsexual secretary and her raunchy right-hand-man Benny Goldberg. Wes Lukowsky also praised the book in Booklist, noting: "The plotting is intricate, the dialogue witty, and Rachel's supporting cast … is memorable. Fine reading."

In Sheer Gall, Gold is hired by lawyer Sally Wade to sue her husband for assault. When Wade turns up dead, Gold becomes involved in a plot involving sex and the meatpacking industry as she tries to determine whether or not Wade's husband is the murderer. A Publishers Weekly contributor commented that the author presents "an intricate, suspenseful story."

Bearing Witness finds Gold taking on the case of a secretary suing her important employer. When one of Gold's prime witnesses in the case is gunned down in front of her, Gold does not back off but delves into a plot dating back to World War II and involving neo-Nazis and Jewish activism. Harriet Klausner, writing on the BooksnBytes Web site, called the book "a pleasant surprise" and noted: "The story line is exciting." Booklist contributor Jenny McLarin called the author's tale "a fascinating, genuinely original story."

Gold becomes involved in a lawsuit with a woman writing a book about the murder of her husband in Trophy Widow: A Rachel Gold Novel. Angela Green is sued by an art gallery owner, Samantha Cummings, who Green's husband had taken up with before he was murdered. Cummings claims that Green's husband was going to adopt her son so he should get half of the royalties. In the process of defending Green in the new case, Gold soon uncovers new evidence indicating that Green, who spent ten years in prison, may not have killed her husband after all. A Kirkus Reviews contributor was glad to see Gold "working such a meaty, satisfying case." BooksnBytes contributor Klausner called the novel "totally enthralling and believable."

Kahn once told CA: "I write for relaxation and fun, the way others might work on a stamp collection or watch television. My proudest moment was when my children took my book to class for show-and-tell."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September 1, 1995, Wes Lukowsky, review of Due Diligence, p. 45; August, 2000, Jenny McLarin, review of Bearing Witness, p. 2120; May 15, 2002, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Trophy Widow: A Rachel Gold Novel, p. 1579.

Daily Record (St. Louis, MO), February 14, 2005, Mike Nixon, "St. Louis Attorney Author Reveals No Mystery to His Novel Career."

Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2002, review of Trophy Widow, p. 773.

Publishers Weekly, May 23, 1994, review of Firm Ambitions, p. 80; July 3, 1995, review of Due Diligence, p. 51; August 5, 1996, review of Sheer Gall, p. 433; August 21, 2000, review of Bearing Witness, p. 48.