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Original Sin

Original Sin
A Sally Sin Adventure
by Beth Mcmullen
Published in USA Jul 2011,
304 pages.

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Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Sherry H. (Naperville, Illinois)
"Wanna Get Away?"
It took a little while to get into, but once I did it was fun. Good book for the summer or at the beach. Not so much if you're looking for an involved discussion at book club.

Good main character and humorous predicaments. Think Jennifer Cruise meets Janet Evonavich!

Rated 2 of 5 of 5 by Linda Z. (Corydon, IN)
Original Sin
I had a hard time getting into this book and understanding where the author was going with the plot. It did not make a lot of sense to me. She had some clever jabs at the spy organizations but her main focus was not realistic. I would assume there is going to be a sequel but I think I shall pass on it.

Rated 3 of 5 of 5 by Sally G. (Saint Johns, FL)
Original Sin
Beth McMullen is a California resident and that is all I can tell you or….shoot you.
This is her debut novel about Lucy Hamilton; spy, stay-at-home Mom to Theo, and wife to Will a tree hugger.
We meet Lucy crawling around her backyard looking for something or someone her intuition has alerted her senses. We learn that her paranoia is because she had been a spy by the name of Sally Sin.
This fell a little short on the comic side for me and I was not thrilled by the flashbacks, as they seemed a little contrived and not flowing. It is a good story and has well described characters especially Ian Blackford her former handler. I think future novels will be better.
This is reminiscent of Jane Doe on Hallmark Mysteries.

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Karen L. (Antelope, CA)
Great debut novel
Original Sin is a clever riff on the espionage novel, with a unique voice, swift pace, great characters and a plot that seems fresh for such a well-plowed genre. While the book's book jacket description seems quite tongue-in-cheek, the fact is that this is a serious spy-turned-Mom story, punctuated by a good spy/bad spy clash at the Point Bonita lighthouse involving her 3 year old son. The author effectively weaves the past and present into a story that pushes the reader to suspend disbelief about how a spy could try to become a regular person. I found the book hard to put down once the story kicked into high gear.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Carol N. (San Jose, CA)
Sinfully Delightful
Remember the 1980’s television show, “The Scarecrow and Mrs. King” starring Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner? If so, then this author’s first book will be familiar. Imagine your neighbor is Sally Sin aka Lucy Hamilton living in San Francisco with her handsome husband and 3 year old child. And unbeknown to your husband she has a “past” . . . one filled with escapades involving international situations in foreign countries and an ex-agent bad-guy nemesis that reappears to interrupt her “new” life. This book is fast paced, highly enjoyable and a fun read especially on a weekend of being “snowed-in”. Since the mystery of Sally’s parentage still persists along with how will her husband handled the situation (does he or doesn’t he know), I feel there may be another book in this “sinful” series.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Gayle M. (Billerica, MA)
Surprisingly good read
When I started reading this book I thought I was in for fluffy chick lit about a woman trying to balance motherhood with being an international superspy. Instead I read a book with a lot more heart about a woman struggling to keep the various areas of her life on track. Yes, the book does have international espionage, but Sally Sin was no super spy. She got the job done, more or less. Then she met Will, got married and had a son, whom she adores. Now her main focus is on being the best mom she can be. Of course, her old life comes back to haunt her. This is where the book begins.
The story is well told and surprisingly believable. The characters are likable and three dimensional. The plot moves along at a nice clip. And you are satisfied at the end of the book. What else can you ask for from a book? Overall a fun read.
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