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Original Sin by Beth Mcmullen

Original Sin

A Sally Sin Adventure

by Beth Mcmullen

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  • Published:
  • Jul 2011, 304 pages
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Denice B. (Fort Bragg, CA)

Not Original
The promising premise just didn't deliver. "Original Sin" (same title as a P. D. James mystery) was a bit witty, but mostly it was tedious. The perils recounted in hindsight by the main character were repetitive and didn't lead me anywhere. I was hoping for a more strongly portrayed connection between Mother/ex-spy and toddler, who seemed kind of annoying and one-dimensional.
Diane D. (Cape Elizabeth, ME)

Sally Sin.....Suburban Spy!
Although it was a little slow in the beginning, this Sally Sin mystery is a fun frolic through Chick Lit adventure! It's got the everyday Suburban wife/mother involved in intrigue & espionage! There's plot twists & several loose ends that will tempt the reader to come back for more.
Anne M. (Austin, TX)

Please let it be the ONLY sin ...
This wasn't even all that exciting a "suspense" novel: I felt as though I knew what was coming every time I turned the page. The character of "Sally Sin," aka Lucy Hamilton, is fairly well-drawn, but I just couldn't really make myself care what happened to her by the end of the book.
Andrienne G. (Azusa, CA)

okay debut, needs more oomph
Finally finished the book. It started out with a lot of promise, but somewhere near the middle, the book was trying to figure out what genre it fell under. At times, it felt like a really good chick lit, and other times, it felt like a tepid book about something else. I was drawn to the character of a stay-at-home-mom ex-spy, but the story was flimsy at best. It didn't hold my interest long and I'm a fan of adventure spy stories and chick lit, alas, the book wasn't able to blend the two well.
Anna S. (Auburn, AL)

Once a spy . . .
Lucy Hamilton, a suburban stay-at-home mom who wants to stay that way, was once a spy called Sally Sin. Unfortunately for her, her former agency needs her help to lure her old nemesis out, and they won't take "No" for an answer. This very funny novel has all the earmarks of the first of a series, and I look forward to the next installment of the adventures of Sally Sin.
Carolyn S. (Decatur, GA)

Original Sin
This story about the life of a former spy is humorous and engaging, but at times the story is not fleshed out enough to suspend belief.
Joyce S. (Tyrone, GA)

Cosy/Thriller/Comedy
Getting into this book was a little difficult for me. Lucy Hamilton seemed a flippant and totally self absorbed stay-at-home mom of a 3 yr old telling a 1st person story that was a bit boring. As insights into her past life unfold she becomes a bit more interesting. The development of her back-story through jumps to tales from the past was not especially smooth and sometimes a bit confusing. Eventually the past and present start intersecting and things move more quickly. By the end of the book I liked her a lot but found myself feeling that too many of the things that happened seemed a little too unbelievable to make me take her and her story seriously.
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.

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