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Sally Sin #1
Original Sin
"Smart, sassy, sexy Sally Sin is an absolute delight of a heroine whom I predict will be around delighting readers for a very long time. And her first adventure, Original Sin , is pure entertainment gold."
--John Lescroart, author of the New York Times bestselling Dismas Hardy novels
After falling in love and making a quick exit from her nine-year career in the USAWMD (United States Agency for Weapons of Mass Destruction), ex-spy Sally Sin does her best to become Lucy Hamilton, a stay-at-home mom in San Francisco. No one, not even her adoring husband Will, knows about her secret agent escapades --chasing evil masterminds through perilous jungles, escaping assassins, and playing dangerous games of cat and mouse with her old nemesis, Ian Blackford, a notorious and dashing illegal arms dealer.
In her new life as Lucy Hamilton, she squeezes inside forts crafted from couch cushions by her three-year-old son Theo, makes organic applesauce, and frequents the zoo. But sometimes her well-honed spy reflexes refuse to lay low. She can't help breaking into her own house to check on the babysitter or stop herself from tossing the yoga instructor who gets on her nerves. And when Ian Blackford, who is supposed to be dead, once again starts causing trouble for the USAWMD, the agency becomes desperate to get Sally back on the job.
How can Sally or Lucy or whatever her name is save the planet while at the same time keeping her own family's world from spinning out of control? Pick up your copy today and find out how messy modern parenting really can be!
Every bit as much fun as a spy-mom thriller ought to be, Original Sin is a fast-paced mystery with a dose of romantic tension to keep things lively. A great read for mothers and spies, and anyone who has ever dreamed of being either.
--John Lescroart, author of the New York Times bestselling Dismas Hardy novels
After falling in love and making a quick exit from her nine-year career in the USAWMD (United States Agency for Weapons of Mass Destruction), ex-spy Sally Sin does her best to become Lucy Hamilton, a stay-at-home mom in San Francisco. No one, not even her adoring husband Will, knows about her secret agent escapades --chasing evil masterminds through perilous jungles, escaping assassins, and playing dangerous games of cat and mouse with her old nemesis, Ian Blackford, a notorious and dashing illegal arms dealer.
In her new life as Lucy Hamilton, she squeezes inside forts crafted from couch cushions by her three-year-old son Theo, makes organic applesauce, and frequents the zoo. But sometimes her well-honed spy reflexes refuse to lay low. She can't help breaking into her own house to check on the babysitter or stop herself from tossing the yoga instructor who gets on her nerves. And when Ian Blackford, who is supposed to be dead, once again starts causing trouble for the USAWMD, the agency becomes desperate to get Sally back on the job.
How can Sally or Lucy or whatever her name is save the planet while at the same time keeping her own family's world from spinning out of control? Pick up your copy today and find out how messy modern parenting really can be!
Every bit as much fun as a spy-mom thriller ought to be, Original Sin is a fast-paced mystery with a dose of romantic tension to keep things lively. A great read for mothers and spies, and anyone who has ever dreamed of being either.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
23 people are currently reading
966 people want to read
About the author
Beth McMullen
19 books225 followersBeth McMullen lives with her family and an assortment of pets in Davis, CA. She writes for adults and kids. Look for Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls from Aladdin/S&S in July 4, 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
July 15, 2012
Add Sally Sin to your list of super spies. Or should I say, Lucy Hamilton? Whatever her name is—let’s go with Lucy—was a secret agent for the fictional (as far as we know) United States Agency for Weapons of Mass Destruction, fighting the good fight against weapons dealers and the like, gallivanting around the world, living a life of secrets and seclusion, until she retired from the espionage world for things even more mysterious and unknown: marriage, motherhood, and suburbia.
Like the Kate Connor – Demon Hunter series, Original Sin explores what happens when frenemies from Lucy’s past come calling, upsetting her sustenance of shuttling her 3-year-old to play dates and preschool, indulging the eco-friendly whims of her husband, and experimenting with editable food preparation. Do old, practiced habits, like any good spy, die hard?
Lucy’s background as a professional liar and thief is revisited with flashbacks, filling in nine years of missions for USAWMD and her relationships with cranky boss, Simon Still, and notorious, ex-Agency, definitely-not-dead nemesis, Ian Blackford. The Sin-Blackford rivalry, which consists of the latter repeatedly kidnapping the former for nebulous reasons, teeters on a blade’s edge between danger and fascination. Why else keep your nemesis alive but to flirt with them? There is more to this pair than just a restrained attraction, and the prospect of seeing their connections flesh out is tantalizing.
On the plus side, Lucy is likable, fallible, and not the best spy or mother ever, with a voice that expresses frustration at her toddler’s ability to evade naptime, drips gall at the antics of gang punks, and breathes lethal threats into the ears of hulking henchmen all with equal conviction. The narrative is conversational, the action fun and punchy, and the pace smooth. On the not-so-plus side, the chapter that referenced 9/11 and religion rang untrue; perhaps it was thrown in to establish the type of new world order of espionage. The direction in which her personal history is pointed is a well-trod path, and will only be interesting if it is carried out with fresh twists and turns in the road. And if I'm being picky, the author could have taken a few more risks, pushed the boundaries, but this is meant to be mainstream entertainment and in that aim, it scored.
The book is at its best when Lucy’s past and present collide. Tension oozes from her attempts to balance visits to the playground and yoga lessons with rendezvous with old colleagues and hand-to-hand combat in IKEA. As she vigilantly monitors her son’s preschool entrance or breaks back into her house to test the reflexes of the nanny, it’s obvious that the paranoia and distrust ingrained by the Agency still flows thick in her bloodstream even years out of the game. Can Lucy—or is that Sally?—juggle the demands of both lives without sacrificing everything?
For fans of TV shows like Burn Notice or the incomparable Alias, the Sally Sin Adventures is a series that mingles toddlers and assassins, warfare and temper tantrums, and proves that being a spy is almost as treacherous as being a mother.
Like the Kate Connor – Demon Hunter series, Original Sin explores what happens when frenemies from Lucy’s past come calling, upsetting her sustenance of shuttling her 3-year-old to play dates and preschool, indulging the eco-friendly whims of her husband, and experimenting with editable food preparation. Do old, practiced habits, like any good spy, die hard?
Lucy’s background as a professional liar and thief is revisited with flashbacks, filling in nine years of missions for USAWMD and her relationships with cranky boss, Simon Still, and notorious, ex-Agency, definitely-not-dead nemesis, Ian Blackford. The Sin-Blackford rivalry, which consists of the latter repeatedly kidnapping the former for nebulous reasons, teeters on a blade’s edge between danger and fascination. Why else keep your nemesis alive but to flirt with them? There is more to this pair than just a restrained attraction, and the prospect of seeing their connections flesh out is tantalizing.
On the plus side, Lucy is likable, fallible, and not the best spy or mother ever, with a voice that expresses frustration at her toddler’s ability to evade naptime, drips gall at the antics of gang punks, and breathes lethal threats into the ears of hulking henchmen all with equal conviction. The narrative is conversational, the action fun and punchy, and the pace smooth. On the not-so-plus side, the chapter that referenced 9/11 and religion rang untrue; perhaps it was thrown in to establish the type of new world order of espionage. The direction in which her personal history is pointed is a well-trod path, and will only be interesting if it is carried out with fresh twists and turns in the road. And if I'm being picky, the author could have taken a few more risks, pushed the boundaries, but this is meant to be mainstream entertainment and in that aim, it scored.
The book is at its best when Lucy’s past and present collide. Tension oozes from her attempts to balance visits to the playground and yoga lessons with rendezvous with old colleagues and hand-to-hand combat in IKEA. As she vigilantly monitors her son’s preschool entrance or breaks back into her house to test the reflexes of the nanny, it’s obvious that the paranoia and distrust ingrained by the Agency still flows thick in her bloodstream even years out of the game. Can Lucy—or is that Sally?—juggle the demands of both lives without sacrificing everything?
For fans of TV shows like Burn Notice or the incomparable Alias, the Sally Sin Adventures is a series that mingles toddlers and assassins, warfare and temper tantrums, and proves that being a spy is almost as treacherous as being a mother.
July 21, 2011
I can’t say enough good stuff about this fun, entertaining read. The cover has a bit of peep, the inside is turbo. Did I love the read, YES! Hey one other thing before we get serious, check out the link, I had the pleasure and privilege of interviewing the author earlier in the week and we had a blast, click the link and listen in:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatiss...
Here is the synopsis of the novel:
“On the surface, Lucy Hamilton looks just like all the other stay-at-home San Francisco moms. She takes her three-year-old son, Theo, to the beach, to the playground and to the zoo. She feeds him organic applesauce and free-range chicken. She folds laundry and plays on the floor with Matchbox cars until her knees ache. What no one knows about Lucy, not even her adoring husband, is that for nine years Lucy was Sally Sin, a spy for the United States Agency for Weapons of Mass Destruction. And that's just the way she wants to keep it - a secret. But when Lucy's nemesis Ian Blackford, a notorious illegal arms dealer, hits the USAWMD's radar, the Agency calls Sally Sin back to action to lure Blackford out into the open. Racing against time, Lucy must fight to save herself, her loving family - and, oh right - the world. Hilarious and resonant, ORIGINAL SIN is the story of one woman’s quest to find that most elusive work-life balance in the face of danger, intrigue, and proper recycling habits.”
I am not a freak for flashbacks in a story but here it worked for me. I liked the foil that both sides of our heroine showed throughout the novel. The interesting tidbits that Beth McMullin threw at me during the interview allowed me to enjoy the ending much more had I not spoken to her prior to completion. The characters are fun, the action moves everything right along, and the humor is just enough to make one chuckle and smile. Have you read this yet? Are you a parent? Have you seen a little of yourself in any of the characters in Sally Sin’s neighborhood? I think unless you are so vain that you can’t admit that, and then you can. This origin story rules! My suggestion, if you haven’t read this yet, jump on it, sit by the pool, the terrace, get some sand under your feet at the beach, and just sit back, chill, chuckle and smile a whole lot. There is no sin in enjoying this original.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gelatiss...
Here is the synopsis of the novel:
“On the surface, Lucy Hamilton looks just like all the other stay-at-home San Francisco moms. She takes her three-year-old son, Theo, to the beach, to the playground and to the zoo. She feeds him organic applesauce and free-range chicken. She folds laundry and plays on the floor with Matchbox cars until her knees ache. What no one knows about Lucy, not even her adoring husband, is that for nine years Lucy was Sally Sin, a spy for the United States Agency for Weapons of Mass Destruction. And that's just the way she wants to keep it - a secret. But when Lucy's nemesis Ian Blackford, a notorious illegal arms dealer, hits the USAWMD's radar, the Agency calls Sally Sin back to action to lure Blackford out into the open. Racing against time, Lucy must fight to save herself, her loving family - and, oh right - the world. Hilarious and resonant, ORIGINAL SIN is the story of one woman’s quest to find that most elusive work-life balance in the face of danger, intrigue, and proper recycling habits.”
I am not a freak for flashbacks in a story but here it worked for me. I liked the foil that both sides of our heroine showed throughout the novel. The interesting tidbits that Beth McMullin threw at me during the interview allowed me to enjoy the ending much more had I not spoken to her prior to completion. The characters are fun, the action moves everything right along, and the humor is just enough to make one chuckle and smile. Have you read this yet? Are you a parent? Have you seen a little of yourself in any of the characters in Sally Sin’s neighborhood? I think unless you are so vain that you can’t admit that, and then you can. This origin story rules! My suggestion, if you haven’t read this yet, jump on it, sit by the pool, the terrace, get some sand under your feet at the beach, and just sit back, chill, chuckle and smile a whole lot. There is no sin in enjoying this original.
July 12, 2011
I think the premise of Original Sin is really cool, and somehow the packaging feels like an ABC television show. You know the guy who does the voice-overs for the Castle previews? Well I can totally hear him saying, "Sin.Is.In."
Suburban housewife Lucy Parks Hamilton has a huge secret. She once was Agent 26, a.k.a Sally Sin for a covert government agency shooting this and hiding that. She was a big deal, and that’s why her former boss Simon wants her to come out of retirement to lure her former nemesis Ian Blackford out of hiding. He isn’t just another good-looking guy with fancy gadgets either. Problem is she retired for a reason…she got married and has a kid. She doesn’t want to fight the world she just wants to keep her son from biting the cat’s tail. But apparently Blackford knows where Lucy is and now fearing for her family she comes out of retirement to catch the guy.
Flashbacks were my big issue about this book. I get easily confused when there's an abundance of flashbacks. Seeing flashbacks in a movie can be annoying, but reading flashbacks can be downright irritating. Sometimes I couldn't tell whether Lucy was talking about the past or present. Also, if the purpose of these flashbacks were to establish how badass she was, we don’t really see it we just hear about it from others so that wasn't much fun. She was much cooler in the present. I guess the flashbacks were also there to establish the past relationship she had with Blackford so I won't harp on that too much.
Don’t get me wrong, I liked some things too. I enjoyed the subtle humor throughout. Like where Lucy basically tests the durability of a bed for her son by breaking her enemy on it, or when she sneaks up on her nanny to see if she is prepared for a break in. The relationships in her life are neat, like the tension between her and Ian, and the funny relationship and understanding she has with the baristas at her local coffee shop. I also enjoyed hating her boss Simon Still. Besides Lucy, it seems like the other characters all have some sort of hidden agenda and it’s not easy to decipher who’s good.
To me the book premise was like Alias meets Mr. & Mrs.Smith, minus her fighting her husband, and not that exciting.Once I got used to the constant flashbacks, I liked the book for what it was. It was a bit hokey, but you’re not supposed to take the book seriously. I think many people can relate to the protectiveness that Lucy feels for her family. Also I like how the ending was a surprise and leaves off for a second book. I would keep reading just so that I could hear about Ian Blackford again. I still think he’s a good guy on the run.
Suburban housewife Lucy Parks Hamilton has a huge secret. She once was Agent 26, a.k.a Sally Sin for a covert government agency shooting this and hiding that. She was a big deal, and that’s why her former boss Simon wants her to come out of retirement to lure her former nemesis Ian Blackford out of hiding. He isn’t just another good-looking guy with fancy gadgets either. Problem is she retired for a reason…she got married and has a kid. She doesn’t want to fight the world she just wants to keep her son from biting the cat’s tail. But apparently Blackford knows where Lucy is and now fearing for her family she comes out of retirement to catch the guy.
Flashbacks were my big issue about this book. I get easily confused when there's an abundance of flashbacks. Seeing flashbacks in a movie can be annoying, but reading flashbacks can be downright irritating. Sometimes I couldn't tell whether Lucy was talking about the past or present. Also, if the purpose of these flashbacks were to establish how badass she was, we don’t really see it we just hear about it from others so that wasn't much fun. She was much cooler in the present. I guess the flashbacks were also there to establish the past relationship she had with Blackford so I won't harp on that too much.
Don’t get me wrong, I liked some things too. I enjoyed the subtle humor throughout. Like where Lucy basically tests the durability of a bed for her son by breaking her enemy on it, or when she sneaks up on her nanny to see if she is prepared for a break in. The relationships in her life are neat, like the tension between her and Ian, and the funny relationship and understanding she has with the baristas at her local coffee shop. I also enjoyed hating her boss Simon Still. Besides Lucy, it seems like the other characters all have some sort of hidden agenda and it’s not easy to decipher who’s good.
To me the book premise was like Alias meets Mr. & Mrs.Smith, minus her fighting her husband, and not that exciting.Once I got used to the constant flashbacks, I liked the book for what it was. It was a bit hokey, but you’re not supposed to take the book seriously. I think many people can relate to the protectiveness that Lucy feels for her family. Also I like how the ending was a surprise and leaves off for a second book. I would keep reading just so that I could hear about Ian Blackford again. I still think he’s a good guy on the run.
June 4, 2012
I received this book through a goodreads giveaway. Once I started this book I could not put it down. I liked reading all the quirky things the main charachter Sally Sin/ Lucy Parks HamiltoN would say. Sally is a spy turned wife, turned mother who is pulled in to do another assignment after a hiatus.
In the time of her hiatus she's married a man and had a child named Theo who is a handfull. She's assigned to bait in a nemesis from her past she thought was dead. The nemesis named Ian Blackford has managed to kidnap her on many occasions. Yes there are things about this novel that are pretty over the top but it's still a fun, light read. And the cover is pink!
The book is entertaining and doesn't take itself too seriously. It's not trying to be the next best thriller/mystery novel. It's a quick read and pretty fun actually. Although Sally is an habitual liar, it's still pretty hard not to like her. The only problem I have with the book is the husband's non-existance. He just seems to be an after thought. He's conviently put in to add a little comic relief with his weirdness and doesn't add much to the story. I guess he is the reason she wanted to leave the spy world but that just puts the story in motion. But Sally seems to have more chemistry with her nemesis than her own husband.
Ultimately, this was a refreshing read. I could almost hear the burn notice guys voice (only female) in my head while reading. I would love to read more from this author and look forward to the second book in this Sally Sin series.
In the time of her hiatus she's married a man and had a child named Theo who is a handfull. She's assigned to bait in a nemesis from her past she thought was dead. The nemesis named Ian Blackford has managed to kidnap her on many occasions. Yes there are things about this novel that are pretty over the top but it's still a fun, light read. And the cover is pink!
The book is entertaining and doesn't take itself too seriously. It's not trying to be the next best thriller/mystery novel. It's a quick read and pretty fun actually. Although Sally is an habitual liar, it's still pretty hard not to like her. The only problem I have with the book is the husband's non-existance. He just seems to be an after thought. He's conviently put in to add a little comic relief with his weirdness and doesn't add much to the story. I guess he is the reason she wanted to leave the spy world but that just puts the story in motion. But Sally seems to have more chemistry with her nemesis than her own husband.
Ultimately, this was a refreshing read. I could almost hear the burn notice guys voice (only female) in my head while reading. I would love to read more from this author and look forward to the second book in this Sally Sin series.
June 5, 2011
Meet Lucy Hamilton. She's just your average San Francisco stay-at-home mom. Except, you know, that she was a spy for the United States Agency for Weapons of Mass Destruction (USAWMD). She was recruited right out of college, and she spent time travelling the world doing various jobs, as assigned by her supervisor Simon. And then she met the love of her life. She left the USAWMD and set out to discover normalcy -- whatever THAT is.
Although her husband, Will, is convinced that he has yet to uncover all of her secrets, she's made a great life with him. He's out to save the world by recycling, driving a hybrid, and reducing their carbon footprint, all the while not knowing that his wife spent many years saving the world from things like nuclear threats and foreign spies. They have a three-year-old son named Theo, who she adores and is a bit over-protective of, having discovered that danger lurks in the oddest places.
Suddenly, one day, Simon reappears in her life to let her know that the USAWMD needs her again. Her nemesis Ian Blackford has resurfaced, and her services are required. The thing is, she and Ian have a complicated relationship in that he keeps kidnapping her. So she really isn't all that invested in helping with this mission. But there is that small matter of the world to be saved.
This book was funny, smart, and intriguing. Lucy was the right combination of witty but clumsy. She wasn't so dim that I wondered how she could still be alive, but she had enough faults that she felt human. She was also bright enough that I could see how she could be a capable spy and a compelling partner to Will.
The end was excellent, and I hope there's a follow-up book.
Although her husband, Will, is convinced that he has yet to uncover all of her secrets, she's made a great life with him. He's out to save the world by recycling, driving a hybrid, and reducing their carbon footprint, all the while not knowing that his wife spent many years saving the world from things like nuclear threats and foreign spies. They have a three-year-old son named Theo, who she adores and is a bit over-protective of, having discovered that danger lurks in the oddest places.
Suddenly, one day, Simon reappears in her life to let her know that the USAWMD needs her again. Her nemesis Ian Blackford has resurfaced, and her services are required. The thing is, she and Ian have a complicated relationship in that he keeps kidnapping her. So she really isn't all that invested in helping with this mission. But there is that small matter of the world to be saved.
This book was funny, smart, and intriguing. Lucy was the right combination of witty but clumsy. She wasn't so dim that I wondered how she could still be alive, but she had enough faults that she felt human. She was also bright enough that I could see how she could be a capable spy and a compelling partner to Will.
The end was excellent, and I hope there's a follow-up book.
July 24, 2012
I had mixed feeling after finishing the book, I really wanted to like it, and before reading it had already planned on passing it onto the other two members of my "work bookclub", especially since I haven't offered any books and so far had just read what they had brought me, but it fell slightly short for me. Perhaps I had too high of expectations going in, or maybe it's because I've never been a spy or a mother. *lol*
The bouncing back and forth between her life now and her life as a spy kind of confused me. At the beginning, I thought they were just to fill us in on her life before, but it continued through out the book. The non-chronological order had me distracted, trying to order the events in my mind rather than catch the relative points about her past that applied to what was going on in her present.
She's married, with a child, so the connection between her and Ian Blackford had me perplexed as to where the author was going with them. Normally, I'd like for the two characters to end up together (it's those years of Alias showing in me =D) but the married with a child kind of threw a wrench in that and thus had me out of synch, and slightly perplexed, with the direction the author was taking.
Nonetheless, I did like how she took charge at the end, doing what she thought was the right move, and with everyone walking away who deserved to.
I'd read the next one and I did pass the book on at work(where one person said they had the book on their kindle but hadn't read it yet, confirming that we all do have the same basic book likes =)
The bouncing back and forth between her life now and her life as a spy kind of confused me. At the beginning, I thought they were just to fill us in on her life before, but it continued through out the book. The non-chronological order had me distracted, trying to order the events in my mind rather than catch the relative points about her past that applied to what was going on in her present.
She's married, with a child, so the connection between her and Ian Blackford had me perplexed as to where the author was going with them. Normally, I'd like for the two characters to end up together (it's those years of Alias showing in me =D) but the married with a child kind of threw a wrench in that and thus had me out of synch, and slightly perplexed, with the direction the author was taking.
Nonetheless, I did like how she took charge at the end, doing what she thought was the right move, and with everyone walking away who deserved to.
I'd read the next one and I did pass the book on at work(where one person said they had the book on their kindle but hadn't read it yet, confirming that we all do have the same basic book likes =)
September 19, 2012
The spy part of this book I found utterly ridiculous and terribly unbelievable. Funny enough, I found the spy moments boring and wanted to get back to the mom moments.
Despite not having ever been a spy, I totally relate to the foreignness of being a mother and the unique isolation of a SAHM. The desperation and bewilderment of being the parent of a little person (who is completely and utterly unreasonable yet incredibly cute and your entire world) is spot-on. Those moments, I found true and real.
The spy stuff? I find it unlikely that any agency would be so cruel and "throw to the sharks" as USAWMD. Plus, I absolutely hated Simon Still. Ian Blackford I kept imagining as Ricky Gervais (even though Blackford was American and Pierce Brosnan-esque). So, that added to my incredulity.
I truly didn't care for the spy stuff until the very end (where I must say, Sally Sin sure put things together rather slowly because I seemed to have figured it out before she did) and of course, because of that cliff-hanger ending, I have to read the next book. *sigh*
I don't think you're missing anything by NOT reading it, but you won't regret reading it, either.
Despite not having ever been a spy, I totally relate to the foreignness of being a mother and the unique isolation of a SAHM. The desperation and bewilderment of being the parent of a little person (who is completely and utterly unreasonable yet incredibly cute and your entire world) is spot-on. Those moments, I found true and real.
The spy stuff? I find it unlikely that any agency would be so cruel and "throw to the sharks" as USAWMD. Plus, I absolutely hated Simon Still. Ian Blackford I kept imagining as Ricky Gervais (even though Blackford was American and Pierce Brosnan-esque). So, that added to my incredulity.
I truly didn't care for the spy stuff until the very end (where I must say, Sally Sin sure put things together rather slowly because I seemed to have figured it out before she did) and of course, because of that cliff-hanger ending, I have to read the next book. *sigh*
I don't think you're missing anything by NOT reading it, but you won't regret reading it, either.
July 2, 2011
This book is hilarious. Through Lucy/Sally/Elizabeth or whoever she really is, I have developed a girl crush on Beth McMullen. She completely encapsulates the idea of sarcastic sense of humor. Although in ARC form, I will provide a quote that had me laughing out loud.
"The bridge is old and wooden. It sways precariously in the wind. There is enough space between the railing slates for a small child to slip through. Probably not a great destination for Theo, I think, although he'd think it was cool. I give myself a mental slap on the face. Focus."
That is the kind of humor the book is riddled with. She knows how to deadpan, too. It was hilarious and I loved it. I can't wait for the next books with Lucy or Sally as the protagonist.
"The bridge is old and wooden. It sways precariously in the wind. There is enough space between the railing slates for a small child to slip through. Probably not a great destination for Theo, I think, although he'd think it was cool. I give myself a mental slap on the face. Focus."
That is the kind of humor the book is riddled with. She knows how to deadpan, too. It was hilarious and I loved it. I can't wait for the next books with Lucy or Sally as the protagonist.
October 13, 2011
Move over... J.D. Robb and Patricia Cornwell. There is a new gal in town ... BETH MCMULLEN!
I was so nose stuck to every word in this book. It was a great read and I loved how she went from her past as a spy and being in the jungle in Cambodia to tending to her three year old son. I didn't get the back and forth dizziness that I usually get. With great characters and this being the first book of the Sally Sin spy series. I can not wait for the next one to come out in May 2012. I highly recommend this book.
I was so nose stuck to every word in this book. It was a great read and I loved how she went from her past as a spy and being in the jungle in Cambodia to tending to her three year old son. I didn't get the back and forth dizziness that I usually get. With great characters and this being the first book of the Sally Sin spy series. I can not wait for the next one to come out in May 2012. I highly recommend this book.
May 10, 2011
Original Sin: A Sally Sin Adventure by Beth McMullen is the story about Lucy Parks Hamilton, a 36-year old married mother of one who is paranoid, emotionally detached, and a liar by trade. She is a stay at home mother to son Theo who is 3 years old and attention grabby little git. She and her husband William live in San Francisco, California where he is an investment fund manager for green technology.
Lucy isn’t her real name. Her name was Sally Sin or Agent 26 and she worked for the United States Agency for Weapons of Mass Destruction (USAWD) for 9 years as a spy and investigator. Lucy/Sally still owns the .45 caliber Colt Commander that she used to kill people with. She can speak more than 15 languages fluently. Before Lucy left USAWD, they added a 7th ground rule for her: We reserve the right to call you back if your expertise is required. And if they do call, she must come back.
Lucy is paranoid that someone has been checking her house out and watching her. Maybe someone she knew in her previous life. So, when Simon calls out of the blue; she knows that Simon has been the one watching Lucy all this time. She really wasn’t paranoid, nor has she escaped from her past, no matter how hard she has tried.
The reason for her recall: Ian Blackford – illegal arms dealer and Lucy’s old nemesis – has returned from the dead. He used to work for USAWD before going rogue and committing treason. Everyone, CIA, Mossad, Interpol, even the FBI has tried to capture him. Ian actually kidnapped Lucy twice, and everyone believes that Sally is Ian greatest downfall.
Lucy definitely has an affliction for the memories of Ian Blackford on her mind. She thinks of him everywhere, including the several times he walked in on her, one in which he caught her taking a bath in her hotel room. Ian and Lucy’s relationship is at the core of this story. Ian believes that Sally/Lucy has something he wants: The Death Lily. The Lily is supposed to be so powerful it can turn a person into an automation, making him/her susceptible to external influences. Whoever controls this substance could in theory control the world. No more weapons of mass destruction. Definite mind control.
Thoughts: I really liked reading about Sally’s past exploits as a spy for the USAWD as well as her current challenges as wife and mother. The story has definitely mystery and suspense angles, as well as humor. I absolutely loved the game of cat and mouse that Ian and Sally/Lucy play throughout the story, especially the ending when he calls her by her birth name for which she nearly forgot.
The ending of this story is definitely a hanging chad. It leaves questions about who Lucy/Sally really is, and the fact that Ian knows all about her past including the fact that her parents were part of the Group, which supposingly doesn’t exist, and that Director Grey seemed to know her parents intimately. I really couldn’t find reasoning behind Sally/Lucy’s marriage to Will. Sally may believe that she can fit into this role, but in reality, she’s just like Ian in many ways. A thrill junkie.
I’m definitely putting this author and series on my to watch list.
Releases July 12th 2011 - Publishers ARC
*I received this ARC via Netgalley.com from the publisher. I have not received any compensation for reading and reviewing.**
Lucy isn’t her real name. Her name was Sally Sin or Agent 26 and she worked for the United States Agency for Weapons of Mass Destruction (USAWD) for 9 years as a spy and investigator. Lucy/Sally still owns the .45 caliber Colt Commander that she used to kill people with. She can speak more than 15 languages fluently. Before Lucy left USAWD, they added a 7th ground rule for her: We reserve the right to call you back if your expertise is required. And if they do call, she must come back.
Lucy is paranoid that someone has been checking her house out and watching her. Maybe someone she knew in her previous life. So, when Simon calls out of the blue; she knows that Simon has been the one watching Lucy all this time. She really wasn’t paranoid, nor has she escaped from her past, no matter how hard she has tried.
The reason for her recall: Ian Blackford – illegal arms dealer and Lucy’s old nemesis – has returned from the dead. He used to work for USAWD before going rogue and committing treason. Everyone, CIA, Mossad, Interpol, even the FBI has tried to capture him. Ian actually kidnapped Lucy twice, and everyone believes that Sally is Ian greatest downfall.
Lucy definitely has an affliction for the memories of Ian Blackford on her mind. She thinks of him everywhere, including the several times he walked in on her, one in which he caught her taking a bath in her hotel room. Ian and Lucy’s relationship is at the core of this story. Ian believes that Sally/Lucy has something he wants: The Death Lily. The Lily is supposed to be so powerful it can turn a person into an automation, making him/her susceptible to external influences. Whoever controls this substance could in theory control the world. No more weapons of mass destruction. Definite mind control.
Thoughts: I really liked reading about Sally’s past exploits as a spy for the USAWD as well as her current challenges as wife and mother. The story has definitely mystery and suspense angles, as well as humor. I absolutely loved the game of cat and mouse that Ian and Sally/Lucy play throughout the story, especially the ending when he calls her by her birth name for which she nearly forgot.
The ending of this story is definitely a hanging chad. It leaves questions about who Lucy/Sally really is, and the fact that Ian knows all about her past including the fact that her parents were part of the Group, which supposingly doesn’t exist, and that Director Grey seemed to know her parents intimately. I really couldn’t find reasoning behind Sally/Lucy’s marriage to Will. Sally may believe that she can fit into this role, but in reality, she’s just like Ian in many ways. A thrill junkie.
I’m definitely putting this author and series on my to watch list.
Releases July 12th 2011 - Publishers ARC
*I received this ARC via Netgalley.com from the publisher. I have not received any compensation for reading and reviewing.**
September 9, 2018
Disclaimer: 3 stars isn't really what I think about this book. 2 stars aren't enough and 4 stars are way too many, so three stars = compromise.
What I hated about this book: The language. Seriously? Does this kind of constant "*******" and "********" add anything to the plot, the characters or the enjoyment of the book? Absolutely not. And for that reason alone I was tempted to rate this book much lower. And I nearly tossed the book aside, returned it to the library and gave it a "Do Not Read" review. It is so unflattering for women to write this language, for their female characters to speak this language and unpleasant for the reader to have to suffer through. This is the kind of thing that undermines the decency of civilization. I hate it.
What I liked about this book: The main character - whatever her name is. She felt a bit real to me - able to do amazing things at times, and suffering pangs of self-doubt at others. Just like (most) real people do. I liked the dialogue (filtered from the foul language) and descriptions. For a first book this was a fun, escapist, attention grabbing read. Paying attention while reading is usually important. Not that hard to do.
I was a little disappointed that Sally / Lucy's husband was so one-dimensional. She loves him so much, he should be more developed.
I am ambivalent about whether I'll read the following books in the series. The language might prove to be too much of an obstacle. Why read filth when there is so much to read that doesn't drag you through the muck?
What I hated about this book: The language. Seriously? Does this kind of constant "*******" and "********" add anything to the plot, the characters or the enjoyment of the book? Absolutely not. And for that reason alone I was tempted to rate this book much lower. And I nearly tossed the book aside, returned it to the library and gave it a "Do Not Read" review. It is so unflattering for women to write this language, for their female characters to speak this language and unpleasant for the reader to have to suffer through. This is the kind of thing that undermines the decency of civilization. I hate it.
What I liked about this book: The main character - whatever her name is. She felt a bit real to me - able to do amazing things at times, and suffering pangs of self-doubt at others. Just like (most) real people do. I liked the dialogue (filtered from the foul language) and descriptions. For a first book this was a fun, escapist, attention grabbing read. Paying attention while reading is usually important. Not that hard to do.
I was a little disappointed that Sally / Lucy's husband was so one-dimensional. She loves him so much, he should be more developed.
I am ambivalent about whether I'll read the following books in the series. The language might prove to be too much of an obstacle. Why read filth when there is so much to read that doesn't drag you through the muck?
May 2, 2011
Back of the book says ORIGINAL SIN is a mix of True Lies meets I Don't Know How She Does It......
I had just as much fun reading this book as I do watching a Burn Notice marathon sundae with a Long Kiss Goodnight cherry on top.
It took a bit for me to dig the story, maybe a few pages of getting used to how Lucy dealt with her life of motherhood and wifedom. Once she began telling me how this life came to be from the Phoenix ashes of her spy past, I was hooked.
Lucy/Sally tells her story in vignettes of flashbacks when her past comes looking for her in the form of Simon Still, her spy boss.
Sally/Lucy has a way with languages that had the agency come looking for her in college and soon she's off on missions in far-flung places, living it up in fab locales like Cambodia chasing down characters like The Blind Monk.
And she has a nemesis, Ian Blackford, who she can't seem to shake. He kidnaps her on a fairly regular basis, but no one can see it coming fast enough to catch him at it.
When her past comes looking for her, she becomes the mother bear protecting her den and cub. She won't have anyone taking away what she's worked so hard to have now.
Thank you, Library Thing, for sending this out to me!! Can't wait to see what happens next.
Five spy mom kickin' it pearls.......
I had just as much fun reading this book as I do watching a Burn Notice marathon sundae with a Long Kiss Goodnight cherry on top.
It took a bit for me to dig the story, maybe a few pages of getting used to how Lucy dealt with her life of motherhood and wifedom. Once she began telling me how this life came to be from the Phoenix ashes of her spy past, I was hooked.
Lucy/Sally tells her story in vignettes of flashbacks when her past comes looking for her in the form of Simon Still, her spy boss.
Sally/Lucy has a way with languages that had the agency come looking for her in college and soon she's off on missions in far-flung places, living it up in fab locales like Cambodia chasing down characters like The Blind Monk.
And she has a nemesis, Ian Blackford, who she can't seem to shake. He kidnaps her on a fairly regular basis, but no one can see it coming fast enough to catch him at it.
When her past comes looking for her, she becomes the mother bear protecting her den and cub. She won't have anyone taking away what she's worked so hard to have now.
Thank you, Library Thing, for sending this out to me!! Can't wait to see what happens next.
Five spy mom kickin' it pearls.......
May 25, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed Original Sin. Getting to know Lucy Hamilton is a pleasure. She is also know as Sally Sin. Her roles of wife and mother are definitely out of the ordinary when invaded by her former life as a spy. Sally traveled the world at a moment's notice chasing bad guys doing dastardly things. Lucy takes son Theo to the park and daycare (never letting him out of her sight). She tries to do the "mommy thing" while not getting too intimate with any of the park patrons. Her husband Will knows she has secrets, but I really don't think he can imagine exactly how dangerous they are. Even Lucy is unaware of parts of her past and talk about some peculiar relationships with your quarry - it's sometimes hard to determine who is the hunted and who is the hunter when Sally is in action.
While spying is deglamorized in every scene, the action is intense and the plot is engaging. We never really believed all that stuff about 007 anyway!
I can't wait to read more about this carpooling killer!
While spying is deglamorized in every scene, the action is intense and the plot is engaging. We never really believed all that stuff about 007 anyway!
I can't wait to read more about this carpooling killer!
January 11, 2022
Interesting concept, but felt like it could have been done so much better and cleaner. It was interesting but I was left feeling unsatisfied overall. Almost too many ideas and side stories crammed into one short book that none of them where fully investigated.
September 7, 2022
I think I would have enjoyed this more if it didn’t have such a slow start. The concept of Sally Sin, or Lucy Hamilton as she is known to her family and friends, was a fun one. But it took ages to get going! I found that flipping back and forth between her early days at the agency and key missions took away from the main plot of the novel. It took me until beyond the halfway point to really nail down what was happening.
I wish we’d leaned more into a potential romance with Blackford, or even Simon? Also her husband was so bland and boring, I couldn’t understand at all how she ever gave up spying for him….
That being said, it was overall a quick read, and I really enjoyed the second half. And that cliffhanger! In spite of the slow start, it did pick up for me and become a lot more engaging, to the point I would consider checking out the sequel to see how everything gets wrapped up.
I wish we’d leaned more into a potential romance with Blackford, or even Simon? Also her husband was so bland and boring, I couldn’t understand at all how she ever gave up spying for him….
That being said, it was overall a quick read, and I really enjoyed the second half. And that cliffhanger! In spite of the slow start, it did pick up for me and become a lot more engaging, to the point I would consider checking out the sequel to see how everything gets wrapped up.
July 24, 2011
I was so sorry to see the last page of Sally Sin! I'm hoping there is another Sally Sin book in the works.
Lucy is a happily married mommy with a past that her husband doesn't know about - she was a covert agent, running missions overseas for the government. Her husband knows what agency she worked for, but thinks she just had a desk job. Lucy is happy to leave it at that. The less hubby knows, the better. Unfortunately, her past life comes knocking at the door and Lucy's peaceful, simple little life is thown into utter chaos.
McMullen treats us to a delightfully whitty, snarky character. Her first person prose brings the story brilliantly to life as we jump on the roller coaster when Lucy's past as Sally Sin collides with her present. Though the book is laugh-out-loud funny most of time, it's also suspenseful enough to keep you up reading into the wee hours of the morning turning pages until you can finally see how the story will play out.
This is an awesome story by a skilled writer. I highly recommend it.
Lucy is a happily married mommy with a past that her husband doesn't know about - she was a covert agent, running missions overseas for the government. Her husband knows what agency she worked for, but thinks she just had a desk job. Lucy is happy to leave it at that. The less hubby knows, the better. Unfortunately, her past life comes knocking at the door and Lucy's peaceful, simple little life is thown into utter chaos.
McMullen treats us to a delightfully whitty, snarky character. Her first person prose brings the story brilliantly to life as we jump on the roller coaster when Lucy's past as Sally Sin collides with her present. Though the book is laugh-out-loud funny most of time, it's also suspenseful enough to keep you up reading into the wee hours of the morning turning pages until you can finally see how the story will play out.
This is an awesome story by a skilled writer. I highly recommend it.
August 31, 2025
My rating system is for me and others- if you understand my rating system.
1 star- book was so bad I couldn’t even get into it (because why would anyone actually finish a one star or 2 star book? Life is too short)
2 stars- Book was good enough I made it to the halfway point but then lost interest
3 stars- I finished the book, but only because I wanted to find out what happened and was not necessarily enjoying the ride.
4 stars- I finished and enjoyed the book.
5 stars- I finished the book and really felt something. The book impacted my life in some real way, or changed my perspective and/or motivated me to do or change something in my life.
Writing style not for me I need something more thought provoking. I’m outside my preferred genre with this one. Wanted to try something light, and this is light. I just can’t engage with too light of reading.
1 star- book was so bad I couldn’t even get into it (because why would anyone actually finish a one star or 2 star book? Life is too short)
2 stars- Book was good enough I made it to the halfway point but then lost interest
3 stars- I finished the book, but only because I wanted to find out what happened and was not necessarily enjoying the ride.
4 stars- I finished and enjoyed the book.
5 stars- I finished the book and really felt something. The book impacted my life in some real way, or changed my perspective and/or motivated me to do or change something in my life.
Writing style not for me I need something more thought provoking. I’m outside my preferred genre with this one. Wanted to try something light, and this is light. I just can’t engage with too light of reading.
July 28, 2011
This diverting book, written as Book One of the Sally Sin series, is reminiscent of the Nadia Stafford series by Kelley Armstrong. Both involve “hit women” (although Sally is associated with a government organization rather than an illegal network of killers for hire) and both women are trying to live normal lives when not engaged in sending criminals to early graves.
This is not a “dark” or even realistic tale, not withstanding the participation of some supposedly very nasty people in the story. The tone is very much like that of the movie “True Lies.” It is a feel-good adventure/thriller, and just the right ticket if you need light distraction. And any of you who have raised wild little boys will no doubt love this book.
Rating: 3.5/5
This is not a “dark” or even realistic tale, not withstanding the participation of some supposedly very nasty people in the story. The tone is very much like that of the movie “True Lies.” It is a feel-good adventure/thriller, and just the right ticket if you need light distraction. And any of you who have raised wild little boys will no doubt love this book.
Rating: 3.5/5
September 3, 2012
I love an adventure I can relate to and this is one of those. I stay at home with my kids and a few spy moves and training would have come in handy over the years. Little ones step on your body and big children step on your heart. Maybe a bit of spy training would have made both of those situations better.
This is a LOL book that will keep you reading and wondering why you forgot to make dinner and pay any attention to those precious little ones you actually work for. Funny stuff.
This is a LOL book that will keep you reading and wondering why you forgot to make dinner and pay any attention to those precious little ones you actually work for. Funny stuff.
June 24, 2011
This is not your typical chic-lit spy book. It is well-written, fast paced book about a suburban housewife who was a spy. Sally Sin, now Lucy, is a mom/wife with a toddler son Theo. But her spy life is coming to visit her in suburbia. Great book. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
May 19, 2021
Sally Sin is a story of a paranoid stay-at-home mother, Lucy Hamilton, who watches over her son's kindergarten from a coffee shop across the street.
And there is perfectly good explanation for her oddities; like scrutinizing her neighbours objectives and accidentally using a martial arts move on her yoga instructor.
She was a former spy.
She left behind her life of espionage and justice after she fell in love with the handsome and adoring Will Hamilton and now leads a small quaint family life. She's forced back into her old ways as Sally Sin when her 'arch-nemesis' Ian Blackford, presumed dead, is said to have been resurrected and begins to cause problems for her former agency.
Found Original Sin in a second-hand book store and let me tell you, it was a great find. Though it was a slow start and Sally has way too many internal monologues, Original Sin was a fun read and would recommend it for a day after a stressful week.
I did want a bit more of Will in the story, hopefully the second book in the series will give justice to his typical one-dimensional personality.
Original Sin has action, drama, romance, everything for a fun packed story.
Not to mention, Ian Blackford is your charming, quintessential bad boy that leaves you wanting to know what else he would do to torment our Sally Sin.
And there is perfectly good explanation for her oddities; like scrutinizing her neighbours objectives and accidentally using a martial arts move on her yoga instructor.
She was a former spy.
She left behind her life of espionage and justice after she fell in love with the handsome and adoring Will Hamilton and now leads a small quaint family life. She's forced back into her old ways as Sally Sin when her 'arch-nemesis' Ian Blackford, presumed dead, is said to have been resurrected and begins to cause problems for her former agency.
Found Original Sin in a second-hand book store and let me tell you, it was a great find. Though it was a slow start and Sally has way too many internal monologues, Original Sin was a fun read and would recommend it for a day after a stressful week.
I did want a bit more of Will in the story, hopefully the second book in the series will give justice to his typical one-dimensional personality.
Original Sin has action, drama, romance, everything for a fun packed story.
Not to mention, Ian Blackford is your charming, quintessential bad boy that leaves you wanting to know what else he would do to torment our Sally Sin.
June 21, 2023
fun adult spy novel
This was a good book. I was intrigued and wanted to find out what was going to happen and if Blackford was going to kill her and what was going on. Early on I guessed the dolls were from him and it turned out I was right. I kept thinking maybe he was related to her and that’s why he said and she mentioned Simon saying something about knowing who she was but it turns out her parents were ex-spies living on a rural farm and she was taken from Russia. I want to read the second book and find out more!
I thought this book was a solid 4. There is some stuff I could do without even though this is an adult book (I read it because I try to read books before letting my now 9yo read them and I found the Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls book at the library and this is the same author - those are appropriate for kids, this is not). It doesn’t get too dirty which is good but it is clearly not for kids. I could relate to some of the mom stuff and the idea of having lived a different live before kids. I think that is why I liked it so much. Definitely a fun read for adults, don’t let your kids read it!
This was a good book. I was intrigued and wanted to find out what was going to happen and if Blackford was going to kill her and what was going on. Early on I guessed the dolls were from him and it turned out I was right. I kept thinking maybe he was related to her and that’s why he said and she mentioned Simon saying something about knowing who she was but it turns out her parents were ex-spies living on a rural farm and she was taken from Russia. I want to read the second book and find out more!
I thought this book was a solid 4. There is some stuff I could do without even though this is an adult book (I read it because I try to read books before letting my now 9yo read them and I found the Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls book at the library and this is the same author - those are appropriate for kids, this is not). It doesn’t get too dirty which is good but it is clearly not for kids. I could relate to some of the mom stuff and the idea of having lived a different live before kids. I think that is why I liked it so much. Definitely a fun read for adults, don’t let your kids read it!
July 21, 2017
Sally Sin is a former covert operative now trying to lead a "normal" life as a wife and stay-at-home mother to 3-year-old Theo. Unfortunately, some habits are hard to break. Sally, now named Lucy, is paranoid that her past will catch up with her and she finds herself crawling in the bushes outside her home convinced that she heard something. When Theo goes to nursery school, Lucy stakes out a table at a coffee shop, not taking her eyes off the building he's in. But the past always catches up, and Lucy is dragged into another mission trying to bring down rogue superspy Ian Blackford and discover exactly what's going on with the Blind Monk. It's an entertaining story, but it seems to teeter between being a humorous story and a serious one and sometimes it's hard to know which one is dominant. Most readers of spy fiction with see glaring flaws in the operations of a spy agency, but I don't really think this book is meant for them. Might be the first in a series.
June 15, 2025
Easy to read, the story flows. Would have been better if she had been fucking the traitor spy the whole time. Her marriage is unrealistic but at least they accurately showcase how horrible motherhood is.
"'The one thing you never understood,' he said, 'is that in order to save humanity, you cannot be a part of it.'"
"When I showed up at his door, intent on extracting some revenge, I learned a valuable lesson. Sometimes letting a person continue to live is a far worse punishment than killing him. Releasing this broken and pathetic man from life would have been a gift, and I was not there to bestow such kindness."
"But happiness at the Agency was not an asset. It just gave you something else to lose."
"'The one thing you never understood,' he said, 'is that in order to save humanity, you cannot be a part of it.'"
"When I showed up at his door, intent on extracting some revenge, I learned a valuable lesson. Sometimes letting a person continue to live is a far worse punishment than killing him. Releasing this broken and pathetic man from life would have been a gift, and I was not there to bestow such kindness."
"But happiness at the Agency was not an asset. It just gave you something else to lose."
March 20, 2019
This was a lighthearted chick lit / mystery mashup. There was so much backstory and such a big info dump at the beginning of the book that I almost gave up in. I persevered, and ended up finishing the decent, albeit uninspiring, book. I think my main problem was that I kept wishing this was either: 1. more of a normal mystery-type story or, 2. a romance. (As a big romance reader, I can easily see how this could have been turned into a sexy, superspy romantic suspense novel.)
January 22, 2019
Although this was a very entertaining and dramatic read, the overall language and inappropriate scenes put me off.
It was highly action packed and engaging, but there were several scenes filled with things I would rather not read and not only was there bad language, but the F bomb was dropped repeatedly throughout the book.
So I would not recommend reading it.
It was highly action packed and engaging, but there were several scenes filled with things I would rather not read and not only was there bad language, but the F bomb was dropped repeatedly throughout the book.
So I would not recommend reading it.
June 8, 2025
This book had an okay premise, but it just didn’t hit for me. I will say—I do plan on reading the second one because I still have questions. I just wish it either leaned more heavily into the spy/thriller angle or fully committed to the romance. Instead, it stayed pretty mid across the board until the spy plot picked up a bit toward the end. Honestly, I give this 2.5/5
July 4, 2017
The actually story line to this is good, but it is constantly interrupted with so many flashbacks that it's hard to keep up with it. If you need something to read for a few hours this is good, but don't put it down as you might not remember what happened before to keep up when you pick it back up.
December 11, 2019
Es fühlte sich etwas unausgegoren an, fast so, als hätte Beth McMullen eigentlich zwei Bücher schreiben wollen, aber alles in ein Buch packen müssen. Trotzdem habe ich mich gut unterhalten gefühlt und habe gerne weitergelesen.
January 16, 2021
McMullen makes Sal scary, Theo funny, past surprises unfold slowly. Sally tells about hubby Will, son Theo 3, handler Simon who dangles her as bait for his obsession Ian. Ian, best agent turned bad, kidnaps Sal, lets her live. Simon recalls Sal to spy. Typo 33.1 checks IS cheeks
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