Original Cyn: A Novel

ISBN: 0385337345

Author: Margolis, Sue

Condition: New

Product DescriptionFrom the acclaimed author of Breakfast at Stephanies comes a hilarious new novel about falling in love, breaking the rules, and other sinful pleasures.A junior copywriter at a London ad agency, Cynthia Fishbein is the original good girl. She works hard, never complains, and takes care of everyone around her. Even Cyns therapist tells her shes too nice. But all thats about to change when a catty co-worker steals one of her ideas.So Cyn goes her one better: She steals the womans identity.Suddenly shes breaking out of her shell, concocting a wickedly brilliant scheme to salvage her career-and maybe get a little revenge in the process. And once Cyn gets started, she just cant stop. Soon shes breaking the #1 rule of group therapy by dating Joe Dillon, the groups sexy commitment-phobe. Leading a thrilling but terrifying double life, embroiled in a deliciously forbidden affair, she is having the time of her life-until her scheme starts to backfire in a major way. And unexpectedly Cyn is faced with a crisis that threatens her career, her relationship-and just might finish off her sterling reputation for good.About the AuthorSue Margolis was a radio reporter for fifteen years before becoming a novelist. She is the author of four previous novels: Breakfast at Stephanie's, Apocalipstick, Spin Cycle and Neurotica.Excerpt. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.Chapter 1Elizabeth Taylor died? Ah. Still, the old girl was getting a bit past it. As Cyn switched her mobile to the other ear she felt the taxi slow down and turn left. Are you sure youre OK? her mother asked tenderly. I know how much she meant to you.Im fine, Cyn said, rubbing at the condensation on the rain-speckled window and peering out. I mean, it wasnt entirely unexpected.The vet did all he could, her mother was saying. Cyns mind immediately conjured up a frantic scene in pet ER. She could hear the vet instructing everybody to Stand clear as he turns poor Elizabeth onto her shell and shocks her scaly chest with two tiny tortoise-sized resuscitation paddles. Half a dozen attempts later he wipes his brow and announces, OK, Im calling it. Time of death, ten after four. His face etched with failure, he snaps off his rubber gloves and throws them into the bin. Meanwhile, a tearful nurse sniffs and covers Elizabeth with a tiny white sheet.I remember the day I found her, Cyns mother went on. It was February 1981. The Canadian cousins were over and Id gone to the garage to get some vol au vent cases out of the freezer. And there she was, hibernating inside a pile of sunlounger covers.Elizabeth Taylor was by no means the only animal her mother, Barbara, had rescued. In the years before and since the tortoise joined the Fishbein household, there were assorted stray cats, lost budgies and the odd hamster. There had even been an actual lame duck, which, having been attacked-probably by a fox-had somehow managed to waddle the half mile from the park pond to find sanctuary in the Fishbein kitchen. Barbara found homes for all the other animals. Even the duck was nursed back to health and eventually, with much ceremony, released back into the wild of the local park. She wasnt so lucky with the tortoise. Despite tortoise found notices stuck on virtually every lamppost in the neighborhood, nobody came to claim her. In the end the Fishbeins adopted her, but it was Cyn who loved her. It was Cyn who spoiled her with slices of tomato and painted ET Fishbein on her shell in Wite-Out, and it was Cyn who worried obsessively every winter about her not waking up from hibernation.Back then it wasnt just tortoises and lame ducks Barbara had taken in. She also rescued people: best friends going through messy divorces came to stay for weeks on end-usually with several badly behaved, bedwetting children. For a few years she did emergency short-term fostering for the local council. This meant that every couple