Frances “Frankie” Fitzgibbons wakes up one day transformed from the complacent, gentle bank loan officer into a mad emperor who flexes her power with over the top self-confidence and charisma. Her first act with her new found powers is to seduce the high school drum major before she tackles taking over the bank. First published in 1991, the novel satirizes the excesses epitomized by the banking crisis of the late 1980s. Given the financial turmoil of the past few years, Ride a Cockhorse is just as relevant, and just as funny, today. You’ll find yourself both repulsed and attracted to Frankie as she gathers her entourage around her like a mad dictator. Her ludicrous, hilarious ride to the top is not to be missed.