Party Girls Die in Pearls

Brideshead, bon-bons, cucumber sandwiches – and now a murder

In the decadent world of Oxford University, c.1985, Pimms, punting and ball gowns are de rigeur. Ursula Flowerbutton, a studious country girl, arrives for her first term, anticipating nothing more sinister than days spent poring over history books – and, perhaps, an invitation to a ball. 

But when she discovers a body, Ursula is catapulted into a murder investigation. 

Determined to bag her first scoop for the famous student newspaper Cherwell, Ursula enlists the help of glamorous American student Nancy Feingold to unravel the case. While navigating a whirl of black-tie parties and secret dining societies, the girls discover a surfeit of suspects. From broken-hearted boyfriends to snobby Sloanes, lovelorn librarians to dishy dons, none can be presumed innocent. 

Clueless meets Agatha Christie in this wickedly funny tale of high society, low morals and a middle class girl, the first book in Plum Sykes’ irresistible new series.