Party Girls Die in Pearls

Nancy Mitford meets Clueless, with a touch of Agatha Christie, in this tale of cocktails, murder and mayhem in 1980s Oxford

Oxford, 1985. Ursula Flowerbutton, a Fresher and wide-eyed country girl, arrives for her first term at the famous university. What she hasn’t bargained on is finding a body. Oh, crumpets.

Who killed the beautiful India Brattenbury? With the help of her fellow fresher, glamorous American Nancy Feingold, Ursula sets off to unravel the mystery. The girls’ investigations lead them into a world of black-tie parties and dining societies, sex and secrets. Ursula soon realises that Oxford’s not all Pimm’s and punting. From broken-hearted boyfriends to snobby Sloanes, lovelorn librarians to dishy dons, none can be presumed innocent.