*** FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE APPEAL ***'An absolute original' - MICK HERRON'Hallett at her very best' - ELLY GRIFFITHS'Witty, creepy and oh-so-clever' - TOM HINDLESix Students. One Murder. Your Time Starts Now.The mature students of Royal Hastings University's new Multimedia Art course have been trouble from day one. Acclaimed artist Alyson wants the department to revolve around her. Ludya struggles to balance her family and the workload. Jonathan has management experience but zero talent for art. Lovely Patrick can barely operate his mobile phone, let alone professional design software.

Meanwhile blustering Cameron tries to juggle the course with his job in the City and does neither very well. Then there's Jem. A gifted young sculptor, she's a promising student. but cross her at your peril. The year-long course is blighted by accusations of theft, students setting fire to one another's artwork, a rumoured extra-marital affair and a disastrous road trip. But finally they are given their last assignment: to build an interactive art installation for a local manufacturer. With six students who have nothing in common except their clashing personal agendas, what could possibly go wrong? The answer is: murder. When the external examiner arrives to assess the students' essays and coursework, he becomes convinced that a student was killed on the course and that the others covered it up.

But is he right? And if so, who is dead, why were they killed, and who is the murderer? Only a close examination of the evidence will reveal the truth. Your time starts now.'A slice of genius' - LOUISE CANDLISH'Fresh and infinitely intriguing' - J.M. HALL'Witty, devious and outrageously brilliant' - IAN MOORE.