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, Ursula enlists the help of glamorous American student Nancy Feingold to unravel the case.