Another term has begun at Meadowbank, a prestigious, well-respected British girls' school. The indomitable headmistress is preparing to retire and name her successor. There is a disconcertingly mature Middle Eastern princess among the students and several new staff members in residence. And a brand-new sports pavilion is the pride of the campus. But the school year suddenly takes a deadly turn when one of the teachers is found shot to death. As the investigation ensues, it becomes clear that the killer was not an outsider — and equally clear that no one at Meadowbank is who he or she seems to be. It is up to Hercule Poirot to determine who is who — and, more importantly, what has drawn the killer to the school — before anyone else falls victim to the cat among the pigeons.