Phoebe Hall's life unravels all at once when her boyfriend dumps her just as she's accused of plagiarizing her latest book - a best-selling celebrity biography. While her agent assembles a public relations team that does as much damage control as possible, Phoebe's career takes a nose-dive. In the meantime, her close friend Glenda, who is the president of a small private college, offers her a gig teaching writing, which she happily accepts.

Shortly after her arrival, however, Lyle College becomes the setting for a murder. The body of a coed is pulled out of the nearby river, and Glenda asks Phoebe to discreetly look into things, using her background as someone used to drawing secrets out of people, becoming the ultimate confidante, and digging into the past using various research methods. But what Phoebe finds is a secret society for girls known as The Sixes.

The Sixes are not only secretive (who are the members, how do they recruit, and what is the purpose?), but Phoebe begins to suspect that they may be behind the murder. Then Phoebe begins receiving sinister messages at her house, which she believes are being left by members of The Sixes.

Local police are looking into the events, but since the dean of students is convinced that this is the work of a serial killer the information about The Sixes is constantly pushed aside. Phoebe keeps plowing ahead with her investigation and, as she continues to be targeted. memories of her boarding school days with Glenda come flooding back when she was attacked by a secretive group, much like The Sixes. Are the two groups related? Has the old group caught up to her at long last?

While it took me a little while longer than I usually like for me to get hooked by the plot, once I was into the book, I found it thoroughly enjoyable and I could not put it down. About a third of the way in, I was thoroughly ensconced in both the plot and the characters, and I zipped quickly through the rest of the book in one sitting. Phoebe is an extremely well-written character -- she is relatable, sympathetic, intelligent, and the reader can't help but root for her. The friendship between her and Glenda is extremely believable, as well, and is enjoyable and comfortable to read.