Hector Macdonald: The Mind Game

By MICHELE HEWITSON

Ben Ashurst is a student at Oxford studying under the brilliant and arrogant James Fieldhead, a much-in-demand scientist who has written a revolutionary book exploring human deviancy. Now he's turned his interest to a device of his own invention which can measure human emotion. He persuades his student to test it, offering him the carrot of three weeks at a Kenyan resort with his beautiful new girlfriend.

The Mind Game begins with, well, a mind game: a sophisticated version of truth and dare played by Ashurst and his fellow students. The best liar wins.

How good Ashurst is at figuring out who's telling the truth will eventually determine his fate.

Smart, slick fun, Macdonald proves himself a proficient player of the plotting game. He's clever enough to let you believe you've worked out what's happening in Ashurst's nightmare - just before he changes the rules one last time.

Penguin

$22.95