From bestselling author Alina Adams comes a razor-sharp murder mystery where elite kindergarten admissions turn deadly – and everyone has secrets worth killing for.

Admissions decisions are due within the week. The woman who makes them just turned up dead.

Manhattan’s Arete Academy for the Gifted won’t let a little thing like murder derail their mission to accept the best and brightest kindergarteners. But Jamie Perlow, the admissions director’s assistant, isn’t buying the “tragic accident” story used to explain the death of her boss.

Suddenly promoted to interim director – and amateur sleuth – Jamie discovers four families were up for final review. All four are desperate. All four have secrets. And one of them may be willing to kill.

As Jamie investigates Manhattan’s cutthroat private school world, she realizes the truth may cost her more than these families’ combined fortunes.

With Decision Day looming and a killer still at large, Jamie must determine who deserves admission to Aggie… and which parent would murder to secure their child’s spot.

Rights sold:

World: Lake Union Publishing

Praise: “A wickedly smart take on private school admissions, and just how far (some) parents will go for their offspring. Deliciously subversive and endlessly entertaining – I could not stop reading… or questioning my own parental devotion. Adams doesn’t back down – or let up – in her most provocative, juicy and bold book yet.” —Rebecca Hanover Kurzweil, author of THE SIMILARS

“Alina Adams has written a wickedly funny novel that is at once a page-turning mystery while also brilliantly spoofing New York City kindergarten admissions. Entitled parents, officious principals – even spoiled children – are all equally skewered much to the reader’s delight. I laughed a lot and turned pages eagerly. If this book were applying to school, it would be the first admitted. A great read.” —Dan Elish, author of THE SCHOOL FOR THE INSANELY GIFTED