Nobody wants Tulip in their gang. She skives off school, cheeks the teachers, and makes herself unpopular with her classmates by telling the most awful lies. None of this matters to Natalie. Natalie finds Tulip exciting, and at first she doesnt care that other people are so upset and unnerved by Tulips bizarre games like Stinking Mackerel and Road of Bones. Its funny to watch their reactions, and theres always the delicious fear that the two girls might be caught. But as the games become increasingly sinister and dangerous, Natalie realizes that Tulip is going too far. Much too far. Natalie could try to change things. But deep inside she knows that, once crossed, Tulip wont rest until shes won the most dangerous game of all. In this compelling story Anne Fine explores the dark side of a friendship bordering on obsession, and sensitively depicts one girls gradual decline into hostility and violence.