Pauline Pearson was a pupil at Barnaby Grange, a posh private school which treated its unfortunate inmates as little more than an inconvenience, spending the minimum amount of money on their welfare. Pauline's problems began when she inherited ownership of the school, antagonising the ten members of the teaching staff, one of whom tried repeatedly to kill her in various ways, some more subtle than others. Pauline was forced to divide her time between the school routine and trying to stay alive and uncover the identity of her would-be killer, in the face of total disbelief in her plight from everyone else at Barnaby Grange.