He was political, she was correct. He was an ex-cop, she considered policemen an unnecessary danger to people like her . or anybody. It was not a relationship made in heaven. But no one would think of Briarpatch College in that context, much less the isolated community of Middleville. Still, faculty and students alike were shocked when the dean was found dead. As the investigation uncovered more and more suspects, it became clear that the campus contained more complex personalities and more tangled relationships than anyone had suspected. If you’ve ever attended a small college, you’ve been to Briarpatch. Your alma mater’s endowment may be larger, the buildings newer and the football team more successful, but the faculty, the staff and the cafeteria food are the same everywhere.