Tulip is different from anyone Natalie has ever met, and from the first day of their friendship, Natalie falls under her spell. If Tulip skips school and is rude to the teachers, that's part of her magnetism. If Tulip tells lies to the other girls in school, that only shows how special she is. Tulip can lie so convincingly that Natalie almost has to believe her -- that's the Tulip Touch. And then there are the games that Tulip makes up. Natalie finds herself making others the target of scorn as she and Tulip play Stinking Mackerel or Road of Bones. Then the games start to become menacing and dangerous. Natalie decides she must escape from Tulip, but deep inside she knows that such an escape will cause Tulip to play the most dangerous game of all. Anne Fine has created a compelling story that reverberates long after its final page has been turned.