S.T.A.G.S.

**S.T.A.G.S.** is a young adult mystery thriller written by M.A.Bennett. It is narrated by Greer, the scholarship recipient to St Aiden the Great School, and invitee to the annual Huntin', Shootin', Fishin' weekend.

"*A darkly compelling examination of the allure of privilege."* - Guardian

## Synopsis

It is the autumn term and Greer MacDonald is struggling to settle into the sixth form at the exclusive St. Aidan the Great boarding school, known to its privileged pupils as S.T.A.G.S. Just when she despairs of making friends Greer receives a mysterious invitation with three words embossed upon on it: Huntin' Shootin' Fishin'. When Greer learns that the invitation is to spend the half term weekend at the country manor of Henry de Warlencourt, the most popular and wealthy boy at STAGS, she is as surprised as she is flattered.

But when Greer joins the other chosen few at the ancient and sprawling Longcross Hall, she realises that Henry's parents are not at home; the only adults present are a cohort of eerily compliant servants. The students are at the mercy of their capricious host, and, over the next three days, as the three bloodsports - hunting, shooting and fishing - become increasingly dark and twisted, Greer comes to the horrifying realization that those being hunted are not wild game, but the very misfits Henry has brought with him from school...

## Plot

Chapter 1

"I think I might be a murderer"

With the immediate foreshadowing, we begin the book as narrator, Greer, contemplates her status as "manslaughterer". She describes the essence of foxhunting, a popular past-time synonymous with the upper class and privileged: the idea of faulting a collective, that each fox hunter is responsible for a fox's death. Following her confession, Greer begins to describe her new found situation. A student at Bewley Comprehensive School, Manchester turned STAGS scholarship recipient. There's a deep contrast between the schools implied, Bewley Park riddled with Graffiti, whereas STAGS has a chapel covered in frescoes, - in tandem with Greer's northern accent, Mancunian upbringing and less than middle class life style, readers understand her lack of belonging. *See here for information on St Aiden the Great School.* We are then introduced to Greer's dad, his occupation as a wildlife cameraman involving longtime travel reasoning the change in schools. Nick was to be away for 2 years making wildlife documentary for the BBC, and if Greer hadn't arranged to come to STAGS, she would result to living with her aunt Karen. Their relationship is established to be very healthy, a popular game between the pair being to determine a movie that correlates with any given situation/something they see. The mutual appreciation of films and her fathers easygoing nature implies Greer's love for her father.

8 months later, Greer begins as a sixth form student as STAGS. She notes the heavy emphasis on the school emblem, the stag, as antlers bristle from every wall. The nature of the school is devout, very religious, and its mentioned Greer...is not. Yet another differing factor between her and the STAG students.

## Dedication

"To Conrad and Ruby, who are medieval and savage in all the right places"

## Characters

### Main Characters

* Greer Macdonald
* Shafeen Jadeja
* Henry de Warlencourt
* Chanel Ashton

### Supporting Characters

* Piers Holland
* Henry Cookson
* Lara Petrova
* Esme Dawson
* Charlotte Lachlan-Young
* Perfect

## Movies Mentioned

- Chapter 1 : Another Country. Zero de Conduite. Harry Potter (1-8).

## Gallery

### Videos

S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett - Official Book Trailer