The Mind Game - Hardcover

After agreeing to pariticipate in an experiment in the biology of human emotion for his Oxford tutor in exchange for a trip to a luxury resort in Kenya, Ben Ashurst soon discovers the terrifying reality behind the seeming paradise as he becomes ensnared in a lethal and cunning labyrinth linked to his tutor's obsession with game theory. A first novel. 50,000 first printing.

science and the logic of game theory combine to form an utterly original, spellbinding novel of suspense.

"First rule of game theory: do whatever produces the optimal final outcome for you."
"I didn't know we were playing a game."
"But of course we are. . . ."

An expert in animal behavior with a brilliant analytical mind, charismatic Oxford professor James Fieldhead needs a willing subject to test a groundbreaking device that may offer the key to understanding human emotions. Encouraged by Cara, his seductive new girlfriend, Ben Ashurst agrees to participate in the study, honored to be part of the first crucial stage of life-changing research. With a luxury resort on a pristine beach in Kenya as the site of the experiment, and Cara along for the ride, it seems a perfect way to spend the winter holiday. Yet beneath the surface of a sunny paradise awaits something cold and ruthless.

As the experiment veers from abstract th