Thursday Next, a Special Operative in literary detection in a time-altered Great Britain in which messing with the classics is a punishable offense, sets out to find out who drowned her husband of a month thirty-eight years ago while interacting with classic literature.

The Bookworld's leading enforcement officer, Thursday Next, has been forced into semi-retirement following an assassination attempt. After returning home to Swindon and her family to recuperate, she finds that her children have problems that need her attention.