Fionnuala is mortified when son Padraig's two front teeth are knocked out in a common street brawl. Whatever will the neighbors think? The dentist's waiting list is months long, so she must go private. But where will she get the money?
While desperately cramming to appear on the TV quiz show Useless to win the funds, Fionnuala discovers many things about the world she had never cared to know. The most alarming to her is what scientists are up to in an underground tunnel in Switzerland: smashing atoms together at close to the speed of light. She's heard that toying with these things will lead to all manner of unmentionable catastrophes, such as portals into other universes, black holes, maybe even Armageddon.
It's like a knife in Fionnuala's heart when she learns that one of those scientists is none other than her estranged daughter Moira. How could her firstborn betray her mother so?
Determined for a showdown, Fionnuala must somehow get to Switzerland and, once she steps off the plane, she'll decide if she's there to punish or save her daughter. Or to save the entire world from destruction. How will she get to Switzerland, though? It's so far away and she hasn't two pennies to rub together. But when Fionnuala sets her mind to something...
Throw into the mix Fionnuala's arch enemies, Ursula and Jed Barnett, and you have a touching and uproarious darkly comic tale with a little science, a lot of family dysfunction and hopefully some reconciliation.
Contains the previously-released prequel A Difficult Birth.
Although this novel is part of the DERRY WOMEN SERIES, it's a complete story and can be enjoyed without having read the previous books.