While desperately cramming to appear on the TV quiz show Useless, Fionnuala Flood 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. 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. 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.