Ben Suter

Two married couples find only trouble and heartache as their complicated lives unfold. After 40 years of marriage, Alfie leaves his wife to pursue what he thinks is happiness with a call girl. His wife, Helena, reeling from abandonment, decides to follow the advice of a psychic. Sally, the daughter of Alfie and Helena, is unhappy in her marriage and develops a crush on her boss, while her husband, Roy, falls for a woman engaged to be married.

われわれが住む世界と似ている並行世界の中の英国オックスフォード。幼いころに両親を亡くし、オックスフォード大の学寮で育った12歳の少女ライラだが、彼女の叔父アスリエル卿は“ダスト”と呼ばれる謎の粒子の秘密を調べるべく、北の地へ探検に向かう。そんなライラに上流社会の実力者コールター夫人が接近してくる一方、ライラの周囲で子どもが次々と失踪する。ついにライラの親友の少年ロジャーまでもが失踪してしまう。