Little orphan Jennifer, her four friends, and her loyal puppy Jack get lost in the remains of an ancient city. The sight of a skeleton and the discovery of a code that is difficult to decipher are an omen of fantastic adventures among the tombs and chapels of a cemetery. But what the children discovered arouses the macabre interest of the ruthless Professor Kails, a man passionate about ancient history, who has long been in search of Darragh's skeleton....

"Lost in a new world, Lyra finds Will-a boy on the run, a murderer-a worthy and welcome ally. For this is a world where soul-eating Specters stalk the streets and witches share the skies with troops of angels. Each is searching-Lyra for the meaning of Dark Matter, Will for his missing father-but what they find instead is a deadly secret, a knife of untold power. And neither Lyra nor Will suspects how tightly their lives, their loves, their destinies...