On the night before Hogswatch, the holiday where kids anticipate presents from the beloved Hogfather, Death notices that the Hogfather's life-timer is lying broken on the floor of his castle. Could it be that Hogswatch will not happen this year?
Lord Downey, the Head of The Assassins’ Guild, is approached with a proposal: enlist the ruthless Mr. Teatime to kill the Hogfather. When the Hogfather disappears, Death is summoned to fill the fat man’s shoes, and a further plan to outwit the Auditors is underway. But who can stop them? Death’s adopted granddaughter and mild-mannered governess Susan Sto-Helit? Mustrum Ridcully, Head of the Unseen University? Ridcully’s motley band of wizards? Hex, the thinking engine?