Ever since the extraordinary events of Inkspell, when the story of Inkheart magically drew Meggie, Mo and Dustfinger back into its pages, life in the Inkworld has been far from easy. With Dustfinger dead, and the evil Adderhead now in control, the story in which they are all caught has taken an unhappy turn. Even Elinor, left alone in the real world, believes her family to be lost-lost between the covers of a book. As winter turns to spring, there is reason to hope - but only if Meggie and her father, and their loyal band of followers, are ready to make a dangerous deal with death.