*** SPOILER ALERT! *** This page may contain spoilers. Read only if you want to know!

(Published in 2009)

Brianna, Roger, Jem, and Mandy are safe in the 20th century at Lallybroch. They are reading letters from Claire and Jamie from the past, one of which mentions hidden gold, with a location known only to Jem. Brianna and Roger do not ask Jem about it. William Buccleigh, Roger's Scottish ancestor who caused him to be hanged out of jealously when he misunderstood Roger's excitement over meeting his wife, accidentally travels through the stones and frightens the family. He appears to mean no harm and would like to go back to the past. Given his date of death on the family record, Brianna and Roger know that he is unlikely to make it safely back to his family. Rob Cameron, one of Brianna's coworkers, kidnaps Jem. It appears that he has taken Jem through the stones, and Roger and William go through the stones in search of Jem. Then Rob shows up at Brianna's home and says she should tell Jem to disclose the location of the gold. Jem is locked underground at the dam where Brianna and Rob work, finds the electric train, and starts going through the darkness. There are time-travel stones further in the tunnel. The book ends before we find out what happens to Jem.

Meanwhile, in the past, others have their own adventures. Lord William Ellesmere (actually Jamie's son but raised as Lord John Grey's son) is becoming involved in the American Revolution as a Redcoat but is repeatedly embarrassed. His adventures as a spy are unsuccessful, and he does not see military action until the battle of Saratoga - there, however, he distinguishes himself. Arch and Murdina Bug go after the gold on the ridge, Mrs. Bug shoots Jamie when he tells her to stop, and Ian shoots her. Despite the fact that Mrs. Bug shot Jamie, Ian feels very guilty for killing Mrs. Bug, who was a grandmother figure to him. Arch declares that he will wait until Ian has someone worth losing and then take his revenge. Claire, Jamie, and Ian leave their mountain home, bound for Scotland. They plan to see Jenny, Ian, and their children, and also to get Jamie's printing press and bring it back to America. Jamie prefers not to be involved in battles, as he does not want to face his son William over a rifle.

While they are on a boat, shenanigans occur; they end up back in America against their will and involved in the war. Jamie accidentally shoots the hat off William's head in one of the battles of Saratoga. A Fraser relative on the British side is killed, and Jamie and Claire are asked to take his body back to Scotland. A stranger tries to blackmail Jamie, but Ian kills him, and leaves his dog Rollo with a Quaker woman named Rachel Hunter, whom Ian has fallen in love with. Jamie, Claire, and Ian all make it to Scotland. Ian the elder, husband to Jamie's sister Jenny and Jamie's best childhood friend, is dying of consumption when they arrive. Ian and Jenny are ecstatic that Ian the younger has made it back "in time," but Jenny is hostile to Claire who is unable (Jenny believes unwilling) to cure Ian. Jamie apologizes to Laoghaire for never loving her, she is still angry, but she has a crippled servant whom she is in love with. Laoghaire's daughter (and Jamie's adopted daughter) Joan needs Laoghaire to marry the servant so that she can become a nun; otherwise, she believes her duty is to take care of her mother and prevent them from sinning. A letter from Laoghaire's daughter Marsali comes; her son Henri-Christian is very ill, and she needs Claire to come immediately. Claire works out a deal with Laoghaire—she will immediately attend to Laoghaire's grandson Henri-Christian, if Laoghaire will marry the servant, stop taking alimony from Jamie, and help Joan to become a nun. Unbeknownst to Laoghaire, Claire would have gone anyway since she considers Henri-Christian her grandson as well. Then Claire departs, along with Ian, who wants to find and marry Rachel.

Claire is able to save Henri-Christian's life, with the help of Lord John. She also successfully saves Lord John's injured nephew Henry. Lord John's niece Dottie has come to America as well, pretending she is in love with William; but she is actually in love with Rachel's brother, Quaker physician Denzell Hunter. Claire receives a letter from Jamie, telling her Ian has died and Jenny has decided to leave Lallybroch. Then Claire gets terrible news - the ship that Jamie and Jenny were on has sunk. Lord John is also very distraught. Claire is about to be arrested for being a spy. Lord John insists on marrying Claire for her protection, as well as for the protection of Fergus, Marsali, and their children, as a last service to Jamie. Claire agrees. They are friends, and sleep together out of sorrow. Arch tries to kill Rachel, but Ian fights him. Arch almost takes Ian's arm off with an ax, then William shoots and kills Arch. Ian's arm is fine, only muscles and bone have been injured but not the nerves. Ian and Rachel are in love. Jamie shows up out of the blue, turns out he took a different ship and did not die. Redcoats are after him, so he pretends to take Lord John hostage and flees, but not before William sees him and realizes that Jamie is his father because of the family resemblance. William flies into a rage and storms out.

~ From WikipediA