London 1760 for Jamie Frazier parole prisoner of war in the remote Lake district life could be worse he's not cutting sugar cane in the West Indies and he's close enough to the sun he cannot claim his as his own. but Jamie Frazier quite quiet existence is coming apart at the seams interrupted first by dreams of his lost wife then by the appearance of Tobias Quinn and Earth's wild comrade from the rising. like many of the jacobites who aren't dead or in prison Quinn still lives and breathes for the cause. his latest plan involves an ancient relic that will rally the Irish and Jamie is having none of it he's sworn off politics fighting in war. until the Lord John Gray shows up with a summons that would take him away from everything he loves again. Lord John Gray aristocrat soldier and occasional spy finds himself in possession of a packet of explosive documents exposes a damning cause of corruption against the British officer. but they also more insidious danger time is of the essence as investigation leads to Ireland with a baffling message left and Earth the tongue favored by Scottish highlanders. Lord John who oversaw the jacobites prisons when he was governor of ardsmere prison since Jamie may be able to translate but will he do it will he agree? sir Lord John and Jamie are unwilling companions on the road to Ireland a country whose dark castles holds dreadful secrets and whose bogs hide the bones of the Dead. a captivating return to the world of Diana Gabaldon created in her outlander and John Lord John series the Scottish prisoner is another masterpiece of epic history wicked deceit and scores that can only be settled in blood.