Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon, published by Random House in 1992, is the second novel in the highly successful romance series, Outlander. Continuing the story of Claire Randall Fraser and Jamie Fraser, this novel returns the reader to 1744, as Claire and Jamie travel to France to escape the tyrannical forces led by Jack Randall, an ancestor of Claire’s first husband, Frank. The novel not only highlights the unlikely romance between a modern woman and a Jacobite man, but it gives the reader a first-row seat to the bloody struggle for the crown of both England and Scotland in the 18th century. The novel also contains dystopian elements. In 2014, Tall Ship Productions began a television series based on the Outlander series of books starring Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe.

This guide is based on the Dell Anniversary Edition published October 26, 2004.

Content Warning: This guide includes references to rape, sexual assault, and pregnancy loss, which are discussed in the source text.

Plot Summary

Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser returns to Inverness, Scotland in 1968 after the death of her husband, Frank. It has been 20 years since her last visit. She brings with her Brianna Randall, her soon-to-be 20-year-old daughter. Claire visits the adopted son of a friend, Roger Wakefield, to ask him to find out what happened to a list of men who fought in the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745-1746. Finding himself drawn to Brianna, Roger immediately digs into the investigation but finds he has trouble locating the men Claire has asked about because of similarities in names of the men who lived during that time. However, Roger learns that a handful of the men survived the final battle at Culloden. While investigating, Roger takes Claire and Brianna to a small church with an attached cemetery where he learned the grave of Frank’s ancestor, Jonathan Randall, lay. Roger and Brianna are shocked by Claire’s reaction to this grave, but even more shocked when she finds the grave of James Fraser and claims to be his wife.

Claire explains to Roger and Brianna how she was transported back in time from the Spring of 1946 to the year 1743 and how she was forced into a marriage with a Scottish man, Jamie Fraser. She goes on to explain how Jamie was wanted for murder and was captured and tortured by Jonathan ‘Jack’ Randall at Wentworth Prison. Claire rescued Jamie and together they left Scotland for France. From there, she begins to tell the story of how she and Jamie lived in Paris and tried to stop the disastrous rebellion that would culminate in the Battle of Culloden.

Claire and Jamie arrive in Le Havre, France so Jamie can meet with his cousin, Jared Fraser, a wine merchant. Jared, a Jacobite, knows that Jamie has been summoned to Paris to be a companion to Charles Stuart, who is due to arrive in Paris soon. He asks him to take over his wine business in Paris, an opportunity that will give Jamie the social clout he needs to travel in Charles’s social circle. Claire and Jamie arrive in Paris and set up house in Jared’s home, quickly making the necessary connections that allow Jamie to be invited to meet Charles Stuart’s cousin, the king of France, Louis XV. Jamie makes a favorable impression on the king and becomes a regular attendee to parties at Versailles. At the same time, Charles Stuart arrives, and Jamie becomes one of his close companions even though the king has not sanctioned Charles’s arrival in Paris, severely limiting his social life.

Jamie thinks that if he can stop Charles from raising money, it will stop him from beginning the Jacobite Uprising to reclaim the crowns of England and Scotland for his father. Jamie begins socializing with bankers and the king’s minister of finance, telling them that Charles would not be a good investment. As Jamie does this, he is nearly killed in the street by some fishermen. In the process, he meets a child, Fergus, whom he brings into their household to steal Charles’s correspondence so that Jamie can track his intentions toward the crowns of England and Scotland.

Claire grows bored with her domestic duties and convinces Jamie to allow her to begin volunteering at L’Hôpital des Anges. Through their social activities, Claire meets Mary Hawkins, the woman who will marry Jack Randall and have his child. Claire and Jamie are both upset by this meeting because they believe Jack Randall to be dead. After a hectic night at L’Hôpital des Anges, Claire is with Mary when they are attacked, and Mary is raped. Although Claire and Jamie try to hide Mary’s attack, she is found out and her reputation ruined.

Claire goes to the home of the Duke of Sandringham in hopes of reuniting Mary with the man she loves, Alexander Randall, but finds Jack Randall there instead. It turns out that the man thought to have died in Wentworth Prison’s dungeon was Jack’s orderly. Jamie is outraged to see Jack and threatens to kill him, but Claire convinces him to wait until after the time of the conception of Frank’s ancestor. However, after catching Jack hurting Fergus, Jamie challenges Jack to a duel. Claire tries to stop the fight but goes into premature labor and loses her child. She later learns the real reason for the fight and that Jamie did not kill Jack but wounded him in a way that made it impossible for him to father children.

As a result of the duel, Jamie and Claire must return to Scotland. They spend some time at Lallybroch with Jamie’s family, but soon learn that Charles is going forward with his fight for his father’s crown and that Jared has pledged Jamie’s loyalty. Jamie raises a troop of Lallybroch men, takes Claire and Fergus, and marches to meet Charles’ army. They participate in the fight at Prestonpans, and buoyed by their win, they continue as loyal supporters. After the battle for Stirling Castle, Charles asks Jamie to visit his grandfather and ask for the support of the Fraser clan. Jamie does and finds himself in a difficult position when his grandfather registers Jamie’s men as his own to set up a future play for Lallybroch. At the same time, Claire learns that Mary is pregnant with Alexander’s child, but Alexander is dying so he asks his brother to marry Mary.

On the night before Culloden, Claire panics because she knows the battle will be a disaster for the Highland clans. She tells Jamie the only way to stop it would be to kill Charles. Jamie refuses. Dougal overhears the conversation and tries to kill Claire in defense of his prince. Jamie kills Dougal to protect Claire. Aware that the MacKenzie clan will kill him for what he has done, Jamie takes Claire back to Craigh na Dun. He tells her he will lead his men away from the battle and then return to die in battle. Claire begs to stay with him, but he knows she is pregnant and wants the child to live. They mark each other and say their goodbyes.

When Claire finishes her story, Brianna refuses to believe it. Roger believes Claire, even when she tells him that she believes a woman who also traveled through the stones, Geillis Duncan, is his ancestor. She says they should find Geillis and tell her fate. Roger agrees and they hunt Geillis down, but she manages to get through the stones before they can stop her. Roger then tells Claire that Jamie did not die at Culloden.