In this final book of the trilogy about Charles Dicken's character Abel Magwitch in "Great Expectations", the story is told of Olivia and her husband. Olivia is the daughter of a woman who was transported to Australia. That woman's story appears in "The Magwitch Effect". Now both Olivia and Phillip Gargery are looking forward to a quiet settled life with their son in their bookshop in Sydney. But they become involved with the nephew of John King, the only survivor of the ill-fated Burke and Wills Expedition, with exciting results. The fact that there is a plot hidden behind their trials adds to their difficulties. As in the other two books that precede this one, historical characters make their appearance.