Claire Randall, a married World War II combat nurse accidentally falls back in time while visiting Inverness - to 1743. She falls in with a group of rebel Highlanders who are being pursued by British redcoats led by Captain Jonathan "Black Jack" Randall - her husband Frank's ancestor. Out of necessity Claire marries a Highlander, Jamie Fraser, but they quickly fall in love. Clan MacKenzie suspect her of being a spy, but retain her as a healer, which prevents her from attempting to return to her own time. Claire must deal with her loyalties torn between two men in two vastly different times, battle threats from the ruthless Redcoats, deal with Clan politics and reconcile her modern mindset to the 18th century.