Young Edwin Turner has moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, after the death of his parents in Nottinghamshire, England. Soon after his arrival he chances to meet William Berridge, a watchmaker, who offers an apprenticeship to Edwin. William's pretty daughter Ann catches Edwin's eye and the couple marry and settle into the Berridge household. Edwin takes to watchmaking; he has the interest and skills to succeed. Nothing can get in his way. The first years of married life are happy; children arrive and business is good. However, a death in the family and a series of misfortunes upset their happiness. To take care of his family, Edwin is driven to find money in unexpected places. He is arrested for theft of watches and is temporarily incarcerated in Millbank, a London prison, famous for holding convicts destined for travel to Australia. Can Edwin escape this unexpected twist in his destiny? Edinburgh is the stunning backdrop for The Watchmaker. The novel offers insight into the living standards of all social classes - from the drawing rooms of the aristocracy to the workhouses of the poor. It examines the penal system in Victorian Britain and offers insight into the shortcomings of social justice at the time.