Flashman in the Great Game

 begins with Flashman at 

Balmoral

 as a guest of 

Queen Victoria

. Here he meets with 

Lord Palmerston

, who recruits him to go to 

Jhansi

 in India and investigate rumors of an upcoming rebellion among the 

Sepoy

s. Flashman skulks through India in various disguises, narrowly avoiding death several times and witnessing firsthand the carnage of the 

Sepoy Mutiny

. 

Flashman in the Great Game

 covers the years 1856 to 1858. It also contains a number of notes by Fraser, in the guise of editor, giving additional historical information on the events described.

Plot summary

Flashman not only encounters Lord Palmerston at Balmoral, but also his old nemesis 

Nicholas Pavlovich Ignatiev

. He escapes assassination narrowly and journeys to 

Jhansi

 in India, where he meets 

Rani Lakshmi Bai

, the beautiful queen. He listens to her grievances against the 

British Raj

 and attempts to seduce her. Whether or not he is successful is unclear, but immediately afterwards Flashman is nearly 

garrote

d by 

Thuggee

s. In disguise as Makarram Khan, a Hasanzai of the Black Mountain, he takes refuge in the native cavalry at 

Meerut

. Unfortunately, Meerut is where the Sepoy Mutiny begins.