Having recently escaped from being behind German lines in Belgium , William was feeling bemused and tired by events. The stalemate of the Western Front promised no change, as everyone realised that there was little likelihood of a sudden victory.

Having spent so long simply surviving, his spying activities seemed inconsequential to him. However, on his safe arrival back in England , he was informed by his superiors that he had been instrumental in assisting the code-breakers in making real headway at confounding their German adversaries by breaking their codes to the U Boats.

The tide was turning, they said. The new, improved convoy system with the added bonus of intercepted wireless messages meant the U Boat menace was less effective and more and more ships were getting through. The German policy of starving Britain into submission had failed.

To compound the German's problems, America declared war against them and their allies in April 1917. However, as they had only a small army, they had to recruit and train nearly three million men. By the end of the year the Americans began to send soldiers in sufficient quantity to make a difference. However, as if to counterbalance this, the Russians had capitulated after their revolution, making peace with the Germans. This had the effect of effectively releasing the thousands of soldiers who were no longer required on the Eastern front.

Having spent eight months living as Sabine, William was not really comfortable to be himself again. However, neither was he comfortable leading a double life involving deceit and pretence. He knew that he could no longer switch back and forth. His sanity couldn't take it. As much as he felt at home as a female, he knew that he could not realistically expect to be able to do so. Society did not view his condition favourably and there was no medical avenue that would permit him to alter what or who he was.

In short, he determined that as he was born to be William Knox, so he would remain as William Knox until his death.

The Narrator, the retired Rev. Gerald Davidson was originally given the Journals by a young American woman called Kerry-Anne Phillips who just happened to knock on his door and announce that she had lived before, as William Knox. Initially somewhat sceptical, he is convinced of her story when she produces irrefutable evidence that she had indeed lived before, and he recognises that inside she retains much of his old friend's strength of character and mental agility.