Militant environmentalists Kate and Joe witness, and videotape, the rapid growth of a gigantic root system that literally begins mowing through the country like an earthquake. At the same time, government agent Jack Taylor contacts plant expert Jocelyn Snow, who discovers that her ex-colleague, Frame Marcos, is the probable source of the ancient seed that started the whole ecological disaster. Under the growing threat of massive tsunamis should the enormous root system burrow under the ocean, Jack, Jocelyn, Joe and Kate confront Frame in his compound, then return to the place where it all began, with the hopes that Jocelyn can disable the embryonic root and bring the disaster to an end.

Holmes is hired by Roland Carstairs to prevent the theft of the Star of Rhodesia, an enormous diamond owned by Carstairs mother, Lady Margaret. Believing the diamond will be stolen on a train trip from London to Edinburgh, Holmes deftly switches diamonds with Lady Margaret while in her compartment. Soon after, Roland is murdered and the fake diamond is stolen. Red herrings abound as Holmes, aided by Dr. Watson and Inspector Lestrade, discover the murderer s hiding place and deduce that long-time foe Moriarty s henchman Colonel Sebastian Moran is somehow involved in the crime.