Trouble With Swords is the second book in the Temporal Detective Agency series, following on from where the adventures in Leap of Faith leave Arthur's sword, Excalibur, has been stolen and without his talisman Arthur and his kingdom could be doomed. Merlin, the exceptionally good looking and clever wizard, calls on the Temporal Detective Agency to help. The Agency agrees and soon finds that the case is a lot more complicated than they thought with someone trying to eliminate Arthur from History itself. Merlin's sister Marlene, who also happens to be head of the Agency thinks up a plan that could solve the case, but it means that first of all Arthur must die and he and Merlin must agree!

The Agency meet Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Lancelot, Galahad. Gawain, Shakespeare and his three witches before finally having a showdown in the Roman Coliseum where among other things, the Roman candle is invented!