In The Imp in the Bottle, the Quigley Family faces two unusual challenges. In a family like the Quigleys it is easy to develop a sense that you're not up to the challenge thrown down by the older members. This feeling is widely felt by the younger Quigleys but, one by one, they face their "trials" with bravery and wit. Nothing is as important to their method of coping with demons and creatures out of myth than a good sense of humor. In The Imp in the Bottle, two of the Quigleys face trials: Gordon MacKinnon and Billy Quigley-Arbuthnott, known in his previous life as Beelzebub. Gordon proves to be a tempting target since he's feeling inadequate when he compares himself to his formidable cousins. The demons vying for the throne in Hell judge him to be ready for the picking. Will he measure up to his cousins or fail the test. Further south, Billy has been left behind when he parents journeyed to Russia to excavate some children's mummies. To keep him busy, his grandfather, Roarke, suggests he start his own archaeological dig on the edge of the moors. The idea is accepted with alacrity but Billy gets more than he bargained for. Dreams of a distant past haunt his dreams as he follows in the footsteps of another "dreamer", his cousin Mawdie. Will Billy handle himself as well as his beloved cousin?