After losing his parents, ten-year-old Lewis Barnavelt is sent to live with his estranged uncle Jonathan in the sleepy town of New Zebedee, Michigan. Uncle Jonathan, an eccentric man with a penchant for the unusual, lives in a vast, mysterious mansion that seems to have a life of its own. Lewis soon learns that his uncle is, in fact, a warlock, albeit an amateur one, while their feisty and enigmatic neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman, turns out to be a far more powerful and skilled witch. The house, with its twisting corridors and endless secrets, harbors a dark and dangerous artifact: a clock with the power to bring about the end of the world, hidden within its walls by the previous owners.

As Lewis tries to fit in with his new surroundings and deals with the perils of starting at a new school, he also becomes fascinated by the world of magic. Eager to prove himself, he inadvertently unlocks a malevolent force that threatens the safety of the house and its inhabitants. Lewis must then join forces with Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman to find the clock and unravel the mystery behind its creation. Together, they delve into the realms of sorcery and confront a host of supernatural creatures, while the relentless tick of the hidden clock counts down, urging them to avert the impending doom it signifies.