us to a simpler time in the small Ohio town of Zebedee. Summer night picnics out under the stars. Hot coco and chocolate chip cookies before bed. Lewis Barnavelt goes to live with his Uncle Jonathan. In his uncle's stone mansion,the nightly tick -tock-tick-tock sounds of an approaching evil. Their nightly exploring doesn't locate the mysterious clock. Time is running out for Lewis, Uncle Jonathan and their peculiar neighbour Miss Zimmermann to stop it.