Orphan Elizabeth Somers has been sent away by her malevolent Aunt Purdy and Uncle Burlap on a train ride to the Winterhouse Hotel. She is to stay there while they are away on vacation for three weeks. Elizabeth isn’t looking forward to staying in this boring, stuffy hotel, but she doesn’t anticipate the charms that await her. Within the hotel’s library, she discovers a magical book of puzzles that unlocks a mystery and some sinister secrets. From this moment on, her boring getaway turns into quite the adventure.