The Clockwork Three takes place in the late 19th century, in a fictional coastal town in America. The story follows three young kids, each facing their own difficult situations. The first person you meet is Giuseppe, a young Italian kid who was sold off by his uncle to a patron in America after the death of his parents. He works on the corners of the city, playing an old fiddle in order to make enough to eat for the day. On one fateful day, he finds a green violin and it changes his luck forever.
Frederick is an apprentice clockmaker who was bought by his master from an orphanage where he was abandoned by his mother. Frederick has always had a knack for fixing things and he really wants to earn the title of journeyman, which will mean that he will be recognized as a clockmaker by the guild and he can open his own shop. In his ambition, he has decided to start making a clockwork man and it's as he is making this that he meets Giuseppe and Hannah. Hannah of course, is the third main character in the book. She is a maid in a hotel and serves as the main provider for her family after her father had a stroke leaving him unable to speak or walk. Hannah is a very smart girl and loves to learn but must work at the hotel to make sure her family has enough to buy food and pay rent. One day, she overhears her boss and the head maid speaking about a treasure hidden in the hotel. When her father takes a turn for the worse, Hannah determines that she must find the treasure to help pay for the medical costs no matter what.
