Nicole has always struggled against the expectations that come from being the daughter of a small-town mayor. When mysterious travelers bring a terrible mechanical monster to the village, her forbidden talents in alchemy become a matter of life and death.
Meanwhile, in the city of Three Rivers, Inquisitor Roderick brings the final chapter of his monster-hunting career to a close with the execution of The Clockwork Killer. However, a strange murder forces Roderick to resume an investigation that suggests that even in death, Clockwork Killer's homicidal plans were still unfolding.
Nicole is trapped in a mortal struggle as her home is decimated. Roderick must find a way to destroy an invincible monstrous construct. If either fails, the people of Whispers are doomed.