Lili Huang has only just moved to Hollow Bend when she notices the puppet shop across the street.
Virelle's Marionettes & Fine Toys has been closed for years. The windows are dusty. The door is locked. Everyone says nobody goes inside.
But at night, the lights glow.
The puppets tap on the glass.
And the woman behind the counter smiles like she has been waiting for Lili all along.
When Madame Virelle gives Lili a puppet called Pip, Lili refuses to keep it. But Pip keeps coming back. Then a red string appears around Lili's wrist - thin, tight, and impossible to remove.
Soon Lili discovers Hollow Bend has lost children before.
If she cannot uncover the truth behind the puppet shop, Madame Virelle will add one more puppet to her collection.
Because some strings are not meant to be pulled.