Twelve-year-old asthmatic Daniel is sent to stay with his bossy cousin, Amy, her mum, and two cats in the Scottish countryside during the Christmas holidays while his parents try to sort out their problems. Daniel expects to be bored, until Amy finds an old jigsaw puzzle in the attic. As they make the jigsaw, Daniel's holiday turns to nightmare when Amy's cottage and garden start to resemble the old cottage on the picture.

In between, they discover the cottage and nearby woods are in danger from land developers and Daniel and Amy need to find the missing Title Deeds. Daniel discovers a rare flower growing in the local woods, and when he hears the call of the endangered Scottish Capercaillie bird he suspects the woods might be saved. But where are the title deeds to the cottage?

After they eventually complete the jigsaw, and find a strangely written puzzle hidden in the box, Daniel and Amy find themselves trapped inside the empty Victorian version of the cottage with no way out. Will they solve the puzzle and find their way back to the present before it's too late?