The puppetmaster's apprentice, Pirouette Leiter, is tasked to build a wooden assassin by the Margrave of Tavia, or her puppetmaster father will be imprisoned.

Impressed by the work of the puppetmaster and his apprentice, Tavia's ruler, The Margrave, has ordered dozens of life-size marionette soldiers to be sent to Wolfspire Hall. When the puppetmaster is unable to fill the order for a hundred soldiers by the deadline, he is imprisoned in the Wolfspire Keep. Then the Margrave's son orders Pirouette, the puppetmaster's daughter, to create an assassin--and demands she bring it to life. Racing against the rise of the next blue moon--the magic that will bring her creations to life--she can't help but wonder: is she making a masterpiece--or a monster? -- Adapted from jacket.