On Mayfield Place, a cul-de-sac in the southern section of the fictional suburban town of Hinkley Hills, Ray Peterson is on vacation from work for a week and is trying to learn more about his mysterious, new next-door neighbors, the Klopeks, after hearing strange noises emanating from their basement late one night. Art Weingartner, the Petersons' other next-door neighbor, believes the Klopeks are murderers.