The Servant Problem

In the sleepy town of Valleyview, the local oddball Francis Pfleuger spends his days cobbling together elaborate, Rube‑Goldberg‑style inventions in his kitchen. When an unmarked box arrives on April 1st, he assembles a glittering contraption that promises to tie a Möbius knot, only to watch it spring to life with flashing lights, humming sounds, and a sudden burst of strange energy that leaves the whole village buzzing. The incident leaves Francis bewildered and the town’s backdoor humming with an unfamiliar tone.

Into this unsettled scene rolls Philip Myles, a cautious driver who finds the streets shrouded in darkness and the town seemingly abandoned. He encounters a striking woman walking a peculiar, long‑eared dog, and asks her for directions to the home of the town’s attorney, Judith Darrow. Their brief exchange hints at hidden secrets waiting to surface in Valleyview’s quiet corners.