The events take place in a fictional small town in contemporary times. As the title indicates, the entire book takes place in "dark November" during those days between Halloween and Thanksgiving when nothing much of interest is likely to happen.

Miss Gorley's attic with its "cupboards and closets, and hiding places, nooks and crannies . . . a place where children might look to play on rainy afternoons . . . or then again, perhaps not" is a place where frightening things happen. Repeated references to stairs and banisters call attention to this place.