Chapter 1 Summary

The novel opens with a detailed description of the homes on A Street in Washington DC. Most of the houses appear plain and similar, except one Victorian style home in the middle of the block. The author describes it as a cupcake among bran muffins.

Kate Flynn, the protagonist, resides in a plain townhome next to the Victorian style house of David Dodd. In chapter one, Kate hears a crash in her house and runs to the entrance to her basement. She assumes that any scary noises would originate there. At the same time, Dave enters her house from next door. He informs Kate that he saw an object crash through her roof. Together, they investigate the resulting hole in the ceiling of her second and third floors. They proceed to her bedroom, where they find a large hole extending through her second...