- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Williams Bay Today
By the People, for the People
Newly Released Convict Lands Job at Eccentric Mansion During Halley's Comet Hysteria
A locked-room murder mystery set against the backdrop of 1910 doomsday fears
Published on Mar. 8, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Newly released from prison, a young man named Stephen Pike takes a job as a footman at the eccentric Tithe Hall mansion, which is preparing for the arrival of Halley's Comet. As the staff scrambles to make the estate airtight, a murder occurs in a locked room, leaving Pike as the prime suspect due to his criminal past.
Why it matters
The story taps into the real-life mass hysteria that gripped England in 1910 over the impending arrival of Halley's Comet, which some feared would bring about the end of the world. The locked-room murder mystery also pays homage to classic detective fiction, while exploring themes of class divides and societal prejudices.
The details
Upon arriving at Tithe Hall, Pike encounters the stern butler Mr. Stokes and is tasked with looking after the mysterious and feared Aunt Decima. As the staff works frantically to prepare the estate for the predicted cataclysm, a body is discovered in a locked room on the night of Halley's Comet's arrival, despite the world not actually ending. As a newcomer with a criminal past, Pike becomes the prime suspect in the murder.
- In 1910, England was gripped by an apocalyptic frenzy surrounding the arrival of Halley's Comet.
- On the night of Halley's Comet's arrival, a body is discovered in a locked room at Tithe Hall.
The players
Stephen Pike
A young man recently released from a Borstal Institution (a British juvenile reformatory) who takes a job as a footman at the eccentric Tithe Hall mansion.
Mr. Stokes
The stern and calculating head butler at Tithe Hall.
Lord Stockingham-Welt
The master of Tithe Hall, who has gathered a group of guests in the hopes of surviving the predicted cataclysm from Halley's Comet.
Miss Decima
The elderly and mysterious aunt of Lord Stockingham-Welt, who is feared by the entire Tithe Hall staff.
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Stephen Pike out on bail.
The takeaway
This locked-room murder mystery set against the backdrop of Halley's Comet hysteria in 1910 England offers an entertaining and clever homage to classic detective fiction, while also exploring themes of class divides and societal prejudices.
