What is the tone of The Possibility of Evil?

When: The story presumably occurs in the 1950s, which is evident from the fact that the features of the town, such as shops, seem to be old fashioned.

Where: The story occurs in a small city, which is shown from the fact that Miss Strangeworth "...knew everyone in town." In the story, the city is presented as a neat city, which is seen from the well-organized layout of the city.

Atmosphere: Despite the nice and neat looking of the city, the atmosphere of the city is filled with anxiety, tension and suspense.