Charles Bigelow, a professor of entomology at Columbia University, is contacted by his estranged ex-wife, Margaret, after she inexplicably vanishes while visiting her hometown of Centerville, Illinois. Charles travels to Centerville to investigate her disappearance and is greeted by a seemingly perfect 1950s-style town where the residents act strangely aloof and secretive. His attempts to uncover the mystery become more urgent when he meets Margaret's mother, who denies knowing him or Margaret. With growing suspicions about the town's eerie atmosphere, Charles encounters a series of bizarre and unsettling events that make him question the reality around him.

Driven by his desire to find Margaret and protect their daughter, Elizabeth, Charles partners with Betty Walker, a tabloid journalist intrigued by his story. Together, they follow a trail of clues that lead them to bizarre encounters with extraterrestrial beings who have been living among the town's inhabitants. These strange invaders possess technology far beyond human understanding and have sinister plans that threaten their existence. The increasing danger and elusive answers compel Charles and Betty to race against time as they delve deeper into a web of deception and alien encroachment. The journey takes them into the dark heart of Centerville's mystery, revealing shocking truths about those they thought they knew.