Realistic settings are an essential trait of Westall's stories. His narratives acquaint the reader with the small villages of England with their shops, churches, tiny cottages, and isolated country lanes. The contrast between the comfortable familiarity of each setting and the sudden appearance of ghostly creatures and supernatural occurrences make such instances even more horrifying to the reader. Westall frequently uses somber, dreamlike settings to foreshadow evil.

In "Rachel and the Angel," the old church where Rachel's father is vicar and where she has amused herself hundreds of times, becomes a place of terror when Rachel discovers a mysterious figure near the altar.

The empty, hollow church reflects Rachel's boredom but also creates a somber, eerie mood. The sanctity of the church provides a stark contrast for the appearance of an evil angel, Zaphael, and the sudden appearance of the Ten Commandments on the wall of the church...