A group of friends—Anna, Brian, Claire, and David—decide to spend a weekend at a secluded, historical estate they’ve rented online. The estate, known as Hawthorn Manor, is a sprawling Victorian house with a dark reputation. As they arrive, the caretaker, Mr. Whitaker, warns them of the house’s strange history but dismisses their concerns with a chuckle. They are intrigued and somewhat unnerved but decide to stay anyway.