The Professor's House is a novel about Professor Godfrey St. Peter, who moves to a house with his wife and experiences a mid-life crisis. His daughters have been married and he discusses with his son-in-laws the death of his student and daughter's fiance, Tom Outland, who died in World War I. After recalling Outland's expedition in New Mexico, Godfrey is left home alone where he nearly dies from a gas leak. He is rescued by his friend Augusta and decides to keep living.