The phrase is sometimes used in academic or sociological contexts to describe environments of extreme poverty, decay, or "social stratification".

When Uncle Gid is kidnapped, the children must navigate the decaying house, which is literally and metaphorically infested with rats. They eventually discover that the "rats" are not just vermin but central to a darker secret involving their uncle's past.

It is used as a cryptic or descriptive label within the plot to point toward a specific location or a metaphor for a place filled with treachery. 4. Psychological & Sociological Metaphor

of the Stephen Elboz novel or a summary of the crime plot in Talmage Powell's work, once you confirm the author or medium.

It typically involves gritty underworld dealings and the "rat-like" behavior of criminals trapped in a high-stakes situation. It is often featured in "Pulp Crime Megapacks" or anthologies. 3. The Law and the Lady (Chapter Reference)

Powell, a prolific pulp fiction writer, wrote a crime/thriller story under this title. Pulp Crime/Noir.

This is a notable children’s Gothic novel. The story follows a group of orphans—Lucinda, Matthew, and their siblings—who live in a crumbling mansion with their eccentric and distant guardian, Uncle Gid.

It represents a space where the inhabitants are neglected by society and left to "scavenge," often used in critiques of urban decay or the plantation world.