Raymond F. Jones 
Year When Stardust Fell 

A MYSTERIOUS "FALL-OUT" PARALYZES CIVILIZATION! Mayfield was the typical college town. Nothing too unusual ever happened there until a mysterious comet was suddenly observed by the scientists on College Hill. The copper-yellow glow of the comet seemed to have brought the whole world to a grinding halt. Here is science fiction at its thrilling best.(Goodreads)