Set in the neo-Victorian city of The Burgue, Carnival Row follows a world where mythological immigrant creatures struggle to coexist with humans. The city is a melting pot of tension, where the fae folk are forbidden to live, love, or fly with freedom. Amidst this social unrest, a series of gruesome murders begins to plague the city, threatening the fragile peace between the human population and the refugees fleeing their war-torn homeland. The narrative centers on Rycroft Philostrate, a human detective with a secret past, and Vignette Stonemoss, a faerie refugee who arrives in the city seeking a new life. As Philo investigates the string of killings, he finds himself drawn back to Vignette, reigniting a forbidden romance that is complicated by political conspiracies, class warfare, and the dark secrets of the city's ruling elite.