In 1939, Stanton Carlisle set fire to his own home after placing a corpse there and taking the world into his head by joining a traveling circus. As the main circus star falls ill, the owner asks Stan to help him get rid of the man, explaining how to find circus stars. As things move forward in the circus, Stan finds himself drawn into a world he never imagined existed, a dark world full of intrigue and horrific moments that often lead to death.