A growing population of mythological immigrant creatures struggles to coexist with humans after the creatures' exotic homelands are invaded by the empires of man. The creatures are forbidden to live, love or fly with freedom, but hope lives in darkness. Human detective Rycroft "Philo" Philostrate and a refugee faerie, Vignette Stonemoss, rekindle a dangerous affair despite being in an increasingly intolerant society. Vignette has a secret that endangers Philo's world during his most important case yet -- a string of gruesome murders threatening the uneasy peace of the Row.