Katya Romanova gave up everything to work at the one-of-a-kind Steampunk Carnival - her family, her home, her reputation. She wouldn't want to be anywhere else. As a guide to the guests, Katya enjoys more freedom than most. She makes time to gossip with her best friend, Magdalene. She basks in the elaborate costumes that bring her awed attention, hoping they might also win her a husband. And no man pays her more attention than her boss and carnival owner, William Warden.But in the summer of 1887, death threats against Mr. Warden break the spell. Katya knows he might be as underhanded as he is charming, but who would actually want him dead? When Katya finds unexpected evidence about the carnival's true origins, the stakes jump even higher. Not sure whom they can trust, Katya and Magdalene work to unravel the carnival's mysteries. Who really invented the innovative rides? Is Mr. Warden protecting his employees or only himself from the looming violence? And will Katya cling to the better side of his nature or eventually turn her affections for him into a powerful rivalry?