Stan Carlisle, an ambitious man with a troubled past, joins a traveling carnival, hoping to reinvent himself and leave behind a life of hardship. He quickly absorbs the tricks of the trade from the carnival's colorful crew, including clairvoyance and mentalism acts. Stan forms a bond with Zeena, a veteran performer with a talent for mind-reading, and her alcoholic husband Pete, who once had a successful mentalist act and now shares his secret code with Stan. Under their tutelage, Stan learns the ins and out of the mentalism performance. Sensing opportunity, Stan enhances his skills and becomes determined to use his newfound abilities to gain fame and fortune.

Seizing the chance to take his act to a more lucrative platform, Stan leaves the carnival behind and starts performing as a psychic medium for an upscale, urban audience. Along the way, he meets Dr. Lilith Ritter, a sophisticated psychiatrist who sees through his charade but finds him intriguing. They form a complex partnership, driven by mutual ambition and a darker brand of manipulation. As Stan's influence grows and he begins to taste success, the risks he takes start to escalate, and he finds himself entangled in a dangerous web of deceit. His quest for power and recognition becomes increasingly perilous, forcing him to confront the dark consequences of his actions.