A drama set in post-World War II Brooklyn revolves around Sophie, a Polish Catholic beauty who survived Auschwitz, her lover, Nathan, and Stingo, a would-be writer. As the three grow closer, Stingo discovers the captivating and moving truths that each harbors.

When a freak virus kills all but four passengers on an airplane at JFK, Ephraim Goodweather, head of the Center for Disease Control's "Canary Team," is immediately called to the scene. With help from a mysterious Holocaust survivor, "Eph" and his colleague uncover the outbreak's ties to vampirism. Now, the only way to stop the terrifying disease from wiping out mankind is to face its source, a sinister supernatural creature known as "The Master."

The past has cast a long shadow over the present. A picturesque farm is where the now-married Melanie lives unhappily with her husband. When Melanie invites fellow Holocaust survivor Jakob to her home, he unexpectedly brings Christopher, whose love for Melanie has never diminished since their confinement in an internment camp. Old feelings and long-suppressed memories are stirred up and reveal a climactic, life-changing feasts.