Carrion Men tells the dual tale of dog fighting in the city and a young woman's fight against mental illness over the space of a year in the heart of the city. Scarlet works part time in a bookshop, is a successful freelance illustrator and has severe depression. As her condition worsens she starts to see a therapist and deal with her illness. Thatch is a dogman, having spent years running dog fights and breeding grand champions he rents the building next to Scarlet's apartment to stage fights and train his animals. His protégée, Jas, is the son of his right-hand man. In the process of stealing dogs back from the police pound after a raid, Jas's father is arrested. As Jas takes his father's place at Thatch's side, the law closes in on the gang and the police are tipped off about a dog fight. During the fight, police manage to break up Thatch's gang and make arrests. Scarlet's friends support her and with their help she improves. However, the day to day pain of living with her illness makes her life unbearable. At the last, Scarlet wanders the city, no longer able to separate reality from the twisted illusion her illness has created.