* General Location: The books mention places like "the city," which is implied to be a large urban center like New York City, and also locations in the countryside.
* Time Period: The books don't explicitly state the time period, but several details like the fashion, technology, and social norms point to a setting in the mid-20th century, possibly the 1950s or 60s.
* Real World References: The books sometimes mention real historical events or figures, but with fictionalized details.
However, the books are largely focused on the fictional world of the Baudelaire children and their encounters with Count Olaf. While the setting borrows elements from the real world, it's ultimately a unique and fictional world built by Lemony Snicket.