The Companion

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In 1932, twelve-year-old Billy Shaw lives in Potter's Pleasure Palace, a premier entertainment venue where his mother runs the tea rooms. Billy dreams of assisting Mr. Potter one day. However, his life takes a turn when Mr. Potter sends him to High Hobb, the home of Jasper Harper, a boy living with his mother Edie and Uncle Charles, both authors who fled London amid rumors of debt and scandal. At High Hobb, Billy discovers a chaotic household where communication is unclear, and he forms a close bond with the wild Jasper as they explore the moors, trying to catch a mysterious creature known as The Beast. Their friendship endures for four years until tragedy strikes when Charles and Edie are found dead, ruled a double suicide. By then, Billy has already left the valley for a new life in London, and his experiences with the Harpers fade from memory. Fast forward to 2015, Anna Sallis, the new custodian of Ackerdean Mill (formerly the Palace), begins to sift through the disorganized archives. She uncovers documents that challenge the accepted narrative of the Harper siblings' deaths. Intrigued by the absence of her neighbor Frank's Uncle Billy from the known story, Anna seeks to understand why he left the valley and what he might know about the events at High Hobb.