The Companion
Published on 25. August 2020
Book
Hardback
448 pages
978-0-399-54591-7 (ISBN)
Description
Lucky to have survived the car-wreck that killed her family.
Lucky to get a single room because she wakes up screaming every night.
And finally, lucky to be chosen to join a foster family at their remote country manor.
But soon, Margot realises that it wasn't generosity that moved Mr. and Mrs. Sutton to bring her home. Margo was handpicked to be a companion for their daughter, Agatha - a formerly typical teenager who suddenly went catatonic.
Staying with the Suttons is better than the alternatives, but strange things start happening at the estate. As Margot begins to understand the truth, she begins to slip away...just like Agatha.
Lucky to get a single room because she wakes up screaming every night.
And finally, lucky to be chosen to join a foster family at their remote country manor.
But soon, Margot realises that it wasn't generosity that moved Mr. and Mrs. Sutton to bring her home. Margo was handpicked to be a companion for their daughter, Agatha - a formerly typical teenager who suddenly went catatonic.
Staying with the Suttons is better than the alternatives, but strange things start happening at the estate. As Margot begins to understand the truth, she begins to slip away...just like Agatha.
Reviews / Votes
Winner of the Edgar Award for Young Adult FictionGoodReads Top Horror Novels of 2020
"[A] new life comes with a new home, where there are many things that go bump in the night." -Bustle
"The best part about The Companion is the story's ability to surprise you. Most Gothic horror tales, generally, tend to follow certain formats and include certain tropes. This novel definitely features all those elements but deploys them in such a way that you're never quite sure what you're looking at. It constantly shifting plot makes The Companion difficult to put down, and will likely leave you reading long into the night." -Culturess
"Katie Alender delivers a suspenseful story in her latest novel that will make you never want to trust a stranger ever again... Katie Alender knows how to write and she knows how to give you suspense. I would read this in the dead of night and would find my heart pounding." -The Fandom
"Margot's narration feels intimate, especially when she reflects on her potent grief, and Agatha is never used as a prop: She and Margot develop a silent communication that transcends speech. The palpable and steadily building sense of dread throughout is enhanced by a whisper of the supernatural. A pitch-perfect contemporary gothic." -Kirkus Reviews
"The suspense and chills are there, and the plot advances the story to a dramatic conclusion that, even if readers can see it coming, is still startling. This book hits all the notes of a solid thriller-creepy mansion, dark family secrets, a little romance, and a plucky heroine. Fans of suspense will enjoy this outing. Alender creates another tingly tale just right for escaping into this summer." -School Library Journal
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Penguin Putnam Inc
Target group
Young adult
US School Grade: Seventh Grade and over, Interest Age: From 12 years
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 147 mm
Thickness: 38 mm
Weight
557 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-399-54591-7 (9780399545917)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Katie Alender
The Companion
E-Book
08/2020
G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
€11.49
Available for download
Person
Katie Alender (rhymes with "calendar"!) grew up in South Florida, and studied film at the Florida State University Film School. She then moved to Los Angeles, where she worked in TV development and production for several years, including a long stint producing dog shows for Animal Planet. She penned Bad Girls Don't Die and two sequels, as well as Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer, Famous Last Words, and The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, reading, sewing (especially quilts), practicing yoga, photography, visiting friends' blogs, and hanging out with her family.