Summary

In the prologue, “London, December 2013,” several weeks before Christmas, Bowen attended a party.. The event was organized by one of London’s major publishing houses and was filled with famous authors. Bowen “barely knew a soul” (2). Though he and his cat, Bob, had been invited to the event, he felt out of place. Bob, however, “was the star” (3).

Bob saved Bowen’s life when they met “six years earlier” (3). He had found him ailing in his stairwell. Bowen was 28 and “a recovering heroin addict” (3). Healing and getting to know Bob gave Bowen the incentive “to turn [his] life around” (3). Each day they spent together encouraged Bowen.

In 2012, Bowen published his first book about his adventures with Bob. To his surprise, it became a bestseller. The book’s success had earned them the “invitation to this particular gathering” (4).

When partygoers congratulated Bowen and...