Daniel Upton, the story's narrator, explains that he has killed his best friend, Edward Derby, and that he hopes his account will prove that he is not a murderer. He begins by describing Derby's life and career. Derby had been interested in the occult even as a very young boy, which led to him befriending Upton. The two would discuss dark mythology in their spare time. Whenever Derby visited he always used the same knocking pattern of three strokes, a pause, and then two additional strokes on the knocker; Upton had always been able to identify Derby this way. Derby's parents had always doted on him and he had a particular reliance on them, especially his mother. Her death had sent him into a depression from which he took a long time to recover. Upton then tells of Asenath Waite, a female classmate of Derby's at Miskatonic University. Edward and Asenath soon wed after bonding over their love of the occult. Despite his qualms Derby moves into the old Crowninshield House, with three servants from Innsmouth.