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Mr. Timothy

3.54 of 5 stars 3.54 · rating details · 1,190 ratings · 201 reviews

It's the Christmas season, and Mr. Timothy Cratchit, not the pious child the world thought he was, has just buried his father. He's also struggling to bury his past as a cripple and shed his financial ties to his benevolent "Uncle" Ebenezer by losing himself in the thick of London's underbelly. He boards at a brothel in exchange for teaching the mistress how to read and sp...more

Paperback, 416 pages

Published October 26th 2004 by William Morrow Paperbacks (first published 2002)

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Best Historical Mystery

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Jan 10, 2012 MaritaBeth Caruthers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

Bought for me by my husband, as a gift, the subject matter and plot of this book are not really within my usual realms of interest. It’s really quite the thriller—a murder mystery, edge of your seat sort of story. I rarely choose to read (or watch movies, for that matter) about violence that occurs in a fictional setting. Some fantasies, like JRR Tolkein’s works are notable exceptions, but for the most part, if it’s not history … stories that are factual, not fictional … I don’t want the violenc...more Bought for me by my husband, as a gift, the subject matter and plot of this book are not really within my usual realms of interest. It’s really quite the thriller—a murder mystery, edge of your seat sort of story. I rarely choose to read (or watch movies, for that matter) about violence that occurs in a fictional setting. Some fantasies, like JRR Tolkein’s works are notable exceptions, but for the most part, if it’s not history … stories that are factual, not fictional … I don’t want the violence in my life. I prefer to read about people, places, things and ideas, that I can learn from in some way. But, Kyle had his reasons for thinking I might enjoy this one.

Author Louis Bayard has painstakingly brought to life Victorian London—and not just that. He’s done it in the style of Charles Dickens and he has given us Dickens’ own Tiny Tim as his main character. As the title implies, the beloved child from A Christmas Carol, Tim, is now all grown up. And, as imagination would have it, he carries the baggage of a child born into poverty and suddenly thrust into the middle class, in a world and a time when who you were was all about your “station.” In the course of this creative novel, Timothy explores the resentment he feels toward a father who loved him too much and has just died and an “uncle” who loved him for reasons he never understood and of which he now wishes to be free. He walks the streets of Dickens’ London— a picture painted for the reader as clearly as if written by Dickens himself. He meets along the way, colorful characters who could easily have walked off the pages of Oliver Twist or even the largely autobiographical David Copperfield. And, in the process, he evolves from a self-absorbed, angry young man into one who willingly risks his own life for those of others. He doesn’t start out as much of a hero, but by the end of the book, he certainly becomes one.

My reaction after my first bedtime reading session with Mr. Timothy, was that although it was interesting, I did not know if I’d stick with it, or not! I love Charles Dickens—he’s among my favourite authors. But, it’s been quite some time since I read any of his works, and reading his style, complete with rambling sentences and gritty settings, seemed so odd when I knew it wasn’t his own. Louis Bayard has truly channeled Dickens. And, frankly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to work that hard!

But, a second night of reading soon made me realize how rich and well-rounded was the world being created for me in these pages. And, not just the places, but the people! I’ve been reading things lately, that have been strong on the story-telling, but not so deep in the characterizations. Here, in the style of what is arguably Dickens’ greatest strength—fully-developed characters compelling the reader onward—Bayard has created characters so complex and so engaging that instead of giving up on this book, I now found myself fighting to put it down and get enough sleep! Add to that, the occasional nods to Dickens’ own places in the recycling of place names and locations from various of his books, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

Although the pages sometimes presented me with descriptions and therefore visualizations of horrible events, and the genre of mystery/thriller is not my first choice, I found myself so caught up and drawn into the story and the lives of these characters, that I rushed to finish this book, and learn what would become of them. My final night of reading lasted far longer than intended, because I simply couldn’t stop reading before I reached the end.

I believe that if handed a copy of Mr. Timothy, Dickens himself, would be honoured and proud, and completely swept up in this world of fog and intrigue and plot twists.

The book is published with wonderful addenda including an interview with the author, some facts about Dickens and A Christmas Carol, and a brief study guide.

I am greatly looking forward to my next read of a Louis Bayard novel---his Pale Blue Eye, where Edgar Allen Poe is the main character and mystery solver.

First sentence: Not so tiny any more, that’s a fact.

~MB(less)

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Jul 18, 2007 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: period-fiction, mystery-crime-detective

I didn't really know what to expect from this when I picked it up. My friend Allison recommended it, but all she told me about it was that she liked it and that it was a story written about the character of Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol, but that he's an adult. Okay, so that part is true, but it doesn't make a whole lot of difference to the story that he's a well-known character - there's very little that we know of him from A Christmas Carol anyway, and while there is some mention of his fath...more

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Jul 10, 2007 Liddy Barlow rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Dickens, and readers of Anne Perry mysteries

Shelves: fiction, historicalfiction, 2007

Bayard sets out to answer a question I'm not sure most people bothered to ask: what happened to Tiny Tim at the end of A Christmas Carol? Apparently, he was not nearly as smarmy as Dickens made him out to be; in Bayard's hands, Timothy is an interesting and complicated character. Not so, sadly, for any of the other characters in the book, who fall neatly into Victorian stereotypes: the cheeky orphan boy, the gruff riverboat captain, the evil aristocrat. The action sequences here were obviously w...more

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Mar 14, 2013 John rated it 2 of 5 stars

The year is 1860, and Tiny Tim is all grown up. He is living in a London whorehouse where he tutors the good-natured madam in reading for his room and board. He has distanced himself from his ancient and increasingly eccentric “Uncle” Scrooge. As Christmas approaches, Timothy discovers the bodies of two 10-year-old girls, each branded with the letter “G”. He soon comes upon the frightened Philomela, another young waif who is marked with the sinister tattoo. She is hiding from a knife-wielding fo...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Linda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery-crime-suspense

Have you ever wondered what happened to Tiny Tim, of Dickens A Christmas Carol? Probably not, but this book answers the question anyway. According to Louis Bayard, Tiny Tim, at 23 is now Mr. Timothy, a healthy young man with only a slight limp, thanks to all of the medical treatments paid for by his benevolent Uncle Ebenezer. Tim is not, however, a particularly happy fellow, but appears to be struggling with many issues - loss, low self esteem, and a general feeling of ennui. This all changes wh...more

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Jun 02, 2012 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

One of the first books I remember reading is Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The story’s characters were quintessential creations of the author, and I feel in love with each and every one of them, especially Tiny Tim Cratchit, the little cripple boy with a big heart.

Bayard’s version of Tiny Tim is different from that which I remember. Of course, Bayard’s story takes place later in Tim’s life, so the character is older. But he’s also bitter and not really an exceptional person, just your aver...more

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May 12, 2012 Kaitlin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I stumbled on this book and was intrigued by the premise. I often wonder what happens to characters in books outside of what we are told by the narrator. In "Mr. Timothy," Louis Bayard addresses that question about Tiny Tim of "A Christmas Carol." This was fascinating to read because it raises questions about every well-loved, heartwarming tale we all know. Sure, the characters seem to be one thing on the surface, but what is really going on with them? What will they be like 15 years later?

I tho...more

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Jun 19, 2011 Paul rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: period-drama, thriller, mystery, crime

Author Louis Bayard takes a long, hard look at the child character Timothy "Tiny Tim" Cratchit of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and constructs a fully realized and completely plausible adult version, complete with neuroses, uncertainty and the directionlessness of young adulthood. Mr. Timothy, as he is now known, lives a dissolute, aimless life on the fringers of 19th century London society, or at least he does until he repeatedly spots a young homeless girl who, for reasons he doesn't fu...more

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Oct 31, 2009 Paul Patterson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Charles Dickens, English literature's unmatched character creator, managed to conjure up the most romantic, sweetly sick, maudlin personality ever to poke his tiny head into our Christmas celebrations. The Cratchit dinner party with Tiny Tim's banal "What a goose, Mother!" is more than enough to turn the cranberry sour on us.

I imagine a much older Timothy Cratchit would cringe hearing the tiresome family stories of his infant self, as we all do when our parents, in a flush of narrative nostalgia...more Charles Dickens, English literature's unmatched character creator, managed to conjure up the most romantic, sweetly sick, maudlin personality ever to poke his tiny head into our Christmas celebrations. The Cratchit dinner party with Tiny Tim's banal "What a goose, Mother!" is more than enough to turn the cranberry sour on us.

I imagine a much older Timothy Cratchit would cringe hearing the tiresome family stories of his infant self, as we all do when our parents, in a flush of narrative nostalgia, show our naked-bottom photos to their friends.
Louis Bayard assists Tim Cratchit in finding his own voice and getting some dignity, as well as revenge, in the recent thriller Mr. Timothy. Fed up with being a product of someone else's pity, idealization or philanthropy, Tim, upon the death of his father Bob, found his way to the gritty side of Victorian life. Living in a whorehouse, paying his rent through reading tutorials with the resident Madam, Tim acquired an autonomous start, out from the velvet grip of the Cratchits and Scrooge.

Robinson Crusoe, the book he and the Madam are studying, foreshadows many of the themes found in Mr. Timothy: rebellion, autonomy, tortured conscience, and dangerous adventure. Growing up is neither a neat nor tidy process; it requires genuine struggle, true integration of values, and the accepting of responsibility. Tim's grown-up life is lived in vital contact with others but not under their shadow. He holds his own among the girls of the trade, those who manage them and those who exploit them.
Timothy's maturation is not limited to self-development but extends to genuine care for others less fortunate. Two Victorian waifs, Philomel, an Italian orphan, and Colin, a neglected songster and thief, are younger prototypes of the maturing Tim who "fathers" them without placing them in his shadow or making them extensions of his own story. While children in their relationship with Tim, they nonetheless retain their dignity as individuals.

Getting out from beneath someone else's narrative is hard enough but a more difficult feat is doing so while still maintaining respect and understanding for those who have wrongfully treated you. Interspersed in the action are Tim's ghost letters to his father. They acknowledge Bob's flaws and the strange life of the Cratchits, as well as the deep regret and gratitude that Tim develops for his father and step-uncle Ebenezer. Being a surrogate father puts his own childhood in a more nuanced perspective.
Fathers, origins, the maltreatment of children, and the creation of a broader more humane definition of family are the Dickensian themes that weave their way through the perambulations of Mr. Timothy's dark plot of smuggling, exploitation, and murder. Bayard's redrafting of Dickens's Tim Cratchit is more than a self indulgent, postmodern exercise in outfoxing the classics; it is a legitimate help to any reader hoping to deepen and make contextually significant a time-honoured modern myth.(less)

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Jul 13, 2009 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mr Timothy is Tiny Tim Cratchitt from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – all grown up now and a very different being from the innocent, pathos-riddled child with whom readers might already be acquainted. Louis Bayard’s Big Tim is a creature of the night who dwells in a brothel and undertakes nocturnal work with a partner, plucking bodies from the Thames for the reward of what might be in their pockets and a finding fee from the authorities. Fortunately he has a stipend from Uncle Ebeneezer upo...more

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Jan 08, 2010 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mr. Timothy is the story of a grown up “Tiny Tim.” With his Uncle Ebenezer’s (or Uncle “N”) help, Timothy became a man with a slight limp and a great education. Uncle N’s help left Timothy with a sense of always wanting something greater than circumstances allowed. After his father’s death, Timothy finds himself adrift in Victorian England. He takes residence in a brothel and pays rent by teaching the madam how to read. Traveling through the foggy streets of London and trolling the Thames River...more Mr. Timothy is the story of a grown up “Tiny Tim.” With his Uncle Ebenezer’s (or Uncle “N”) help, Timothy became a man with a slight limp and a great education. Uncle N’s help left Timothy with a sense of always wanting something greater than circumstances allowed. After his father’s death, Timothy finds himself adrift in Victorian England. He takes residence in a brothel and pays rent by teaching the madam how to read. Traveling through the foggy streets of London and trolling the Thames River for dead bodies with his friend Captain Gully, Timothy discovers the remains of two terrified 10-year old girls with the letter “G” branded on them. After rescuing a homeless, terrified similar girl named Philomela, Timothy is determined to solve the mystery of what is happening to these young girls. With the help of his young street friend, Colin, the trio has a terrifying and thrilling adventure.

While this novel was slow at first, once I got into it, it was hard to put down! The mystery and adventure were thrilling and had me so enraptured I was reading it in the snow outside while my two sons played. I also was intrigued by what happened to Timothy as he grew up and the entire Cratchit family. It was very interesting to ponder what exactly Scrooge’s help after A Christmas Carol would do to this family. I loved the Victorian detail. I could see Timothy walking the rough streets of London. Bayard does Dickens justice by not only having a thrilling mystery, but also writing about the tough life that children and working people faced in Victorian London.

Overall, if you love Dickens, Victorian London, or just a good historical fiction thriller, I highly recommend this novel.

The edition I have has great extras such as an author biography, author interview, A Christmas Carol quiz, Christmas Carol fun facts, and an excerpt from A Pale Blue Eye (another excellent “literary thriller” about Edgar Allen Poe).

My favorite quote (Timothy is dictating a letter to his dead father):
“Herewith my predicament, Father; I no longer possessed a narrator. Uncle N had abdicated the role. And you . . . you were willing, yes, but your story has finished. I was well now, wasn’t I? I no longer needed to be Good. For you or for anybody. And so that left me to be free otherwise.”

As you can see from the quote, Mr. Timothy is not only a thriller, but a coming of age novel. I love Timothy’s explorations to find himself and understand the true nature of his father and their relationship.
(less)

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Jul 30, 2009 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

I must confess, I went into this novel with mediocre expectations. I looked forward to a mystery with perhaps a sincere but brief nod towards the Dickens spirit and the language of old England. I encountered, to my immense delight, something far better. I found myself involved in an immensely satisfying novel.

The book takes us into the confidence of A Christmas Carol's Tiny Tim as a grown man known in his later years as "Mr. Timothy."

A complex man with a decidedly interesting back story, is our...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Darlene rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was very excited to finally read this book as I've been a huge fan of Charles Dickens for many years. This story is centered around Timothy Cratchit (Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol) who is now a young man. Louis Bayard does a fantastic job of recreating the atmosphere of a Dickens novel... the foggy, cobbled streets of Victorian England complete with the fake cheerfulness of the hypocritical aristocracy and the underbelly of society... the impoverished who are all but invisible to the rest of...more

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Sep 17, 2008 Mary Comstock rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mr. Timothy follows the now adult Tiny Tim of A Christmas Carol as he navigates the dark streets of Victorian England to solve a murder and face his own murky past. Disaffected, leery of the surreal eternal Christmas of his sometime benefactor Scrooge, haunted by his father's ghost, the adult Mr. Timothy presents a far more compelling and sympathetic character than his youthful counterpart in the Dickens tale.

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Apr 07, 2011 Mackay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction-literary, mystery

This book rather defies categorization. It's a thriller, but it has a stately pace. How it keeps you turning pages has little to do with the gripping plot and more to do with the writing and the insights and the playful, serious way Bayard explores a real, three-dimensional character behind that most cloying of classic characters, Tiny Tim. This is Tiny Tim all grown up, and much of the mystery--aside from that gripping plot, which has to do with the nastiness of Victorian England--is Timothy's...more

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May 28, 2011 Anjanette rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: britain, mystery

After reading The Black Tower, I thought, "I have GOT to read some more of this guy's stuff!" His style in that novel was sparkling in the manner of Carlos Ruiz Zafon, and I was completely engrossed. Unfortunately I picked this book as a follow-up, and now I don't really want to read any more Bayard. To begin with, I simply don't understand the literary device of using a grown-up Tiny Tim as the protagonist. There is no point in it. It would have been just as good with any character - perhaps be...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Tonya rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-novels, lunch-break-books

I have to say I was disappointed with Mr. Timothy: A Novel it was touted as a Dickensian type novel based on Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol except he's all grown up now.

Timothy is now in his twenties and has just buried his father Bob, he is mourning and wanders the streets of London. Not wanting to ask for help from his Uncle N (Ebeneezer Scrooge) he finds employ with room and board in a brothel. The story then proceeds to hint at Timothy's possible homosexual tendencies, he becomes obsessed...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Richard rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-12

Mr. Timothy was an unusual experience for me. I didn't like it very much: the writing was stilted, the vocabulary struck me as anachronistic, and the key villainous roles seemed underwritten. It's also worth mentioning that the narrator's interest in the ten year old Philomena often stuck me as, um, more than a bit pedo, although the story never makes that explicit and -MINOR SPOILER AHEAD- he is (apparently) gay anyway.

My main problem is that - aside from the gimmick -there seems to be no reas...more

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Dec 04, 2009 Danielle rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book was for one of my book clubs. We were looking for something vaguely Christmas related, and the title Timothy in this book is the character Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol all grown up. As seems to be the curse of this book club we once again picked a book that I didn't care for. I'm not really sure what the point of having the protagonist of this book be Tiny Tim was as it didn't really contribute much to the book. The main plot of the book revolves around Timothy getting caught up in...more

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Feb 03, 2009 Babette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-suspense

I read this book based on the references I found while reading The Pale Blue Eye. Louis Bayard has impressive credentials - both academically and professionally. His writing is literate and intelligent, and he creates characters that are sympathetic and, at times, inspiring.
This actually was Bayard's first attempt to use a well-known character (this one fictional) at the center of his novel. In a brief interview, he confesses that Dickens had a significant influence on him. This story successfu...more

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Jul 16, 2009 Claire Monahan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Well, even though the book didn't knock my knickers off, I think I might have found a new favorite author.

Like The Pale Blue Eye, Bayard has once again crafted a novel of historical suspense with a character who is known the world over: Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol's Tiny Tim, all grown up and more maturely called Timothy Cratchit.

The book follows much of the same formula that Bayard used for Eye: a sentimental protagonist, stained by his past relationships, seeks redemption in his salvat...more Well, even though the book didn't knock my knickers off, I think I might have found a new favorite author.

Like The Pale Blue Eye, Bayard has once again crafted a novel of historical suspense with a character who is known the world over: Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol's Tiny Tim, all grown up and more maturely called Timothy Cratchit.

The book follows much of the same formula that Bayard used for Eye: a sentimental protagonist, stained by his past relationships, seeks redemption in his salvation of a young, energetic young mind, who quickly becomes a sidekick and a lovable character as they seek to conquer an even greater, darker, evil force. In this book, Tim's young sidekick is Colin the Melodious, who to me sang a very similar tune to Dickens' the Artful Dodger (from Oliver Twist). Bayard is so talented at paying his respects to the originators of his updated character versions, and I think Dickens himself would have approved with what Bayard has done here with some of his classic characters. Mr. Timothy is a little racy at times, but it still is an adequate page-turner with sympathetic characters and well timed dialogue. (I hate it when authors don't know how to put words into their characters' mouths. Bayard, on the other hand, never squanders a word. Every sentence seems very carefully crafted, and as a reader I really appreciate that Bayard does not waste my time when there is a story I'm itching to continue.)

All this said, Mr. Timothy has a very mature depth to it, but the plot itself never completely drew me in. I think because even though Tim is a former cripple with a recently passed father, he lacked the humor and wit that Bayard's characters wielded in The Pale Blue Eye. Tim is a hero and a victim, but I suppose I kept waiting for him to exponentially grow. For a plot that wasn't all that convoluted, I think I just wanted even more depth to the character development.

But from what I've read by Bayard already, I think my review is more of a challenge to him than it is a critique. Since Mr. Timothy met my expectations for what I thought Bayard could achieve, I suppose I should be thankful that Bayard raised the bar on his own work with The Pale Blue Eye. I've been so impressed with Bayard's writing, and the fact that I believe he met my expectations with a nicely rounded story is really quite an accomplishment for any author. (less)

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Apr 05, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, classics-and-modern-classics, gothic-and-horror, male-main-character, victorian-era, europe, male-author

A dark sequel to Dickens' Seasonal, A Christmas Carol, Louis Bayard's novel takes up the story with Tiny Tim grown up, and 'not so tiny anymore'. A tall lanky young man with only a slight limp and pain in the bad leg, he has reached a place in his life where he has no real sense of purpose. He lives in a brothel, teaching the Mistress to read. It is not until he sees a girl running by in the night, and finds the bodies of other, murdered girls, marked with a strange brand that he becomes involve...more A dark sequel to Dickens' Seasonal, A Christmas Carol, Louis Bayard's novel takes up the story with Tiny Tim grown up, and 'not so tiny anymore'. A tall lanky young man with only a slight limp and pain in the bad leg, he has reached a place in his life where he has no real sense of purpose. He lives in a brothel, teaching the Mistress to read. It is not until he sees a girl running by in the night, and finds the bodies of other, murdered girls, marked with a strange brand that he becomes involved in a mystery, and begins to feel something again.

One of the things I loved about the novel was the sense of disillusionment. In imaginary letters to his father, the now dead Bob Cratchit, Timothy reveals that he never was the fresh faced cherub he was painted as, and the sense of disillusionment he felt when he realised that, despite their wealthy benefactor, he would never become something more, never reach out and become part of some illustrious other world. While their 'uncle' Scrooge is well-off, he has not the riches of a lord or baron, and could make life more comfortable for them, but never really changed their station in life. 'Uncle N' still gives Timothy an allowance, and yet he lives in a house of ill-repute, earning his keep by tutoring a Mistress.

In this story, as in A Christmas Carol, there are ghosts, but they are never definitively real, and seem more the shades of beloved ones we wish we could talk to one last time. Tim sees his father everywhere, in strangers who have some small resemblance to him. I really enjoyed these parts of the story, which were well fleshed out and believable, longing making the dead father almost tangible for Tim.

This novel is a dark one, a novel of the seedy side of London, of the wicked secrets within the hearts of men. It is an engrossing novel from start to finish, peopled with idiosyncratic characters and told with a deadpan black humour. Despite their many failings, there is a deep love for the city and for the characters it holds.

This novel is not for the faint-hearted, as it does involve child trafficking. I liked the secondary characters, with Colin being a little annoying at first, but soon proving his mettle, and Philomela being astoundingly brave and determined. I really found myself caring for them by the end.

This was a wonderful read for me, although heart-wrenching in places, and I thoroughly recommend it!(less)

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Jan 07, 2009 Kassandra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Finished this one last night. It's about Tiny Tim in his 20's and some adventures he has involving street urchins, young foreign girls, prostitutes, and a plethora of other old Londonesque characters.

I absolutely fell in love with Bayard's use of the English language in the first 50 or so pages. Such talent and beauty was refreshing. Alas, it was only a short-lived infatuation for by page 200 I was still enjoying his writing but not the content. The story drags on and on and on. I liked the char...more

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Apr 28, 2011 Kathy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action, family, ghost, historical-fiction, mystery

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. A thoughtful story... what happened to Ebenezer and the Cratchits? Ebenezer stays true to his word, and cares for the Cratchits to the best of his ability... but Tim makes the observation that when one of the boys dies falling off the bridge, the Cratchits came to realize that Ebenezer's money does not solve all...

This story is mostly about Tiny Tim... now a man, healed of his malady, with a slight limp and weakness in one leg... he is lost & searching after the death of his father... His m...more A thoughtful story... what happened to Ebenezer and the Cratchits? Ebenezer stays true to his word, and cares for the Cratchits to the best of his ability... but Tim makes the observation that when one of the boys dies falling off the bridge, the Cratchits came to realize that Ebenezer's money does not solve all...

This story is mostly about Tiny Tim... now a man, healed of his malady, with a slight limp and weakness in one leg... he is lost & searching after the death of his father... His mother had died a few years earlier, one sister died in childbirth, one sister went off to another town not to be heard from, and Martha is in a terrible marriage and is ashamed to be with her family, and Peter is the happiest - he has married a fine woman, and they own a photography studio together... Tim doesn't fit in, he has nightmares, he cannot reconcile the past with his future, he is educated yet unemployable, he is depressed, and sees his father's face/ghost in random people throughout the day... He takes up residence in a brothel, where he gets room and board in exchange for teaching the madam to read... and he works with ex Captain Gully, who dredges the Thames for dead bodies, for reward and what they can find in the pockets...

And Tim gets caught up in a terrible network of people who take girls of the age of 10, most foreign & on the street, and branded with a 'G', and torture/subdue them into compliance (holding them in coffins for a while) to be given to men for sex ( a ceremony where the girls are dressed as brides, and 'claimed' by the man, & taken to an upstairs room)... Tim (when dredging the river) comes across 2 girls, branded, with horrified looks - and then he sees a young girl waking up in the alley, and he tracks her, tries to protect her, and ends up rescuing her just in a nick of time.

Tim also befriends Colin the Melodious, a 10-year old that spends more time on the street than at home... and Colin is eager and happy to go with Tim on ad-ven-tures : )

The language is descriptive, emotional, visual... Tim is haunted by nightmares, day and night.... and step by step he finds the strength and ingenuity to confront evil, save his young friends, and win... some of the imagery is a bit confusing to me though...

In the end, the bad guy is killed, 10 girls are saved from the boxes he has placed them for transport, the co=conspirators are jailed... and Tim introduces Colin to be Ebenezer's companion, and takes Philamela to his brother Peter & Annie - as they have not been able to have children themselves... and he is on a ship, hired on as a naturalist's assistant, and he has found a measure of peace in his past... hmmmm(less)

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Sep 13, 2012 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Delightful historical fiction in an action novel form. The dialog, the vocabulary, the tone, and the color put you right there in London in 1860, or at least how I imagine London would have been. The bad guys are as black as coal (and pretty creepy), the good guys are as pure as snow, and the ghosts stay dead and in the background. The characters and settings are rich and wonderfully sketched.

On the down side, I never understood the how Tim's plodding letters to his father advanced the story, a...more

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Nov 03, 2011 Marcia rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed Mr. Timothy very much -- thought that Bayard's device of a consciously literary figure, frozen in fiction as a precious child (one imagines what W. C. Fields would have said -- and one knows 20th century critics did say), looking for a narrative that will allow him to be an adult.

Timothy clearly flees the Dickensian getmutlichkeit -- the stuff Dickens apparently longed for and could never quite achieve, Aunt Betsy Trotwood's nurturing home and Peggoty's devotion -- and sets himself up...more

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Dec 15, 2009 Alison added it

Shelves: bookclub, fiction

This was decent-to-pretty good. Thanks to Danielle's review I was ready for it to have nothing except a character and time period in common with A Christmas Carol. This is basically a Dickensian mystery novel, featuring grown-up Tiny Tim and a couple of young London ruffians. They run around having adventures first trying to rescue one of the trio, and then trying to prevent an evildoer from doing his thing. I thought Bayard did a pretty good job of combining a Dickensian style of narration with...more

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Feb 04, 2009 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

As a big fan of Dickens, I was very timid about reading this book but, I am glad I took the chance. This is a brilliant part 2 to Dickens' Christmas Carol. Not only is it a part 2 but, really a completely different story - not a ghost story but, a murder mystery using the same characters as A Christmas Carol. And the way Bayard captures Dickens' London is just perfect. I never thought I would find - and I have tried in the past - I never thought I would find an author who has the ability to pick...more

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May 02, 2012 Steve rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: stopped-reading

It took me several pages before I realized the Mr. Timothy was none other than Dickens' Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol. Certainly an interesting idea and carried out in many respects in Dickens like manner. Baynard paints a dreary and dirty London with urchins, trollops, etc. However, even though I am somewhat interested in finding out is Timothy will save Philomela or not I cannot read beyond 261 pages. Yes it is interesting that Timothy lives in a house of ill-repute where he teaches the mada...more

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May 09, 2009 D. Soares rated it 3 of 5 stars

ok. I had to be dragged to this book and I went kicking and screaming. My friend asked me to read it and NOT compare it to the great books I've read in the past but only to books I've read recently. I did that. I hated the entire Dickens gimmick and felt it brought NOTHING to the story (but it probably helped the author sell the book to the publisher).
Aside from that I thought it was, at least, a story with a plot-- one where the action was related to the tale.
Overall, I thought it was a much be...more

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About Louis Bayard

A staff writer for Salon.com, Bayard has written articles and reviews for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Nerve.com, and Preservation, among others. Bayard lives in Washington, D.C.

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Quotes from Mr. Timothy

“For reasons I have yet to define, Signor Arpelli stood out from his colleagues. The curled brim of his hat, perhaps. A certain mingling of gravity and levity- I thought the masks of Janus had merged in his eyes.” — 1 person liked it

“I've often thought a blind man could find his way through London simply by gauging the changes in innuendo: mild through Trafalgar Square, less veiled towards the river.” — 1 person liked it

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