SOLVED. Older Children's Historical story with Time Travelling - set in Victorian and modern times. Read in early 2000's. [s]

[Mercy]

Looking for a British book I read when I was between 10-15 (2002+), possibly written between 2000 and 2007.

The main character is a young boy who lives in London with his mother in a Victorian townhouse. At some point there's time travelling but I do not remember the reason why or exactly how. When the main character goes back in time, it's to Victorian London, and he meets a troupe of 'circus freaks' - I only remember two characters, both are important.

One is a girl about the main character's age called Astrid: she has paper thin skin and is very delicate. There's some implied SA with her and the 'circus leader'. The other character is a very tall man, possibly called Tom or something similar. Tom is a very nice character, and at the end of the book, when the main character is helping the 'circus freaks' escape, Tom sacrifices himself by using his height to push the boat out on the Thames but drowns himself in the process.

The main character, having helped saved these others, then goes back to his own modern time. I believe the book ended with the main character having found the gravestone for Tom and/or some of the other characters, and I believe that Astrid's own date of death was indicating of her having had a long life.

[Rainbowheart]

Sign of the Raven aka Follow Me Down

[Mercy]

Rainbowheart wrote: "Sign of the Raven aka Follow Me Down"

Yes! Exactly that, thanks so much!
I'd obviously misremembered quite a bit about the book (the the main character being called Tom and not the 'bendy man', as well as Astra/Astrid). I'll try and find it again!

[Rainbowheart]

Welcome, glad to help out!