Mr. Timothy: A Novel - Hardcover

Bayard, Louis

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060534214 ISBN 13: 9780060534219

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2003

Synopsis

Welcome to the world of a grown-up Timothy Cratchit, as created by the astonishing imagination of author Louis Bayard. Mr. Timothy Cratchit 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 spends his nights dredging the Thames for dead bodies and the treasures in their pockets. Timothy's life takes a sharp turn when he discovers the bodies of two dead girls, each seared with the same cruel brand on the upper arm. The sight of their horror-struck faces compels Timothy to become the protector of another young girl, the enigmatic Philomela. Spurred on by the unwavering enthusiasm of a street-smart, fast-talking homeless boy who calls himself Colin the Melodious, Timothy soon finds that he's on the trail of something far worse -- and far more dangerous -- than an ordinary killer. This breathless flight through the teeming markets, shadowy passageways, and rolling brown fog of 1860s London is wrought with remarkable depth and intelligence, complete with surprising twists and extraordinary heart.

About this title

Review:

With a cast of unforgettable characters and a compelling plot ... Mr Timothy is a triumph. (Yrokshire Evening Post)

A Dickensian thriller ... strong on atmosphere and characterisation (Sunday Telegraph)

One of the coolest books of the year (James Frey)

A darkly enchanting historical thriller (Amazon.com)

Louis Bayard's MR. TIMOTHY proves once again that John Murray's new fiction it can do no wrong (The Bookseller)

Fabulous... shimmering... one truly engaging book (Entertainment Weekly)

Bayard packs his novel with detail, grotesques and plenty of fog and hansom cabs ... it scores full marks for atmosphere. (Publishing News)

With its linguistic razzle-dazzle, Mr Timothy is a mock-Victorian tour de force - a shilling shocker that touches the heart and makes it race (Wall Street Journal)

A vividly imagined historical thriller (Elle)

Dazzling... soaring language, memorable characters, splendidly atmospheric settings (People magazine)

Book Description:

A dazzling Dickensian thriller set in the Victorian underworld in the company of Colin the Melodious and a grown-up Timothy Cratchit ...

With wonderful characters, a compelling plot and the vivid atmosphere of Victorian London, this is a page-turner of a novel and a perfect Christmas read.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0060534214
• ISBN 13: 9780060534219
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 384