Cratchit

by David C. James

Death comes calling to the estate of Mr. Timothy "Tiny Tim" Cratchit. Death is there to retrieve the eternal soul of one of the estate's residents and deliver it to its final resting place. Death sits with the staff at the estate and requests information concerning the owner and provider for all the inhabitants of the Cratchit estate. Starting with Tim's mother and several of the employees, tales are told about the young man known as Tim Cratchit from the time he is a young lad through adulthood. Each person at the table tells their tale of how their life has been affected by their employer. Travel back to the Victorian Age and learn all about the sickly little boy who grew up to be his own man. A man who becomes known to the world as "Cratchit."

329 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 21, 2023

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[Vicky Peplow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story

What a wonderful way to revisit a character I thought I already knew. Cratchit takes the sickly little boy from A Christmas Carol and gives him a full, fascinating life of his own.

I really enjoyed experiencing Tim’s journey through the eyes and stories of the people who knew him. It made the character feel incredibly human, and I found myself becoming genuinely invested in the man he grew into.

The Victorian setting, the storytelling, and the emotional depth all came together beautifully. By the end, I felt like I had truly gotten to know Tim Cratchit—and I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye.

If you enjoy historical fiction, Dickens-inspired stories, or seeing familiar characters in a completely new light, I highly recommend Cratchit.

[Myunique Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always had a soft spot for A Christmas Carol, so I was curious to see what kind of life Tiny Tim might have lived beyond the story we all know. I have to say, this was a pretty creative take!

I especially liked the idea of Death showing up and essentially getting a front-row seat to someone's life story. There's something interesting about learning who a person became through the people around them. It also made me think about the expectations placed on Tim as a child and how much room he actually had to become his own person.

I would've loved a little more of Tim's personal perspective throughout, especially since everyone seemed to have their own version of him. Still, I enjoyed the concept and the way it expanded on a familiar character without losing that nostalgic feeling.

A solid four-star read! I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, classic retellings, and stories that make you think a little about the legacy we leave behind.

[Inkspire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cratchit offers a surprisingly heartfelt and thoughtful expansion of Tiny Tim’s life beyond Dickens' pages. Told through the memories of those who knew him guided, intriguingly, by Death as the listener, the book pieces together Tim’s journey from fragile child to a man shaped by compassion, hardship, and quiet strength.

What stood out to me is how personal each account feels. The voices of the staff and family create a layered portrait that feels more like shared history than fiction. The Victorian atmosphere is vivid without being heavy, and the emotional undercurrent gives the story real weight.

This is a reflective, character-driven tale that honors the spirit of Dickens while carving its own path. A touching and engaging read for anyone who loves meaningful historical fiction.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death Recommends …. Life

The premise is great (Tim Cratchit grows up and takes over the counting house business for Scrooge and father Bob). Tension and pacing are fairly good, and some of the characters are memorable. 

However, there is some repetition, and overstatement, as well as a few spelling issues. Also, the language style is modern in tone and word choice (‘whatever’), but not British in the slightest. That doesn’t mesh well with either butlers or multiple levels of maids. Or contract landscapers. It’s as improbable as the bipolar sweet evil offered by Victoria the sultry love interest. I appreciated the double-cross and spy work funneled through business associates, but it seems more like Chicago or Charleston methods than London.  

So when ‘John the collector of souls’ arrives to hold an all-night accounting of Big Tim’s life, the ending might be a bit of a surprise but the conclusion seems rather drawn-out. I am glad that life wins in the end, even if Death/Scrooge deals it out with a little psychology. 

[J.D. Crosby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read

I was fascinated by the voice of each character. It was if several people wrote this story. If you have never read this book, you should!