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Cover of Timewaif & The Roman Road by Deborah Lyon, showing a boy in a Roman helmet and armour tumbling through a swirl of clock numerals and a red trail of light

Book one of The Timewaif Chronicles

Timewaif & The Roman Road

A rip-roaring adventure through time

Published 28 Sept 2024

Twelve-year-old Tim Wainwright, growing up on the west coast of Cumbria, struggles with his mum’s intense grief after the death of his dad and the constant taunting of village bullies. Only his best friend Annie brings any fun to his life.

Fleeing his tormentors after school one day, he finds a hidden cave in the sea cliffs. Once inside, Tim leaps through an enchanted hopscotch board to emerge into a very different Cumbria… two thousand years in the past.

This is an ancient land of Romans and Britons under the rule of Emperor Hadrian. Tim soon realises he must navigate a totally different culture, facing adventures which challenge not only his resilience and wits to the limit but even risk his very life.

Will he ever get back to his own time, his mum and Annie? And does he even really want to?

Join Tim on his rip-roaring adventure exploring Roman life in the wilds of ancient Britain. The first of The Timewaif Chronicles.

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More in the Timewaif Chronicles

Next in the series

Timewaif & The Viking Journey

A Viking code, a family mystery and a battle for survival

Tim’s story continues in Timewaif & The Viking Journey. Out 28 November 2026.

3D paperback of Timewaif & The Viking Journey by Deborah Lyon, its green cover showing a boy in a Viking helmet and fur-trimmed tunic running through golden runes and a red spiral of light

Deborah Lyon is a born writer and this is an absolutely wonderful book. I loved its Cumbrian setting, and got completely involved not just in the time-travelling adventure but above all in the human stories: I found myself caring hugely about the characters, totally exhilarated and at times moved to tears. I’ve given a copy to every 8-15-year old I know, I urge everyone else to read it too, and I can’t wait for the next in the series.

Tim Robertson

Former Director of the Royal Society of Literature

Reviews

79 reader reviews

Ostensibly a time-travel book this little gem is actually more about figuring out who one really is. Lots of interesting historical detail thrown in besides. The characters rang true especially Annie and Bernard. Recommended. I read this over the summer and somehow missed reviewing it. It was a perfect book to read by the pool.

Sufi Sahia

The Timewaif Chronicles by Deb Lyon is an engaging read. I’ve been reading it while travelling and enjoyed how the story draws you into both modern life and Roman Britain. The historical setting adds depth, and the time-travel element keeps the story moving. An enjoyable and absorbing book. C.T

Clare Townley

Bernard deserves his own book. There I said it... The rest of the book was strong too but Bernard is the one I'll remember.

Miles Theo

I read this one aloud to my son at bedtime over a couple of weeks...this story absolutley gripped him. What I liked as a parent was that it gave us things to talk about.

Dominic

Tim felt real like an actual person my age instead of some "perfect" book character.

Stella

This isn't a book about big battles or wild adventures. It's about small acts of bravery showing up for a friend, carrying on when life feels unbearable, and listening to the whispers of history. That's what makes it powerful.

Issac