Mr. Toppit

Title: Mr. Toppit by Charles Elton
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4/5

When an obscure British children's author is killed by a cement truck in a freak accident, he is comforted in his last moments by an unknown American tourist, who then insinuates herself into his family. She becomes obsessed with his books and champions them back in America, bringing them to posthumous fame worldwide and rocketing her own celebrity career. But fame is not always what it's cracked up to be.

I was hooked from the very first line of Mr. Toppit. It's an entertaining and emotional read, chronicling the life of the Hayman family after Arthur's death and the posthumous success of The Hayseed Chronicles.

There's a hint of mystery throughout the book; several secrets that are answered as the story unfolds and which help keep the narrative moving. The most notable mystery is the eponymous Mr.Toppit, a sinister character in The Hayseed Chronicles, who had only just appeared in the last book published, but whose presence is felt throughout all five books and who becomes one of the major points of discussion about the series.

The story of the Haymans is rather reminiscent of the success of AA Milne, author of the Winnie-the-Pooh books. Like Christopher Milne, Luke Hayman resents the fame the his father's books brought him. He wants nothing more than to fade back into obscurity and to avoid people who assume they know him just because they've read the books.

There's also a strong thread throughout illustrating the possible consequences of success, particularly the inability to deal with the stress of living in the public eye and to regulate desires when everything is at your fingertips. In the books, Luke is an only child and as a result, Arthur's daughter overcompensates by trying to become involved in every aspect of The Hayseed Chronicles' success. She offers to write the next book in the series and her father's biography, and tries to influence filming decisions for the BBC miniseries based on the books. She drowns her sorrows and insecurities in drink and drugs, spiraling further and further into depression. The star of the BBC miniseries was already a bit of an alcoholic, but later rumours circulated that he'd become an addict and was HIV positive.

I found Elton's writing witty, smooth and moving, though a little dark. At the end of the book, everything seems to be tied up but I still found myself asking "That's it?" I look forward to seeing what else Mr. Elton writes and I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy an engaging, more literary read, particularly one with a hint of mystery.

Thanks to Other Press for the Advanced Reading Copy of Mr. Toppit. The views expressed above are my own. For more information on Mr. Toppit, check out the Other Press website.