The HARDCOVER, PAPERBACK, E-BOOK, and AUDIOBOOK versions of Humbug: Scrooge Before the Ghosts are available now!
For the AUDIOBOOK, please use this link: HUMBUG AUDIO
For the paperback, hardcover, and E-book, choose from any of these sources:
- Your local independent bookstore.
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Books-A-Million
Synopsis
Humbug: Scrooge Before the Ghosts explores Ebenezer Scrooge’s life before the ghosts’ visits in A Christmas Carol—his love affair with Jacob Marley and the losses, trials, and responsibilities that turned him into the miserly old man we think we know so well.
A Christmas Carol shows us one terrible day in Ebenezer Scrooge’s life, but have you ever wondered what came before his fateful encounter with the ghosts of Christmas time? What happened to turn him into the scowling, penny-pinching old man we think we know so well?
There is so much more to this character—possibly more than Charles Dickens himself could ever have imagined.
Scrooge has compelling reasons for hating Christmas, for rejecting his fiancée and his precious nephew, and for employing Tiny Tim’s father, despite his obvious incompetence. He is a doting uncle, beloved brother, successful businessman, and passionate lover, but a dark secret puts both him and his loved ones at risk. Scrooge struggles to embrace his true self and live in defiance of the Victorian era’s repressive moral standards. Soul-crushing losses and his own destructive choices shape his fate into a twisted path of sorrow, frustration, and uncertainty—but also happiness, fulfillment, and love.
Scrooge’s own words sum it up best: How delightfully queer life is.
Reviews
What makes Humbug particularly compelling is its nuanced portrayal of Scrooge’s internal battles-especially his struggle to live authentically in a time when personal truth could be dangerous. Whelan explores themes of love, loss, societal repression, and personal identity with both tenderness and intensity, offering moments of unexpected joy and heartbreaking sorrow. Through her vibrant storytelling, readers come to see Scrooge not just as a cautionary figure but as someone to empathize with, a man who fought–and often lost–quiet battles invisible to the world around him.
Whelan’s prose is lyrical yet accessible, and her attention to historical detail immerses readers fully in Scrooge’s world. The emotional depth she brings to this classic character adds a richness that will appeal to fans of A Christmas Carol and newcomers alike. Humbug doesn’t just fill in the blanks of Scrooge’s past: it transforms him into a living, breathing person whose life story is as delightfully queer, tragic, and beautiful as he himself describes.
This novel is a must-read for anyone who has ever wondered what shadows lay in Scrooge’s past-and how heartbreak, resilience, and love can coexist in even the coldest of hearts.
– The Reading Glass Books Review by Chris Davidson
This book is absolutely fantastic. It is well written, and the story is intriguing. I couldn’t stop reading. It is low on spice/heat scenes, some shy shared kisses, but it fits the characters perfectly. The feelings are incredible. This is a wonderful story, with a touching plot. Wow. Just wow. Guys, go and read it.
– La Review Bleu
A Heartbreaking Life Indeed. A beautiful story. How much torment can one man endure. Scrooge telling this story and seeing his life from his perspective is an incredible way to revisit the life of Ebenezer Scrooge, before the ghosts. This so easily explains why Scrooge was such a bitter man. Definitely, A story of loss and redemption. Listen to this book. You’ll never think of Ebenezer Scrooge in the same way again. The narration is Incredible! and definitely makes this book a wonderful story. the character details, make you feel like your in the book itself. I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed this story. It left me feeling very emotional.👏👏👏👏👏 Bravo Sarah Whelan. Bravo!!!.
– Audible Review
Outstanding. This book was such a great read! An insight into Ebenezer Scrooge’s life before he was visited by the ghosts. A surprising journey throughout Scrooge’s lifespan, from childhood to death, through loss of friends and family, adjusting to and finally embracing the fact of being a gay man in a time when this could cost him his life and every struggle he had to face. The performance by Charles Robert Fox is superb and it definitely makes this great book into a work of art!.
– Audible Review
The author plausibly explains Scrooge’s descent into bitterness during his later years. The listener can’t help but feel sympathy for a man at the end of a long and troubled life. Although he has received the gift of redemption, there are still things he needs the world to know before he passes into the next world. I enjoyed my journey into Ebenezer Scrooge’s history. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started listening, but I was pleased with what I discovered.
– Readers Roost Review
I was quite uncertain what to expect from this audiobook. Scrooge before the ghosts? What did that even mean? I’m very familiar with A Christmas Carol, having watched it numerous times as a child. I even stage managed a production back in the nineties. So I believed I knew the story.
According to Sarah Whelan, I clearly had no idea. Which is why this is such a wonderful book. Ebeneezer Scrooge had an entire life…before the ghosts. A full and fulfilling life – until multiple tragedies struck.
I’ll admit I cried. The book is sad in that Ebeneezer dies – but that was an inevitability. We all die. What I didn’t expect was to feel so invested. Right from the start, I kept expecting bad things to happen to Scrooge. After all his name is so much part of modern-day lexicon that most people recognize it instantly. Without giving too much away, I hope I’ve convinced you to give the book a try. I will also add that Charles Robert Fox was a delightful narrator and I’ll definitely grab something by him again. And Sarah Whelan’s fiction novels are going to the top of my TBR pile.
– Rainbow Gold Reviews
I was totally captivated and ended up loving it. I think it was a very inventive take on what could have happened to make Scrooge behave the way he did. I listened to this at the perfect time of year. By the time finished I had tears in my eyes which happens when a story really moves me. Charles Robert Fox is a new to me voice actor and I think he did a wonderful job performing this story.
– Susan Buttons Audiobook Reviews @buttonsmom2003
Whelan’s writing is exquisite. She seemingly patterns her style after Dickens — who I’ll confess I haven’t read in many years — but she still has her own turn of phrase. For example, she has 17-year-old Scrooge comparing himself to his best friend: Scrooge narrates, “Though John was younger than I, he had achieved his adult height by the time we met, and instead of growing taller, he developed more muscle, the outlines of which became increasingly defined. To liken our physical types to animals, his was the body of an ape, while mine resembled that of a whooping crane.” That’s great writing by my standards.
– Caroline McCaullagh, Page Turners Editor, Mensa Bulletin
This book allowed me to rediscover my absolute love of reading. I don’t want to give away spoilers, I will just say anyone who hasn’t been able to live their authentic selves for any reason will see themselves in this book as will anyone who has needed to find a place for grief in their lives. One of the aspects of a good book for me is feeling like a door opens and I step into the characters’ world. I fell into this world in the first few pages. Order this one, you won’t be disappointed.
– Peg Busse, Avid Reader, Amazon Review
Sarah Whelan has managed to breathe warmth into one of the coldest characters in literary history. More than just a retelling, Humbug is an exploration of how love, grief, and the persistence of the human spirit shapes a life. Hopeful, haunting, and achingly tender, Humbug will break your heart and put it back together again. Christmas will never be the same.
– Stephanie Stephan, Associate Editor for Tabula Rasa Review, Endorsement
You thought you knew Scrooge, until Humbug! A great read that peels back the curtain into the life of the Christmas villain that we love to hate. A story of love, secrecy, and loyalty, you won’t be able to put it down!
– Becky Derby, Writer, Goodreads Review
We all know the classic story A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. But, have you every wondered what came before? How Ebenezer Scrooge became the man we know in literature?
Sarah Whelan’s Humbug: Scrooge Before the Ghosts does just that. Whelan masterfully weaves a beautiful and heartbreaking story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s life before that fateful night. She captures Dickens’ language with such care, it almost seems like he wrote this story himself. It’s a pure delight to revisit these characters as if they were old friends – the Fezziwig’s, Jacob Marley, etc. and to see them from a very different perspective that we did not get in the original story. The story also touches on some very important topics such as family, identity, and the impact of not having the ability to live your true authentic life and the toll that takes on a human being.
I was lucky enough to read an arc copy and I can tell that the second time through is just as wonderful as the first. This is a holiday read you won’t want to miss.
– MaryBeth Lipman, Avid Reader, Goodreads Review
This book is simply a delight in so many ways! First of all, the characters are well-written and insightful. Scrooge telling this story and giving us the ability to see his life events from his perspective is an incredible way to look at this timeless tale. Secondly, the settings are so well described that I can almost see myself in London, walking the streets with the characters, entering their homes and businesses. It truly puts the reader right in the middle of everything! Thirdly, the plot is seamless and brings the reader right up to the Christmas Eve night where we meet Scrooge in Mr. Dickens’ story.
Now, for those of you with imaginations and the willingness to step outside of the comfort zone of the original story, you are in for a treat. Sarah Whelan’s take on this classic brings the story into the present. It allows us to look at or own stories and acknowledge that we have all made missteps while trying to do our best!
Read this story! You won’t regret the thoughtful, unassuming, rich characters that allow you into their world and the time you spend there.
-Leanne Poisson, Writer, Amazon Review
I can’t say enough about this book. Since the moment I picked it up and started reading, I couldn’t wait to turn the page! The author does a great job in delving into the history of Ebenezer Scrooge’s background, his inner turmoil as a boy left at boarding school to his time at the factory, etc. I was left every night wondering what I was going to delve into the next day! Everything I want in a book, couldn’t wait to turn the page, didn’t want it to end, thinking about it constantly, and etc.
I was lucky to get an early release back in Late September and I found myself in the Christmas spirit wrapping Christmas gifts! Lol. You will not be disappointed! I highly recommend Humbug!
– Tabetha Avtges, Avid Reader, Amazon Review
Sarah Whelan masterfully employs the language of Charles Dickens as she leads his characters on a journey through the past to reveal how Ebenezer Scrooge became a miserly curmudgeon before that fateful Christmas Eve. In the process she delivers a sobering message that is as relevant today as it would have been in Dickens’ time.
– Glenda Winders, Author of Sainted in Error and The Nine Assignments, Endorsement