Our Mutual Friend: who's who, timeline and places

Everyone in Our Mutual Friend, what happens when, and where, without spoilers: tell us how far you have read and we show only what you already know.

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Lizzie HexamShe rows for her father while fearing and disliking his work recovering bodies.First seen in chapter 1
Gaffer HexamHe searches the Thames for bodies and takes money from the dead.First seen in chapter 1
John HarmonHe is the subject of Mortimer’s story about a conditional inheritance and an arranged marriage.First seen in chapter 2
Mortimer LightwoodHe tells the Veneerings’ dinner guests about Harmon’s conditional inheritance.First seen in chapter 2
Eugene WrayburnHe accompanies Mortimer Lightwood to examine the recovered body at Hexam’s riverside home.First seen in chapter 3
CharleyHe receives Lizzie’s support for his secret education and brings Mortimer news of the body.First seen in chapter 3
BellaShe resents poverty and mourns a stranger whose arranged marriage promised her wealth.First seen in chapter 4
BoffinHe hires Silas Wegg to read aloud and admires his supposed learning.First seen in chapter 5
Silas WeggHe runs a street stall and secures employment reading aloud to Boffin.First seen in chapter 5
Mrs BoffinShe joins her husband in generously welcoming Wegg to their home.First seen in chapter 5
RiderhoodHe accuses Gaffer of causing deaths and is barred from Abbey’s tavern.First seen in chapter 6
Mr. VenusHe keeps Wegg’s amputated leg in his shop and speaks of romantic disappointment.First seen in chapter 7
Bradley HeadstoneHe is Charley’s schoolmaster and shows interest in Lizzie during a visit to her lodging.First seen in chapter 18
Jenny WrenShe is a young doll’s dressmaker who describes her pain and the children who mock her.First seen in chapter 18

Chapter 1
Gaffer Hexam and Lizzie tow a dead man through the Thames after taking money from him.
Chapter 3
An inquest identifies the recovered body as John Harmon but leaves the cause of death unresolved.
Chapter 5
Boffin hires Silas Wegg to read aloud, and Wegg secures twice the proposed payment.
Chapter 9
The Boffins plan to adopt an orphan and invite Bella to share their comforts.
Chapter 10
The Lammles discover that neither has money and agree to pursue profitable schemes together.
Chapter 14
The searchers recover Gaffer’s body, and the Inspector explains how his own rope drowned him.
Chapter 18
Charley brings Bradley Headstone to visit Lizzie, and the schoolmaster shows increasing interest in her.
Chapter 22
Fledgeby’s visit to Riah reveals his secret ownership of the lending business.
Chapter 26
Johnny dies in the children’s hospital after giving his toys to another patient.
Chapter 30
John Rokesmith privately reveals himself as John Harmon and decides to keep his identity hidden.
Chapter 32
Lizzie refuses Bradley’s marriage proposal, and Charley rejects her refusal to reconsider.
Chapter 38
Boffin humiliates Rokesmith and collects books about misers while Bella watches with growing unease.
Chapter 40
Wegg reveals a newer will and proposes using it to demand half Boffin’s possessions.
Chapter 41
Lizzie finds Betty Higden dying and promises to protect her body and letter from the Parish.
Chapter 48
Bella defends the dismissed Rokesmith, declares her love, and leaves Boffin’s house without his promised money.
Chapter 54
Bella secretly marries John Rokesmith at Greenwich with her father’s help.
Chapter 56
Lizzie rescues Eugene from the river after a brutal attack and carries him to his inn.
Chapter 61
Bella witnesses Lizzie and Eugene’s bedside wedding while Bradley collapses after hearing about it.
Chapter 63
Bella learns that her husband is John Harmon and that Boffin’s greed was an act.
Chapter 64
John Harmon proves Wegg’s document worthless and explains that the Boffins freely gave him the fortune.
Chapter 65
Bradley seizes the blackmailing Riderhood beside the lock and pulls them both into the water, where they die.
Chapter 66
Eugene rejects moving abroad to escape social judgment and resolves to stand openly beside Lizzie.
Chapter 67
Twemlow defends Eugene’s marriage against the dinner guests’ condemnation, encouraging Mortimer.
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