It tells the story of a girl, Vivian Smith, who is kidnapped while being evacuated from London during World War II and caught up in a struggle to preserve history.

Most of the plot takes place in Time City, the purpose of which is to oversee the course of history and ensure that it stays on its "correct" path.

This one states that Faber John created four Caskets – Gold, Silver, Iron and Lead – which, after being placed out in history, provide the power needed to keep Time City running.

Undeterred, Jonathan, Vivian, Sam and the android Elio go in search of the Caskets, using an ancient time-travel device they find in a secret room beneath a museum.

This goes badly wrong when they fail to catch the thief, cause an accidental explosion of a train carrying radioactive fuel, and return to Time City with two hundred evacuees in tow.

As Time City starts to fall to pieces around them, the Lees force Vivian, Sam and Jonathan to go to the Gnomon Tower with them as hostages.

The trio realise the ancient time-travel device they found is in fact the Lead Casket, and Sam manages to escape from the clock tower to tell Elio, who returns with the city officials.

Hiding in a bush to prevent Vivian or Jonathan from being shot, Elio uses the Lead Casket to stop the Gold Watcher from reaching the top.

Vivan (Lee) is sent to Ancient China, but not before Dr. Wilander lets Vivian (Smith) shove the butter-pie she (VL) had been eating into her own eye, then inside her collar.

Mr. Donegal (Sam's father and Chief of Time Patrol) explains that they had pinpointed the source of a massive amount of chronons (which cause chaos and could harm the city) to September 1939 as Vivian Smith.

Dave Langford reviewed A Tale of Time City for White Dwarf #98, and stated that "Though the cavalry comes over the hill so effectively in the final chapter that one isn't sure the kids' efforts were entirely necessary, it's a pleasant read and often very funny.