Part of Chronicles of Barsetshire, book 6
First published 2002
Reverend Josiah Crawley, the struggling curate of Hogglestock, finds himself accused of stealing money. The theft charge creates a public scandal that rocks Barsetshire society. Crawley and his family fight to preserve their dignity as neighbors and parishioners turn away from them. The community fractures under the weight of suspicion and gossip. Crawley's pride becomes both his shield and his weakness as the accusations threaten to destroy everything he holds dear. His family watches helplessly as their father's stubborn refusal to explain himself makes their situation worse. The scandal spreads beyond Hogglestock, dividing friends and testing loyalties throughout Barsetshire. Trollope draws from his own memories of childhood poverty to show how a family struggles to keep up appearances when everything falls apart. This story examines what happens when a good man's character comes under attack and how far people will go to protect their reputation.
Genres: fiction, drama, classics, classic-literature, british-literature, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, redemption, social-commentary
Setting: Barsetshire, Hogglestock
Period: 19th-century
890 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books