This novel, the fifth in Trollope's Chronicles of Barsetshire series, tells the tale of the Dale family, which is trying to make ends meet in the aftermath of the death of the family patriarch. A nearly impenetrable knot of romantic entanglements ensues shortly after the family moves into the small house of the book's title. Long admired by fans of Trollope's writing, The Small House at Allington gained more widespread attention after it was named as a personal favorite by then-sitting Prime Minister John Major.