Reading order · 6 books · 1864 to 1880 · Set in London
Palliser Books in Order
The Palliser novels move from the cathedral close to Parliament and London society, following the politician Plantagenet Palliser, his lively wife Lady Glencora and the Irish MP Phineas Finn.
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Series facts
- Books
- 6
- Published
- 1864 to 1880
- First book
- Can You Forgive Her?
- Latest
- The Duke's Children (1880)
- Setting
- Set in London
The reading order
Every Palliser book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
6 books · Set in London
- 1Can You Forgive Her?1864With Lady Glencora PalliserAlice Vavasor cannot decide between two suitors, while Lady Glencora Palliser is tempted by the handsome man she once loved.Buy on Amazon
- 2Phineas Finn1869With Phineas FinnPhineas Finn, a charming young Irish barrister, is elected to Parliament and must make his way in politics and love.Buy on Amazon
- 3The Eustace Diamonds1873With Lizzie EustaceLizzie Eustace, a beautiful young widow, refuses to give back a valuable diamond necklace that her late husband’s family says belongs to them.Buy on Amazon
- 4Phineas Redux1874With Phineas FinnPhineas Finn returns to politics, and is accused of murder.Buy on Amazon
- 5The Prime Minister1876With Plantagenet PalliserPlantagenet Palliser becomes Prime Minister of a coalition government, while his wife Lady Glencora works hard as his hostess.Buy on Amazon
- 6The Duke's Children1880With Plantagenet PalliserThe Duke of Omnium, now alone, struggles with his grown children’s choices in love and life.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in order, starting with Can You Forgive Her?. Many readers start with the Barsetshire books first, as some characters appear in both.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Plantagenet Palliser | Phineas Finn | Lady Glencora Palliser | Lizzie Eustace | Madame Max Goesler | Lady Laura Standish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Can You Forgive Her? | MMajor | LLead | ||||
| 2 Phineas Finn | ·Minor | LLead | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor | |
| 3 The Eustace Diamonds | ·Minor | ·Minor | LLead | |||
| 4 Phineas Redux | MMajor | LLead | MMajor | ·Minor | MMajor | MMajor |
| 5 The Prime Minister | LLead | ·Minor | MMajor | |||
| 6 The Duke's Children | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor |
Characters in the Palliser books
6 characters from Anthony Trollope’s chart, with the number of Palliser books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Plantagenet PalliserPolitician, later Duke of Omnium | 6 | Can You Forgive Her? 1864 |
| Phineas FinnIrish MP | 4 | Phineas Finn 1869 |
| Lady Glencora PalliserPlantagenet's lively wife | 5 | Can You Forgive Her? 1864 |
| Lizzie EustaceWidow who keeps the diamonds | 2 | The Eustace Diamonds 1873 |
| Madame Max GoeslerWealthy widow | 3 | Phineas Finn 1869 |
| Lady Laura StandishPhineas's friend | 2 | Phineas Finn 1869 |
Crossovers with Anthony Trollope’s other series
- Barsetshire: Plantagenet Palliser also appears in 1 of its books