Thompson Hall, fragrant with the welcoming scent of plum-pudding and warmed by a roaring fire, awaits the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Brown from the south of France. But they may never make it to Thompson Hall. The story opens in Paris at Le Grand Hotel, where Mr. Brown is down with ’a throat-condition’ – he is unable to travel to England. Only Mrs. Brown is determined that they will go on. So begins a Christmas tale complicated and simple, pathetic and farcical, embarrassing and risqué. Anthony Trollope (1815 – 1882) was one of the most successful, seminal, and respected English novelists during the Victorian era. He was (and still is) famous for his perceptive novels on political, social, and gender issues, as well as his ’Chronicles of Barsetshire’ series. This novel is highly recommended for those who have read and enjoyed other works by Trollope, and it would make for a worthy addition to any personal collection. Many antiquarian books such as this are increasingly hard to come by and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are republishing this text now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition. It comes complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.