One of the most popular fiction writers of the Victorian era, Anthony Trollope's novels still attract an ardent readership today. Originally serialized in a magazine, Mr. Scarborough's Family is a mystery novel of sorts, bringing together Trollope's keen insight into human behavior and an enthralling suspense plot.

City of Toronto Book Award finalist Scarborough is a low-income, culturally diverse neighborhood east of Toronto, the fourth largest city in North America; like many inner city communities, it suffers under the weight of poverty, drugs, crime, and urban blight. Scarborough the novel employs a multitude of voices to tell the story of a tight-knit neighborhood under fire: among them, Victor, a black artist harassed by the police; Winsum, a West Indian restaurant owner struggling to keep it together; and Hina, a Muslim school worker who witnesses first-hand the impact of poverty on education. And then there are the three kids who work to rise above a system that consistently fails them: Bing, a gay Filipino boy who lives under the shadow of his father's mental illness; Sylvie, Bing's best friend, a Native girl whose family struggles to find a permanent home to live in; and Laura, whose history of neglect by her mother is destined to repeat itself with her father. Scarborough offers a raw yet empathetic glimpse into a troubled community that locates its dignity in unexpected places: a neighborhood that refuses to be undone. Catherine Hernandez is a queer theatre practitioner and writer who has lived in Scarborough off and on for most of her life. Her plays Singkil and Kilt Pins were published by Playwrights Canada Press, and her children's book M is for Mustache: A Pride ABC Book was published by Flamingo Rampant. She is the Artistic Director of Sulong Theatre for women of color.

Both Rachel Ray’s mother and elder sister are widows. They live a quiet life in their rural village, under the shadow of the nearby town of Baslehurst. When Rachel’s attractions catch the eye of Luke Rowan—a young man recently arrived in town to develop a brewery in which he has a commercial interest—reactions are varied. Her friends are jealous, her pious sister affronted; and Luke’s status in the town suffers a blow. While the nature of Rachel’s attachment to Mr. Rowan provokes speculation, the affairs of others in the town run their own course. Rachel Ray is a tale of obstacles to the course of true love, told in Anthony Trollope’s gentle and well-observed style. Yet Trollope laces this otherwise unexacting narrative with probing explorations of personal morals, religious integrity, and even political prejudice. It might now seem remarkable that this innocuous novel should have been the focus of controversy when it was serialized, but Trollope’s capacity to display the potentially hypocritical elements in Christian morality drew the ire of certain prominent ministers. If anything, the controversy only fueled its commercial success after it was published in a single volume. Since then, its charms have won for it a continuing readership, appreciative of the deft and delicate strokes with which Trollope depicts a few moments in the life of a Devonshire town. This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.

This eBook edition of "The Complete Novels" has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Contents: Chronicles of Barsetshire: The Warden Barchester Towers Doctor Thorne Framley Parsonage The Small House at Allington The Last Chronicle of Barset Palliser Novels: Can You Forgive Her? Phineas Finn The Eustace Diamonds Phineas Redux The Prime Minister The Duke's Children Irish Novels: The Macdermots of Ballycloran The Kellys and the O'Kellys Castle Richmond An Eye for an Eye The Landleaguers Other Novels: La Vendée The Three Clerks The Bertrams Orley Farm The Struggles of Brown, Jones & Robinson Rachel Ray Miss Mackenzie The Belton Estate The Claverings Nina Balatka Linda Tressel He Knew He Was Right The Vicar of Bullhampton Sir Harry Hotspur of Humblethwaite Ralph the Heir The Golden Lion of Granpère Harry Heathcote of Gangoil Lady Anna The Way We Live Now The American Senator Is He Popenjoy? John Caldigate Cousin Henry Ayala's Angel Doctor Wortle's School The Fixed Period Kept in the Dark Marion Fay Mr. Scarborough's Family An Old Man's Love An Autobiography of Anthony Trollope