The Adams Family Series in Order

About the Adams Family series

Series Premise

The series chronicles the Adams family—a poor but cheerful and respectable Cockney clan in Walworth, South London—over several decades, from the pre-World War I years through the Blitz and into the 1950s and beyond. It begins in the early 1900s with widow Mrs. Adams (affectionately nicknamed "Chinese Lady" by her children) raising her family after losing her husband in the Boer War. The household includes her children—Boots (the bright, quick-witted one), Tommy (the quiet, steady one), Sammy (the enterprising wheeler-dealer), and Lizzy (the pretty, spirited daughter)—along with lodgers, neighbors, and extended kin.

The core premise traces the family's fortunes through peace and war, hardship and humor, as they navigate poverty, the Great War, the interwar years, the Blitz, and post-war recovery. The Adamses embody Cockney resilience—gutsy, tough, cheeky, and fiercely loyal—facing everything from financial struggles and air raids to family romances, business ventures, and personal tragedies. The saga follows their individual journeys: marriages, children, careers (often in market trading or small businesses), and the impact of historical events on ordinary lives. While each book advances the timeline and focuses on specific family members or events, the overarching story is one of endurance and joy in the face of adversity, with the family's unbreakable bonds and irrepressible spirit carrying them forward.

Main Characters

The Adams family forms the warm, vibrant core of the series, with a large, evolving cast of siblings, spouses, children, and in-laws.



- Mrs. Adams ("Chinese Lady") — The widowed matriarch; tough, respectable, and fiercely protective of her children. Nicknamed for her slightly exotic looks, she keeps the family together through sheer will and common sense.



- Boots (Robert Adams) — The eldest son; bright, quick-witted, and ambitious. He becomes the family's unofficial leader, often the one with ideas and charm.



- Tommy Adams — The quiet, steady middle son; reliable and thoughtful, often the voice of calm amid chaos.



- Sammy Adams — The youngest son; a natural wheeler-dealer and entrepreneur from childhood, full of cheek and schemes that usually pay off.



- Lizzy Adams — The pretty, spirited daughter; a real "pearl" who falls in love amid the looming shadow of war.

Setting

The series is firmly rooted in South London, particularly the working-class district of Walworth (near Camberwell and Lambeth), from the Edwardian era through the mid-20th century. The Adamses live in a modest terraced house on a typical street—cramped but lively, with neighbors, street traders, and the constant bustle of Cockney life. The setting expands to nearby boroughs as the family grows and prospers, including market stalls, pubs, music halls, factories, and later suburban homes.



The historical backdrop is vivid: pre-war poverty and pawnbrokers, the Great War's impact (sons enlisting, rationing), the interwar years of economic hardship, the Blitz's air raids and shelter life, and post-war austerity and rebuilding. Staples captures the sensory details of Cockney London—the smell of jellied eels and pie shops, the sound of costermongers, the fog of coal fires, the camaraderie of the local pub, and the resilience of bombed streets. The setting feels authentic and lived-in, a character in its own right—tough yet vibrant, poor yet proud—shaping the family's humor, grit, and unbreakable spirit.

Tone & Themes

The tone is warm, affectionate, humorous, and deeply nostalgic, capturing the spirit of Cockney life with fondness and gentle optimism. Staples writes with a light, engaging touch—full of lively dialogue, cheeky banter, and a keen ear for London slang and working-class humor—making even difficult times feel uplifting and human. The books are sentimental without being saccharine, portraying poverty, war, and loss honestly but always emphasizing resilience, love, and laughter.

Humor is abundant: the family's quick wit, absurd situations, and Sammy's entrepreneurial schemes provide comic relief, while the narrative voice is fond and knowing, often winking at the characters' quirks. Emotional moments—grief, worry during air raids, family tensions—are handled with tenderness and realism, but the tone remains hopeful and life-affirming. The overall feel is comforting and celebratory—like listening to a favorite relative tell stories of "the old days"—evoking pride in working-class roots and the simple joys of family and community.

Mary Jane Staples' Adams Family series is a warm, nostalgic celebration of Cockney life, family loyalty, and quiet heroism across decades of peace and war. Through the trials and triumphs of the Adams clan—from poverty in Walworth to post-war prosperity—the books capture the humor, resilience, and unbreakable spirit of London's working-class heart. With lively characters, affectionate humor, vivid historical detail, and uplifting resolutions, the saga offers comforting, immersive reading that feels like listening to a favorite family storyteller. It's a heartfelt tribute to ordinary people enduring extraordinary times—full of laughter, love, and the enduring strength of family—leaving readers with a smile and a deep sense of connection to the past.