The story of a lengthy, byzantine court-case, Bleak House brings together some of Dickens' most memorable characters in an intertwining story of love, murder and greed.

At the centre is a case of Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce, a generations long battle over inheritance that connects all the principal characters, including the heroine Esther Summerson, a prospective beneficiary of the will Richard Carstone, the wealthy and kind John Jarndyce and the villainous lawyer Mr. Tulkington. Involving many, engaging sub-plots Bleak House is also an attack on the flaws of Britain's legal system of the time.

It is not only considered one of Dickens best works but has been credited with helping to spark demand for real judicial reform after its publication in 1853.