A Dark Night's Work

A Dark Night's Work is a novel by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, first published in 1863. Set in the small town of Hamley, it follows Mr. Wilkins, a successful attorney, as he navigates complex family dynamics and societal expectations, particularly regarding his son Edward's ambitions and his daughter Ellinor's steadfast character. The story explores themes of ambition, social class, and familial responsibility, and was initially published serially in Charles Dickens's magazine, All the Year Round, with the title altered by Dickens against Gaskell's wishes.