或譯為《蕭齋》，發表於1852年至1853年之間，是狄更斯最長的作品之壹，它以錯綜復雜的情節揭露英國法律制度和司法機構的黑暗。
這部小說內容諷刺英國古老的“大法官庭”（Chancery）的作風，是司法體制顢頇、邪惡、無能的象征。小說描寫了壹件爭奪遺產的訴訟案，由於司法人員從中營私、徇訐，竟使得案情拖延二十年。在壹個偶然機會裏，男爵夫人的私生女艾瑟.薩莫森（Esther Summerson）被那壹群律師得知，於是追根究柢的律師藉此威脅男爵夫人，甚至整死壹名流浪少年，男爵夫人被迫離家出走，死於壹場暴風雪。
其中壹名律師被他所利用的人殺害。這二十年期間申訴者居住在荒涼山莊，主人約翰.詹狄士（John Jarndyce）成為壹對表兄妹的監護人，等待法官做最後的判決，最後整筆遺產正好全數支付有關的法律訴訟費用，跟訴訟案有關的人死的死，發瘋的發瘋。多數評論家如蕭伯納、切斯特頓、康拉德、崔爾琳等人皆認為這部小說是“創下小說寫作高峰”，也是第壹本“法律小說”。
Name: Bleak House
Or translated, "Shaw Studio", released in 1852 to 1853, and is the longest of the works of Dickens, one of the complex plot to expose it to the British legal system and judicial institutions of the dark.Ironically, the British novel elements of the old "Justice Court" (Chancery) in the style of the judicial system Man Han, evil, a symbol of incompetence. Novel depicts a battle heritage litigation, the judiciary from feather one's nest, as many have suggested criticized them actually delay in making the case two decades. In a fortuitous opportunity, the baroness's illegitimate daughter Esther. Samo Sen (Esther Summerson) was that a group of lawyers knowing the final analysis, the threat to Baroness lawyers, and even to death a homeless teenager, Baron his wife was forced to leave their homes, died in a snowstorm.One of the lawyers was killed by his use. The complainant during the two decades living in Bleak House, owner John. Zhandi Shi (John Jarndyce) as the guardian of a pair of cousins, waiting for the judge make a final ruling, the last full block just to pay estate costs related to legal proceedings, with proceedings case died of the dead, crazy crazy. Most commentators such as George Bernard Shaw, Chesterton, Conrad, Cui Ayleen so everyone that the novel is "a record peak of Novel Writing," is the first of the "legal fiction."