23 Charles Dickens Books for Free! [PDF]

A greedy old man gets visited by three ghosts in one night, and they show him what his life really looks like. A Christmas Carol is a story about second chances.

Charles Dickens wrote this in just six weeks in 1843. It changed how people think about kindness, giving, and what the holidays are for.

An empty house across the street catches an old woman's eye, and she wants to know why no one lives there. A House to Let unfolds the hidden stories behind a locked door.

Charles Dickens wrote this with other authors as a group project in 1858. It is a fun read that shows how one mystery can hold many different voices.

London and Paris during the French Revolution, where lives cross in ways no one expects. A Tale of Two Cities is about love, sacrifice, and what people will do when the world falls apart.

Charles Dickens published this in 1859, and it became one of the best-selling novels of all time. Its ending will stay with you.

In 1842, Charles Dickens visited America for the first time and wrote down everything he saw. American Notes for General Circulation is an honest, sometimes harsh look at a young nation through British eyes.

Dickens praised American energy but strongly attacked slavery. His sharp observations still make you think about how outsiders see a country.

A murder mystery set against the backdrop of the 1780 London riots. Barnaby Rudge weaves together private secrets and public chaos in one gripping story.

Charles Dickens published this in 1841, and it features one of his most lovable characters. If you want Dickens with action and suspense, this is a great pick.

A court case drags on for so long that it ruins the lives of everyone connected to it. Bleak House is a sharp attack on a legal system that eats people alive.

Charles Dickens published this in 1853, and many consider it his finest novel. It has mystery, humor, and a cast of characters that stays with you.

An orphan boy grows up through hardship, bad luck, and kindness from strangers. David Copperfield is a warm, funny, and deeply moving story of one person's journey from childhood to adulthood.

Charles Dickens called this his favorite among all his novels, published in 1850. Much of it came from his own life, and you can feel that honesty on every page.

A proud businessman cares only about his son and ignores his daughter, and life teaches him a painful lesson about what really matters. Dombey and Son is a story about pride, family, and love that goes unseen.

Charles Dickens published this in 1848. Florence Dombey is one of his most touching characters, and her patience will break your heart.

A poor boy named Pip gets a secret fortune and thinks money will fix everything. Great Expectations shows how wealth can change a person in all the wrong ways.

Charles Dickens fills this novel with characters you won't forget, from a scary convict to a heartbroken old woman in a wedding dress. Pip's journey to learn what truly matters hits close to home.

In a grim factory town, a school teaches children nothing but facts. Hard Times asks what happens to people when you crush their imagination.

Charles Dickens wrote this as a protest against treating people like machines. It's short for a Dickens novel and hits hard from the first page.

A kind young woman grows up inside a debtors' prison because her father can't pay what he owes. Little Dorrit is about how money traps people in ways you don't always see.

Charles Dickens wrote this as a critique of government waste and social injustice. Amy Dorrit's quiet strength makes her one of his most lovable characters.

A selfish young man travels to America and learns the hard way that the world doesn't owe him anything. Martin Chuzzlewit is a comedy about greed, family, and growing up.

Charles Dickens packed this novel with some of his funniest characters. The villain is so good at pretending to be nice that you almost believe him yourself.

An old man gathers friends around a grandfather clock to share stories and memories. Master Humphrey's Clock is a cozy frame for some of Dickens' shorter tales.

Charles Dickens used this series to launch The Old Curiosity Shop and other stories. It's a warm, inviting way to discover Dickens if you want to start small.

A young man sets out to support his family after his father dies and leaves them with nothing. Nicholas Nickleby is a journey through cruelty and kindness in Victorian England.

Charles Dickens fills this novel with villains you'll love to hate and friends worth cheering for. Nicholas's fight to protect the people he loves keeps you turning pages.

An orphan boy in London falls in with a gang of thieves and fights to find a better life. Oliver Twist is the story that made Charles Dickens famous.

Charles Dickens published this in 1838 to show how cruel life was for poor children in England. The characters are unforgettable, and the story still moves readers today.

A dead man's fortune sets off a chain of secrets, schemes, and second chances in London. Our Mutual Friend is Charles Dickens' last finished novel and one of his richest.

Charles Dickens packed this story with twists, humor, and sharp observations about money and class. If you like Dickens, this is a rewarding read.

Before he wrote novels, Charles Dickens walked the streets of London and wrote about what he saw. Sketches by Boz gives you a lively, funny look at everyday life in 1830s London.

Charles Dickens published these under the pen name "Boz" when he was still young. You can already see the sharp eye and warm humor that would make him famous.

A poor man begins to believe that people like him don't deserve happiness, until the church bells show him a terrible vision of what giving up leads to. The Chimes is Dickens at his most emotional.

Charles Dickens wrote this as a follow-up to A Christmas Carol. It's a story about how the rich talk about the poor, and why that matters.

A toy maker suspects his young wife is hiding a secret, and a cricket on the hearth guides him to the truth. The Cricket on the Hearth is a warm story about trust and love in a small home.

Charles Dickens wrote this as one of his Christmas books. It's shorter and gentler than his novels, perfect for a quiet evening.

Edwin Drood disappears, and the main suspect is his own uncle who leads a dark double life hidden from everyone around him. The Mystery of Edwin Drood is the mystery Dickens never got to finish.

Charles Dickens died halfway through writing this novel. Readers have been guessing the ending for over 150 years, and that mystery makes the book even more interesting.

Little Nell and her grandfather flee from a cruel moneylender and wander through England looking for safety. The Old Curiosity Shop is a story about innocence trying to survive in a harsh world.

Charles Dickens made readers cry when this was first published in weekly parts. Crowds in New York shouted at arriving ships, asking whether Little Nell was still alive.

Mr. Pickwick and his friends travel the English countryside, getting into one funny mess after another. The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club is the book that made Charles Dickens famous overnight.

Charles Dickens was only 24 when he wrote this comic novel. It is full of warmth, big characters, and the kind of humor that still makes people laugh nearly 200 years later.

A railway worker keeps seeing a ghost near a dark tunnel, and each time, something terrible follows. The Signal-Man is a ghost story that creeps up on you and never lets go.

Charles Dickens wrote this short tale in 1866, and it still gives readers chills. If you like your horror quiet and unsettling rather than loud, this is for you.