Written in the Gothic tradition, The Grey Woman tells a powerful story of deception and distrust. It was originally published as a three-part novella in 1861 in Charles Dickens's weekly literary journal All the Year Round. This complex tale is told in an epistolary format from the perspective of the protagonist, Anna Scherer. Similar to other Gaskell works, a recurring theme is the oppression of women through marriage, specifically the lack of power and rights that women had within a marriage. This book is considered ahead of its time for its progressive feminist views and strong female protagonist. It is sometimes compared to Charles Perrault's Bluebeard. With an introduction by Molly Greeley, bestselling author of The Clergyman's Wife and The Heiress.