The Last Days of Night: A Novel

New York, 1888. Electric light is emerging as a transformative technology, and whoever controls its distribution will shape the nation's future and accumulate enormous wealth. Paul Cravath, a newly graduated lawyer from Columbia Law School, takes on a seemingly unwinnable case: his client George Westinghouse has been sued by Thomas Edison over a fundamental question—who invented the light bulb and has the right to electrify the country? The case opens doors to New York's high society, from lavish Gramercy Park gatherings to secretive dealings behind closed doors. Edison proves a formidable opponent, wielding private investigators, media influence, and backing from J. P. Morgan. Yet Cravath shares Edison's relentless drive to win. In his pursuit of victory, Cravath encounters Nikola Tesla, a brilliant and unconventional inventor who may provide the advantage needed to defeat Edison, and Agnes Huntington, an opera singer whose talents extend beyond the stage. As Cravath escalates his efforts, he discovers that everyone around him is pursuing their own agenda, and appearances prove deceptive.