Fingersmith

Sue Trinder has grown up among London thieves, with Mrs Sucksby’s household providing the only family she knows. When a con man called Gentleman offers her a share in a wealthy young woman’s inheritance, Sue agrees to pose as Maud Lilly’s maid and help draw her into his scheme. The plan promises security for Sue and the people who raised her, at Maud’s expense. Living alongside her intended victim makes the arrangement much harder to bear. Sympathy develops into feelings that do not fit the bargain, while the secluded household holds secrets of its own. Set in Victorian England, this historical thriller entwines desire, deception and the dangerous business of deciding whom to trust.