Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Some books grab you by the collar on page one and refuse to let go. This is one of them.

The Handmaiden, the acclaimed film adaptation directed by Park Chan-wook and starring Kim Tae-Ri, is now available—but trust us, you’ll want to start with the pages that inspired it.

Sue Trinder is an orphan, raised in the heart of a London slum by Mrs. Sucksby, a “baby farmer” who tends to fussy infants and a transient family of petty thieves—fingersmiths—with surprising tenderness.

Then comes Gentleman. An elegant con man with a tempting proposition: pose as a maid to the naïve heiress Maud Lilly, help him seduce and marry her, and they’ll all share in her vast fortune. Once Maud is locked away in an asylem, declared mad, the money is theirs.

Sue agrees. But the moment she meets Maud, the plan starts to wobble. Because Sue begins to care. And in this Dickensian world of thieves and double-crosses, absolutely no one is who they appear to be.

Sarah Waters is a master of the long con on the page. Fingersmith was shortlisted for both the Booker Prize and the Orange Prize, and it earned its place as a modern classic of historical fiction—a twisting, gasp-out-loud tale of love, betrayal, and reinvention.

This is the perfect companion for a gray, salty afternoon. Settle in by the window, let the wind rattle the panes, and prepare to be utterly deceived—in the best possible way.

Curl up. Linger. You won’t see the ending coming.

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