Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

"I wasn't about to do myself an injury, for the  sake of a sixteen-inch waist"

Sarah Waters has this amazing ability to transport a reader, well certainly this one, back into a vivid, palpable past. I'm certainly not the only fan of her work, this particular novel, published in 2002 to high acclaim, garnered nominations for the Booker and Orange prizes. I've come to this novel through its inclusion in the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die  list.

So, to the novel itself. Prepare to travel back to London in 1862 and some rather unsavoury pickpockets - or Fingersmiths- have the delicately, somewhat innocent, orphan, Sue Trinder. Her life is about to change, as she is engaged in an elaborate con under the guidance of 'the gentleman'. Taking on the position of a lady's maid to swindle the strange, Maud Lily, the unworldly Sue has no idea what lies in store and how much her world will be shaken up through this dodgy endeavour.

I don't want to tell you anymore, except that you should grab yourself a copy, and enjoy. I loved the carved up structure, the thriller-esque unfolding of events and the sense of being back in time.

5 out of 5 times you can't trust a fence.