Sue Trinder is an orphan, left as an infant in the care of Mrs. Sucksby. Mrs. Sucksby's household, with its fussy babies calmed with doses of gin, also hosts a transient family of petty thieves - fingersmiths- for whom this house in the heart of a mean London slum is home. One day, the most beloved thief of all arrives - Gentleman, an elegant con man, who carries with him an enticing proposition for Sue. With dreams of paying back the kindness of her adopted family, Sue agrees to his plan. Once in, however, Sue begins to pity her helpless victim, Maud, and care for her in unexpected ways...But no one and nothing is as it seems in this Dickensian novel of thrills and reversals.