Fingersmith, book and adaptation, is a brilliant piece of art. The adaptation is very faithful - one of the adaptations I've most approved of in my life - and if you liked it, you'll like the book. Imelda Staunton as Mrs Sucksby doesn't play her at all like I imagined, and is very irritating, but as she's not a very likeable character anyway, it's not a problem.

Gothic horror, though? Other than the madhouse interlude, it all strikes me as quite down to earth! In its twisty plotty shocky porny way.

With regard to your first sentence: good luck.