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BBC fans have been left astonished by a period drama miniseries they have branded a "masterpiece" - and it's based on a beloved novel by a "queen of the genre". Daphne Du Maurier penned her gothic novel Jamaica Inn in 1936 - and it has been adapted for screen in a 2014 miniseries.

Set in 1821, Jamaica Inn follows Mary Yellan, who tragically loses her mother and is set to live with her aunt at Jamaica Inn - a coaching inn in Cornwall. But Mary realises there's a sinister reason the inn has no guests, and soon uncovers a web of criminal activity all while falling in love with a petty thief.

The series stars Jessica Brown Findlay as Mary and Matthew McNulty as her love interest Jem Merlyn, along with Emmerdale stars Danny Miller and Andrew Scarborough.

At the time of its release, Jamaica Inn was hit with criticism due to its sound problems, with the cast accused of "mumbling" - but now viewers returning to it more than a decade later are uncovering its charm.

One review said: "This adaptation struck the right mood, it seemed to me - dark and subtly sinister." Another hailed it "dark and beautiful", writing: "Very beautiful adaptation of the Du Maurier classic novel to a TV mini-series. There is a reason why Hitchcock directed this back in 1939. The atmosphere set is hypnotic at times.

"The music is well-chosen. It sets the right mood. When I first read the book, I imagined the setting to be similar but not quite as beautiful as shown here.'

The New York Times praised the novel at the heart of the adaptation as by "the queen of the form", perfect for "readers of Gothic thrillers".

It's not the only time Jamaica Inn has been adapted for screen - perhaps its most famous form was Alfred Hitchcock's 1939 release, before an ITV miniseries was released in 1983 starring Jane Seymour. It was also adapted into a French TV movie in 1995.