The Betrayal of Thomas True -- A. J. West, Paperback

Set in the buried streets of Georgian London and the outrageous underworld of the molly houses, a carpenter hiding a double life, searches for a traitor who is betraying the secrets of the mollies - a Top Ten Sunday Times bestseller!

**WINNER of the CWA Historical DAGGER 2025***

Heartbreaking, beautiful, lyrical ... you won't want to put it down Catriona Ward

Utterly thrilling Elizabeth MacNeal

Immersive, illuminating and exceptionally entertaining Matt Cain

Stunning and powerful ... You'll never forget Thomas True Janice Hallett

A clever mystery, a powerful love story ... affected me more than anything I've read in a long time Gareth Brown

**WINNER OF THE HWA DEBUT CROWN**

**THE TOP TEN Sunday Times BESTSELLER**

**SHORTLISTED for Booksellers Association Author of the Year**

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The only sin is betrayal...

It is the year 1715, and Thomas True has arrived on old London Bridge with a dangerous secret. One night, lost amongst the squalor of London's hidden back streets, he finds himself drawn into the outrageous underworld of the molly houses.

Meanwhile, carpenter Gabriel Griffin struggles to hide his double life as Lotty, the molly's stoic guard. When a young man is found murdered, he realises there is a rat amongst them, betraying their secrets to a pair of murderous Justices.

Can Gabriel unmask the traitor before they hang? Can he save hapless Thomas from peril, and their own forbidden love?

Set amidst the buried streets of Georgian London, The Betrayal of Thomas True is a brutal and devastating thriller, where love must overcome evil, and the only true sin is betrayal...

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Quite simply divine ... had me in all sorts of tears Jennie Godfrey

A vivid exploration of a largely forgotten aspect of London's past ... as compelling as West's debut The Times

Simmers with sinister menace and illicit temptation Susan Stokes-Chapman

An unforgettable combination of historical thriller, love story and heartbreaking tragedy Heat

Ingeniously plotted, vivid and memorable Historical Novel Society

Electric ... an unputdownable read Attitude Magazine

An epic adventure of love in a time of danger Hallie Rubenhold

Exuberant, moving Rosie Andrews

Vivid, impressive and utterly immersive ... I was weeping by the final pages. Masterful D.V. Bishop

A devastating story told with great power Christopher Stephens

You are instantly immersed in the perilous, hot, exciting, plot-swirling world of Mollies Felice Picano

You'll smile, you'll gasp, you'll cry Essie Fox

Hugely entertaining Anna Mazzola

Bursting with memorable characters and stunning imagery Sean Lusk

Brilliantly researched and lavishly written Emma Stonex

Like a modern Fielding Kate Griffin

Hypnotic. A hurtling tale of deception and self-discovery James Cahill

Very, very good Stephen Fry

There has never been a book that made me cry ... until today Suzie Edge

A beautiful, dark love story set in the fetid streets of Georgian London ... unputdownable Gareth Russell

Broke my heart and energised my soul Tracy King

The wit of Wilde still lives! Gyles Brandreth

A powerful new voice in historical fiction Gill Paul

A picaresque gay romp through 18th-century London, with a dark and troubling heart Annie Garthwaite

Author: A. J. West
Publisher: Orenda Books
Published: 10/28/2025
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Paperback
ISBN: 9781916788596

About the Author

A.J. West's debut novel The Spirit Engineer won the Historical Writers' Association Debut Crown Award, gaining international praise for its telling of a long-forgotten true story.

An award winning BBC newsreader and reporter, he has written for national newspapers and regularly appears on network television discussing his writing and the historical context of contemporary events.

A passionate historical researcher, he writes at The London Library and museum archives around the world.