Author: A.J. West Classic fiction (pre c 1945) | Historical mysteries | Thriller / suspense | Romance | Historical fiction | Fiction: special features Published on 3rd July 2025 by Orenda Books in the United Kingdom.Paperback / softback | 300 pages 198mm x 129mm | 300g 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. The visceral, raucous, tender and utterly enchanting historical thriller by the award-winning author of The Spirit Engineer. ‘Heartbreaking, beautiful, lyrical. I was captivated … you won't want to put it down’ Catriona Ward ‘Utterly thrilling’ Elizabeth MacNeal ‘A vivid exploration of a largely forgotten aspect of London’s past … as compelling as West’s debut’ The Times ‘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 10 Sunday Times BESTSELLER****SHORTLISTED for Booksellers Association Author of the Year** 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… ‘This deeply affecting novel is an unforgettable combination of historical thriller, love story and heartbreaking tragedy’ Heat magazine ‘A rare gem of a novel … a darkly thrilling romp that simmers with sinister menace and illicit temptation’ Susan Stokes-Chapman ‘Electric … West’s talent as a writer – Dickensian-style vivacious characterisation and fast paced action – make this an unputdownable read’ Attitude Magazine ‘Very, very good’ Stephen Fry ‘Quite simply divine – historical, a thriller, comedic, fantastical and, above all, a love story that had me in all sorts of tears’ Jennie Godfrey ‘Plunges readers into the dark, treacherous streets of Georgian London in this epic adventure of love in a time of danger – a must-read’ Hallie Rubenhold ‘An exuberant, moving story of double lives, forbidden love and personal identity’ Rosie Andrews ‘Vivid, impressive and utterly immersive … I was weeping by the final pages. Masterful’ D.V. Bishop ‘Researched to the gills, but with so fluidly compelling a narrative that 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 at this Georgian-era thriller awash with mystery and mayhem … and magnificent mollies’ Essie Fox ‘There has never been a book that made me cry … until today. It chewed me up hard but it was also funny, colourful and decadent’ Suzie Edge ‘Fierce, funny, and fabulous … an important and deeply moving story’ Jonathan Harvey 'Both a roaring Georgian romp and a moving story of injustice and discrimination … hugely entertaining' Anna Mazzola ‘Bursting with memorable characters and stunning imagery … a thriller, a tragedy and a love story all in one’ Sean Lusk ‘A thrilling historical mystery, brilliantly researched and lavishly written’ Emma Stonex ‘Writing like a modern Fielding, A.J. West packs in humour, horror and a raging sense of injustice’ Kate Griffin ‘A beautiful, dark love story set in the fetid streets of Georgian London … unputdownable’ Gareth Russell ‘A beautifully told story that broke my heart and energised my soul … a cunningly plotted, twisty and twisted tale of love, betrayal and the human spirit’ Tracy King ‘The wit of Wilde still lives!’ Gyles Brandreth ‘A gripping epic tale … 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
