The Betrayal of Thomas True

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 BrownWINNER OF THE HWA DEBUT CROWNTHE TOP TEN Sunday Times BESTSELLERSHORTLISTED 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...__________________`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

A.J. West's bestselling 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.To connect with AJ and discover more about his research, visit www.ajwestauthor.com