The Betrayal of Thomas True by A J West PAPERBACK BLOG TOUR #TheBetrayalofThomasTrue @AJWestAuthor @OrendaBooks #BookReview

 

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…

The Betrayal of Thomas True by A J West was published in paperback by Orenda on 3 July 2025. The hardback was published in July 2024. As part of this Blog Tour to celebrate the paperback publication, I am delighted to share my original review with you again. 

Marketed as a 'historical thriller', this novel covers so many genre. It most certainly is a wonderfully researched historical story, with a mystery that runs throughout it. It is also a love story, a tale that explores love that is forbidden by law but becomes so strong that rules and laws have to be ignored. 

This novel explores a part of London that I knew nothing about prior to starting the book. It is clear that the author feels passionately about the subject and his immaculate and detailed research into the city, it's occupants, the design and the way of life adds so much to the narrative. 

I have never really considered the history of the gay movement in England. Of course I know that homosexuality is no longer a crime, and there does seem to be a more open and tolerant atmosphere around the issues. However, we all know that nothing is perfect and there are comparisons to be made with issues in the novel, and things that are happening in our world today. 

Thomas True has left the brutality of his life with his religious family and arrived in the frantic streets of London in the year 1715. Thomas knows that the life that he really wants is seen as sinful by his father. He will stay with his relatives and make his own way in the big city. 

It is not long before Thomas finds himself involved in the Molly movement. Mollies are homosexual men who, when not leading their 'normal' lives, dress in women's clothes, call themselves names more associated with females and visit the Molly houses. This is Thomas' dream, and despite his innocence at times, he knows that he has found his crowd. 

Gabriel Griffin is the guard Mother Clapp's Molly House, he's known there as Lottie. Gabriel is a large, very masculine man who is grieving the death of his wife and children. However, Gabriel knows that he truly is a Molly, and Thomas intrigues him. Before long, they have a close, if difficult relationship. 

However, there is 'a Rat' amongst the Mollies. There is a traitor who is exposing the men, reporting them to the authorities. Mollies who are caught, are executed by the state, no questions asked. Gabriel and Thomas make it their mission to track down the Rat, to ensure the safety of their friends, to protect those who are left. 

This is a highly descriptive novel that will delight lovers of historical fiction. The sights, sounds, smells, streets of London are brought alive by this author's clever use of words. The reader is taken on a journey through streets that seem familiar, yet are very different to the London of today. 

A brave, and ambitious story that deals with a part of history that seems to have been hidden away before now. Colourful characters and a captivating mystery too. 

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.  

His second novel, The Betrayal of Thomas True, was published July 2024.

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.