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. 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...