Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“The only sin is betrayal.”

One thing you should know about me is that I don’t read a lot of historical fiction. I’m very picky. In fact, I could probably count the number of books on one hand, and I certainly can’t remember which was the last I read. HOWEVER. As soon as I met A.J. at a book event and saw his passion and love for what he writes, Thomas True very quickly became a must read for me. I’m so incredibly glad I got the opportunity to read an early copy! Readers, I am in love with this book and it’s probably going to be one of my biggest recommendations of the year. I’m so happy to share my review for The Betrayal of Thomas True!

About the book

It is the year 1710, 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 silent guard. When the queen of all ‘he-harlots’, Mother Clap, confides in him about a deadly threat, he realises his friends are facing imminent execution.

To the horror of all mollies, there is a rat amongst them, betraying their secrets to a pair of murderous Justices, hell-bent on punishing sinners with the noose.

Can Gabriel unmask the traitor before it’s too late? Can he save hapless Thomas from peril, and their own impossible love?

Set amidst the hidden world of Georgian London’s gay scene, The Betrayal of Thomas True is a brutal and devastating thriller, where love must overcome evil, and the only true sin is betrayal…

The beginning

First paragraphs are so important to me. I listened to A.J. read the first few paragraphs of this book on an Instagram live a little while ago and completely fell in love with it. So to read it myself felt like an indulgent treat, those you only allow yourself once in a while. It instantly transported me to such a specific time and place. Sights, sounds and smells were incredibly easy to visualise and imagine and my god, Thomas True captured my heart. His personality, his clumsy nature, his excitement for a new start after fleeing home made me love him so much. I had such high hopes that he’d find everything he’d dreamed of in London. I found myself smiling a lot when reading this. Not because it was all sunshine and rainbows and happiness, but because it made me feel so much. The description was so vivid, full of character and had a beautiful quirkiness I feel I haven’t read much of before. And the characters. We meet a small handful at the start but each one was jam-packed with personality and colour.

“His knees ached and his mind wandered. He was indeed hungry for food, yet hungrier for adventure. What had that young man said to him in the alleyway? Field Lane over a ditch. Something to do with an ivy door. Mother Clap’s, was it?”

It wasn’t only Thomas who I loved – Gabriel was equally as wonderful, a character who had such a softness, despite his size, a character who had pain in his eyes, someone who had suffered. His story is heartbreaking, but it’s told with such care and attention. The alternate POVs did such a brilliant job of getting us up to speed with their lives, understanding the people they are, what they’ve endured and what they seek. I loved learning more about the Molly houses and especially Gabriel’s role as the molly house guard, Lotty. I was always carrying out extra research about this time as I read because it’s not something I know anything about, but I found it all truly fascinating (you should see my Google search history!) Thomas’s first experience of Mother Clap’s felt like watching a film – there’s so much going on around him, so much to take in, so much to discover, but even so, I soaked it all in so easily thanks to the consistently stunning and powerful descriptions. I just loved it.

The middle

Things take a grim turn as a familiar face is pulled from the Ditch and there’s word of a rat threatening to uncover the secrets of Mother Clap’s, endangering every single molly under its roof. A.J.’s words consistently bring you into a moment so vividly – they’re so full of feeling. There was always something happening to make you think, the mystery of the Rat’s identity quickly making this such an addictive read. It became difficult to know who could be trusted, the uncertainty of it all was completely thrilling to me. My mind began whirring with possibilities and my desire to protect Gabriel was so incredibly strong. But Gabriel had a plan to trap the Rat. And he was sure it’d work. As Thomas, (or Verity True-Tongue 💃🏻) steps into dangerous territory, his connection to Gabriel changes. Gabriel spares his life, no matter how much of a risk this was, and just a little scene like this one packed such a punch. My heart. In fact, there are plenty of compelling, emotional scenes like this which make such an impact.

“We use our molly names here.”

“For safety?”

“For truth, darling! We are mollies and no true molly dresses so plain as men.”

Something shifts between Thomas and Gabriel after enduring a horrific and dangerous ordeal together. The slow-burn of their relationship was completely and utterly beautiful. There are moments of passion, the pent up lust finally set free and I loved it. But then things become instantly cold and incredibly dark in this very same scene. I’ve not once in my entire life read a scene so powerful; from one extreme of love and passion, to instant horror and fear. It was phenomenal and had my feelings in a chokehold the entire time. Utterly marvellous. It’s still giving me chills just writing this! It felt as though one moment, we were so close to finding the true identity of the Rat, but then the next, we couldn’t be so far away from it. I knew we were in for a shock, despite Thomas True becoming in instant suspect (but how could it be him?!) Just how would he clear his name this time? The end of part 3 was absolutely savage, and I am already convinced this author could write anything flawlessly.

The end

Gabriel has so much time for Thomas, and some of the things he says made my heart melt. But aside from this relationship, it was here where we really get to the nitty gritty. We’re thrown some red herrings about the Rat’s identity, and each time I was floored with the suspense, only to find that Thomas and Gabriel had jumped the gun and the Rat was still out there. There were some really intense chapters, especially as Gabriel’s plans are put in place. It was exciting and unnerving in equal measure, but no feeling came close to when Gabriel thinks he learns of the Rat’s true identity. I read this section while I was attending a Silent Book Club at my local bookshop. Picture this: a book shop packed full of readers in silence, and me reading this exact scene and wanting to stand up and scream. I feel that moment was one I’ll never forget, and that scene is one that will stay with me forever. Then, the most unexpected twist. The scene that shook up every feeling I had and left me unable to function for a few hours. It was all I could think about!

“Mister True, yer a good man, I know it. Don’t know what love is, but I can learn.”

The ending chapters will stick with me for life. Completely heartbreaking scenes made my eyes tear up, the most unexpected identity of the Rat and the fate of so many mollies sending my emotions haywire. It was absolutely incredible. I felt sick, elated, angry, relieved, nervous, joyous. It really felt like one of the most powerful finales I’ve experienced in a book. I feel weirdly hungover… I think this was the most impactful ending the author could have chosen out of such a variety. Ever since I read those final words, I’ve been thinking about what would happen to these characters beyond the book, the hardships they would continue to endure, how life would have changed for them and continue to change for the better and the worse. My eyes have been opened, and something has certainly been ignited within me. Always together 🦚

Overall thoughts

The Betrayal of Thomas True is not only an intense and mesmerising thriller, it’s also a beautiful and heartbreaking romance between two perfectly imperfect souls. It’s a thorough exploration of London’s gay scene in the 1700s, the trials and tribulations of being accepted. It’s a mind-bending mystery, following the clues to uncover a traitor. The Betrayal of Thomas True is everything.

A beautifully written novel with such an original plot. This book blew my mind, made me cry and really opened my eyes to both the horrors and of course, the colourfulness, of living as a molly in old London. The extensive research, the love and the passion the author has for this story is so incredibly clear, and it’s been an absolute pleasure getting to know Thomas and Gabriel. I love them both with my whole heart. Historical fiction fans, thriller fans, mystery fans, romance fans; this is a MUST read! Without a doubt one of my top reads of the year.

HUGE thanks of course, to A.J. West, for not only being such a talented author, but one of the loveliest people you could hope to meet. And of course, thank you SO much to Orenda Books for my proof copy giveaway win! You can pre-order your own copy of The Betrayal of Thomas True (signed with BEAUTIFUL sprayed edges) from a number of stockists – you can find a list here. Out 4th July! Make sure you’re following A.J. over on Instagram and X/Twitter for more updates.

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