Betrayal of Thomas True set in Georgian London

Submitted: 1st July 2024

Thomas True and A J West

There are few books that take control of every one of your senses and draw you into their world so you forget your own for a time.That’s what happened to me with The Betrayal of Thomas True. I knew it was going to be good – this writer has such pedigree from his first novel that won the HWA Debut Crown Awards a few years ago. I am one of the judges, so I had a ringside seat for this novel.

Would I like Thomas? Short answer – course I did!

Map of locations in The Betrayal of Thomas True

BOARDING PASS INFORMATION

Destination : London 1715

Author guide: A J West

Genre: historical fiction

Food and drink to accompany: whatever the molly houses serve!

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A novel to transport you to Georgian London

Map of locations in The Betrayal of Thomas True

“London had to be friendly, or why should so many people choose to live there?”

Well, there’s a statement in this novel! This is the London of 1715 where Molly houses, meeting places for gay men, were in full swing. They were often rooms in pubs and inns where everyone went but more often that not, they were places held in secret as gay men were not seen to be part of normal society. The Molly houses were a mix of a brothel and a meeting place for gay men who couldn’t openly kiss, flirt or be themselves in society at large. I’d first come across them in the novel The Alienist and this novel build a complex and intrinsic world that is as fascinating and enthralling as that.

Peacock

Map of locations in The Betrayal of Thomas True

There are some very dark moments in the book – these so called Mollies were deemed to be the dregs of society. They are tortured and bullied and goodness, there are some dark and graphic moments. AJ West portrays this well – he must have been in tears researching some of this as I was in reading it. It’s not all doom and gloom however – at its core is a story of love, mystery and trying to find the rat who is telling tales and getting the mollies into trouble and danger. People are dying and only the mollies seem to care. There is so much tenderness and love in the novel. It was endearing and so wonderful to read. Especially since we have just had Pride Month, and now this novel comes out, why do we find that history is repeating itself. Sadly much of the attitudes and prejudice seen in the novel is relevant today – the LGBTQ + community are still fighting today.

Peacock

Map of locations in The Betrayal of Thomas True

The attention to detail and the world building is excellent. I was immersed in this world of dark, grimy streets, an underworld of violence and worse, the dank Thames, the hot and noisy molly houses and the sights, sounds and smells of Georgian London at large. Reading this was like going inside a molly house yourself and seeing the garish, colourful, fanciful and sometimes debauched world the mollies are part of. The author has done some wonderful research and better than that, he has woven it into a fine gold, colourful thread that reveals so much yet hides it well as the actions spins and swirls past your eyes until a full picture emerges. And oh goodness that ending! This novel was like a decadent and glorious circus – a show of colour, music and no boundaries. Outstanding throughout.

Map of locations in The Betrayal of Thomas True

This parallel world of the mollies was fascinating to me, on one hand it had an air of Alice in Wonderland and on the other, a portrayal of an underworld, a secret society. Men like carpenter Gabriel struggled to hide their double lives and we see just how they hid away, felt shame, lied and bartered just to be able to live the lives they wanted and to be the people they were. Gabriel is the guard of the mollies and so his role was particularly fascinating.

Peacock

Map of locations in The Betrayal of Thomas True

This is a decadent and heart breaking novel. I wanted to find out who the rat was so much. How dare they reveal the secrets of the mollies to the justices and society at large. Those in power abused it when it came to crushing the molly houses. I wanted to jump in the novel and warn Thomas and co. How I cried, wailed, laughed, gasped and felt all manner of emotions reading this. I felt bereft as soon as Id finished. Oh Thomas and Gabriel in particular are going to stay with me for ever. What a novel. Such an epic reading experience. What a triumph.