A.J. West's 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.

"A thriller and a vivid exploration of a largely forgotten aspect of London's past, this is as compelling as West's debut."--The Times

"A gripping historical tale, The Betrayal of Thomas True reveals persecutions, mysterious murders, and a valiant and lively alliance of gay men."--Foreword Reviews

"This meticulously researched, absolutely fantastic tale of the mollies of Georgian London is a real literary treat, and its colourful characters will stay with you long after you've read the last page."--Heat Magazine

"The Betrayal of Thomas True is an immersive, illuminating and exceptionally entertaining novel. The lead character is adorable, Gabriel is seriously hot, and you'll be rooting for their forbidden love to make it. The book will also make you feel proud - or even prouder - of our community's rich cultural history. As the mollies are fond of saying, 'Always together!'"--The Queer Review

"Ingeniously plotted, vivid and memorable."--Historical Novel Society

`Sometimes you find a novel that is electric ... West's talent as a writer - Dickensian-style vivacious characterisation and fast paced action - make this an unputdownable read´ Attitude Magazine

`Quite simply divine - historical, a thriller, comedic, fantastical and, above all, a love story that had me in all sorts of tears´ Jennie Godfrey

`A clever mystery, a powerful love story ... affected me more than anything I've read in a long time´ Gareth Brown

`Plunges readers into the dark, treacherous streets of Georgian London in this epic adventure of love in a time of danger - a must-read for lovers of gritty, thrilling, historical fiction. An absolute page-turner!´ Hallie Rubenhold

`An exuberant, moving story of double lives, forbidden love and personal identity´ Rosie Andrews

`Vivid, impressive and utterly immersive ... I was weeping by the final pages. Masterful´ D.V. Bishop

`You'll smile, you'll gasp, you'll cry at this Georgian-era thriller awash with mystery and mayhem ... and magnificent mollies´ Essie Fox

`There has never been a book that made me cry ... until today. It chewed me up hard more than once, but it was also funny, colourful and decadent. Truly extraordinary´ Suzie Edge

`Fierce, funny, and fabulous; this is an important and deeply moving story´ Jonathan Harvey

`Both a roaring Georgian romp and a moving story of injustice and discrimination ... hugely entertaining´ Anna Mazzola

`Bursting with memorable characters and stunning imagery ... a thriller, a tragedy and a love story all in one´ Sean Lusk

`A thrilling historical mystery, brilliantly researched and lavishly written´ Emma Stonex

`Writing like a modern Fielding, A.J. West packs in humour, horror and a raging sense of injustice´ Kate Griffin

`A beautiful, dark love story set in the fetid streets of Georgian London ... unputdownable´ Gareth Russell

`A beautifully told story that broke my heart and energised my soul in equal measure. A cunningly plotted, twisty and twisted tale of love, betrayal and the human spirit ... a timely reminder of the heavy cost of freedom´ Tracy King

`The wit of Wilde still lives!´ Gyles Brandreth

`A gripping epic tale ... a powerful new voice in historical fiction´ Gill Paul

`A picaresque gay romp through 18th-century London, with a dark and troubling heart´ Annie Garthwaite