An evening with thriller writer AJ West

We are delighted to welcome AJ West to the shop to talk about his latest release ‘The Betrayal of Thomas True’. Set amidst the hidden world of Georgian London’s ‘gay’ scene, this is a brutal and devastating thriller, where love must overcome evil, and the only true 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 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?

A.J. West’s bestselling debut novel The Spirit Engineer sold over 17,000 copies across all formats to date. It 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. He was also a former contestant on Big Brother and has a massive social-media following.

Doors open 6:30pm event starts 6:45pm