History is the method by which we learn—so that we don’t make the same mistakes, so that we don’t feel so alone, and so that we recognize our accomplishments. In many ways, historical fiction serves the same purpose—educating while entertaining. For the queer community, often this is the only way to hear the stories and struggles of yesterday, especially with the blatant attempts to erase that history. This is why books like A. J. West’s The Betrayal of Thomas True as so vital and worth celebrating.
The Betrayal of Thomas True reads like a Dickensian strut upon the mainstage of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Set in 1715, the novel transports readers back to Georgian London and spotlights a population very much on the outside. The squalor of the time-period virtually drips from every page, with A. J. West’s commitment to authenticity before all else apparent with each carefully chosen word.
At the time, the back streets of London were populated with molly-houses. These were secret establishments meant to attract queer clientele. One had to know someone who knew someone to even discover the entrance to these party hideaways. In an effort to maintain as much anonymity as possible, the men who frequented these establishments often took on female names, which were used exclusively in the context of the molly-house. These “mollies” may even pretend not to know each other when encountering each other in the daylight world. It will be a comfort to modern LGBTQIA+ readers to hear that some molly-houses were run by straight “allies” of the queer community—just as we see some straight cisgender individuals fighting alongside their queer brethren today.
Our main characters are Thomas True—a young man new to London, hiding the secret of his sexuality until he discovers the freedom of the molly-houses—and Gabriel Griffin—a man living a double life who serves as the security guard/bouncer at Mother Clap’s, one of the most popular molly-house establishments. In true romance form, the sparks fly between these two individuals from their first brief meeting to their early conversations and naturally as their bond continues to grow.
Even with the central romance plot, The Betrayal of Thomas True is very much a mystery novel. After a young molly is found dead, Gabriel begins to suspect that there is a rat entering the gay clubs under false pretenses, using the cloak of secrecy to hide more nefarious deeds—namely murder! Since Thomas—using the molly moniker, Verity True-tongue—is the newest member of the molly-house circuit, he’s naturally Gabriel’s prime suspect, if only he could just turn off his other feelings for the foundling.
The descriptions of the debauchery and cattiness of the molly-house scene will resonate with modern readers who are steeped in queer culture. The reads, back-biting, and jealousy all feel authentic, but when push comes to shove, this is a community that supports each other at all costs, even using “Always Together” as a code phrase of solidarity in a time when their very existence is illegal.
The Betrayal of Thomas True by A. J. West should be on the reading list for all fans of queer literature, but it’s a particularly important book for the straight community, reminding them of the legacy of this persecuted community who refuses to sit back and allow history to repeat itself.
BUY LINKS: The Betrayal of Thomas True by A. J. West
