Thomson has written eleven novels. His third novel, Air and Fire, which was set in Baja California in the late nineteenth century, was shortlisted for the Writers’ Guild Fiction Book of the Year. His fourth novel, The Insult, was shortlisted for the Guardian Fiction Prize, and appeared on a list of 100 must-read books chosen by David Bowie.[3] His sixth novel, The Book of Revelation, was made into a feature film in 2006 by the Australian writer/director, Ana Kokkinos.[4] Two years later, his eighth novel, Death of a Murderer was shortlisted for the Costa Novel of the Year.

With his 2010 memoir, This Party’s Got to Stop, he ventured into non-fiction for the first time, and explored events surrounding his father’s death, and his complex relationship with his brothers and his extended family. This Party’s Got to Stop won the Writers’ Guild Non Fiction Book of the Year.

His latest novel, Never Anyone But You, which is based on the true story of two extraordinary French women, Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore, was shortlisted for the 2018 American Library in Paris Book Award.

Thomson has previously lived in Athens, Berlin, New York, Rome, Sydney, Tokyo, and Barcelona but presently resides in South London.