> Skip to content
  • Published: 24 June 2025
  • ISBN: 9781496750310
  • Imprint: Kensington
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 352
  • RRP: $59.99
Categories:

Beyond This Place of Wrath and Tears




From award-winning journalist Jack Ford, a riveting and colorful dual timeline novel of Lee Carson, the heroic yet elusive female journalist who defied convention and danger to report from the front lines of WWII, combining breathtaking wartime narrative with a compelling Cold War espionage tale for fans of Ariel Lawhon, Christine Mangan, Pam Jenoff, and Kate Quinn.

From award-winning journalist Jack Ford, a riveting and colorful dual timeline novel of Lee Carson, the heroic yet elusive female journalist who defied convention and danger to report from the front lines of WWII, combining breathtaking wartime narrative with a compelling Cold War espionage tale for fans of Ariel Lawhon, Christine Mangan, Pam Jenoff, and Kate Quinn.

Washington, DC, April 1954: Lee Carson, former war correspondent, is frustrated that her journalism career has been relegated to society events and fashion stories. But when she receives a tip about a Russian spy in a high-ranking government position at the height of the Cold War, she feels the thrill of a story that she hasn’t felt since she was on the front lines of the European theater . . .

London, December 1943: As war rages on across Europe, twenty-two-year-old Lee Carson is waging a private battle of her own. An American-born correspondent for the International News Service, Lee is determined to cover the war from the field. But no woman, certainly not an attractive young woman with no military experience, will be allowed near the front lines.

Lee is not easily dissuaded. And as the Allied forces prepare to take the fight to the enemy, her gift for boosting public morale is seen a valuable weapon. Assigned to cover the build-up to the invasion of Nazi-held Europe, she constantly wrangles with authorities in order to get to the heart of the action. From talking herself onto a bomber and flying over the beaches of Normandy at the start of D-Day to other feats of daring, she witnesses and reports on the war’s most pivotal moments.

Told in dual timelines, Beyond this Place of Wrath and Tears is inspired by the story of an incredible woman who has largely been forgotten by history, and who, like many women in WWII, broke barriers in wartime only to find that upon the return home, she had to continue to fight for relevance in an entirely different way . . .

  • Published: 24 June 2025
  • ISBN: 9781496750310
  • Imprint: Kensington
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 352
  • RRP: $59.99
Categories:

Also by Jack Ford

See all

Praise for Beyond This Place of Wrath and Tears

Praise for  Jack Ford

“Jack Ford's powerful novel is based on the true story of Lee Carson, a smart and fearless reporter who shattered gender norms by braving the front lines of World War II in Europe to courageously capture the tragedy and truth of war." —Katie Couric, award-winning journalist on Beyond this Place of Wrath and Tears

“Everyone should know the name Lee Carson, a real-life war correspondent who broke barriers for female journalists during World War II. In Beyond This Place of Wrath and Tears, Jack Ford brings Carson’s remarkable story to life by expertly weaving historical events with a gripping fictional narrative that reminds America of this bold icon.” —Norah O’Donnell, CBS News

"From London during the Blitz to the liberation of Paris to Cold War Washington D.C., Jack Ford offers a lively perspective on the fascinating life and career of legendary journalist Lee Carson. With elements of a cat-and-mouse thriller and realistic historical retelling, this one will delight fans of stories about women at war." Theodore Wheeler, author of The War Begins in Paris on Beyond this Place of Wrath and Tears

"Jack Ford’s exquisite storytelling takes us on the riveting and page-turning journey of Lee Carson. As a journalist who has reported from war zones, I have great respect for Lee Carson's saga and the barriers she shattered in her personal and professional quest to report the harsh realities of war." Ashleigh Banfield, award-winning national television journalist on Beyond this Place of Wrath and Tears

“A superbly written story about a courageous and resilient woman. Lee Carson’s journey as a journalist and war correspondent is magnificently captured by Jack Ford in this unforgettable novel.” Alan Hlad, internationally bestselling author of The Long Flight Home and Churchill’s Secret Messenger on Beyond this Place of Wrath and Tears

“Stunning . . . with a compelling clarity that only someone like Ford can provide.” —Dan Abrams, ABC News Chief Legal Affairs Anchor on Chariot on the Mountain

“Ford does an excellent job portraying the warring factions of the time: those in the South who wanted to preserve their way of life, and those who felt slavery was unjust.” —Publishers Weekly on Chariot on the Mountain

“Jack Ford crafts a harrowing tale of flight and fear, at the same time he conveys the longing for liberty that persevered in the face of threats, intimidation and extreme reversals of fortune. And he reminds us of the toxic legacy of human bondage, through one woman’s fierce determination that it will not be visited on her children, and her embrace of American law in the fight to secure her freedom. This is ultimately a story of friendship, across class and color lines—perfect for our current moment, bringing us face-to-face with our country’s past, as we seek to redeem our future.” Jami Floyd, All Things Considered, WNYC New York Public Radio on Chariot on the Mountain