IN THE FIELD, the remarkable debut novel by Jesse Loncraine, is published today by Blue Mark Books. The launch was celebrated recently at Daunt Books in Marylebone, where the audience enjoyed hearing Jesse read, and a speech by Jesse’s editor, Toby Fountaine.
IN THE FIELD follows Orin Perth, who disappears in East Africa after delivering a devastating article on Christine Lokeka, whose 12 year-old son, Paul, has been snatched by the militia that left her husband dead. Orin’s mother Liz, a hardened war reporter, embarks on a search to find her estranged son, enlisting the help of Christine. As Liz and Christine deal with their sons’ disappearances, Orin and Paul struggle to stay alive without losing their humanity in the process. IN THE FIELD grapples with the dilemmas of conflict journalism, and how far familial bonds will stretch when lives are at stake.
W F Howes publish the audiobook, and we have just received a first offer for Dutch rights.
Praise for IN THE FIELD
‘In The Field packs a real punch. Jesse Loncraine leads you confidently through a dark and often desperate world. His writing is unsparing and unsentimental yet, at times, moves you close to tears’ - Michael Palin
‘The world of In the Field is dangerous, very dangerous. It is Jesse Loncraine’s gift to take you there, scary as it is, but reassure you that love and humanity can survive. His characters, however bizarre their experiences, are all perfectly believable. The reader wants them all to survive and thrive. Hence the excitement to the very last page of this fully-achieved début: a page-turner par excellence.’ – Ian McKellen
‘Terrifying, heartbreaking and essential — IN THE FIELD is a stunning achievement. Loncraine’s prose is precise and beautiful; his scope and ambition extraordinary. A timely novel about a forgotten war, IN THE FIELD does what good fiction is supposed to: reveal the truth without flinching. It will squeeze your heart until it bursts. A remarkable new talent.’ – Benjamin Johncock
About the Author
Jesse Loncraine studied English at Bristol, and Violence and Conflict at SOAS. He moved to New York at 24 where he worked variously in documentary film, international criminal law, and as a gardener. His work for Skylight Pictures (in conjunction with the International Criminal Court) disseminating information about the prosecution of war crimes took him to Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Lebanon. Jesse was born in London in 1985. He currently lives with his wife and daughter in Oakland, California. The White Review has previously published his short stories. IN THE FIELD is his first novel.