Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Release date: 27 May 2025
Back cover blurb: 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 . . .
Lee Carson was not a name that I was familiar with when I picked up this novel, although I was of course aware of female reporters risking their lives during the War in the name of the truth.
This is a beautifully written tale of espionage, heartbreak, tragedy and courage.
But if you are expecting a fully fledged spy novel then this might not be the novel that you are looking for.
Post WW2 Lee is tasked with rooting out an agent in the highest US government who is potentially spying for Russia.
The stakes are high, and Lee has been side lined since the War, and knows when a story is too good an opportunity to pass up on.
She knows of course that it is dangerous work, but she has lived through the War and is capable of pretty much anything life throws at her.
But even she isn't prepared for what is to come...
Beyond this place of Wrath and Tears is available now via Amazon online and all good book shops.
Thank You to the publishers who approved my request via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.