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.

Blue Mark Books will publish IN THE FIELD, a powerful and affecting novel by debut author Jesse Loncraine.

Editorial Director Toby Fountaine bought UK rights from Juliet Pickering at Blake Friedmann, for publication in April 2017.

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.

Jesse Loncraine, a short story writer for The White Review and former student of Violence, Conflict and Development at SOAS, has worked on documentaries about war crimes from Colombia and Guatemala to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In East Africa, he partnered with the International Criminal Court on outreach, disseminating information on the Court’s cases to affected communities.

Toby Fountaine said: 'This fantastic debut novel grabbed me in the first few paragraphs, and it didn’t let me go until I’d finished it. It still hasn’t. It’s a gripping story, and deals with some tough moral dilemmas. The characters and setting are wonderfully rendered by Jesse, and I found it very moving: he captures the relationships between two mothers and their sons brilliantly. And between the story, the drama, and all the emotion that comes with them, IN THE FIELD is simply a joy to read, sentence by sentence, because Jesse’s writing is bold, striking and often beautiful.'

Jesse Loncraine said: 'For all the newspaper articles and history books I have read about violent conflicts around the world, none were as powerful as hearing a single woman relate her experiences of war. That gap in experience—that tension between reportage and reality—became one of my central concerns when I started writing IN THE FIELD. Ironically, it was through a work of fiction that I felt best able to explore the dilemma of how we, as writers, tell other people’s stories. I never found a comfortable answer; I suspect there isn’t one. But with IN THE FIELD I hope I am at least able to pose the question—through the intimate stories of two mothers and their sons—in a compelling way. I am very grateful to Juliet for taking a leap of faith in signing me when this book was just a short story, and to Toby at Blue Mark Books for choosing to publish it.'

Juliet Pickering said: 'Jesse’s writing talent stood out from the first time I read his short stories. I’m delighted to have matched this striking, provocative debut with the ambition of Blue Mark Books. It’s vital we publish fiction that challenges as well as transports us, and Jesse’s is an important new voice.'