Jack Ford

Chariot on the Mountain by Jack Ford is a 2018 Kensington publication.

Historically interesting, emotionally riveting- and one whale of legal thriller!

This book is based on the true story of Catherine “Kitty” Payne, a slave and the daughter of her 'owner', Samuel Maddox. When Samuel dies, his wife, Mary, decides to set Kitty and children free, which leads to a contentious, and little- known court case where Kitty had to fight to remain free.

In Ford’s tale, the reader follows Kitty on show more her journey, chronicling her relationship with Mary and the bold decision to take Mary’s nephew to court when he refused to acknowledge her freedom. A slave taking a white man to court in the pre-civil war era was unprecedented to say the least.

I loved the way the author brought Kitty and Mary to life. The progress of their relationship is one of the most rewarding parts of the story. Naturally, Mary had every reason to feel resentful of Kitty and it would have been within her rights to sell Kitty and her children after her husband’s death.

When Mary decided to honor her husband’s last wishes, she goes above and beyond by escorting Kitty and her children to Pennsylvania where they can obtain their freedom. The journey is a dangerous one, but it is also one that solidifies the special bond the women developed which was like a mother-daughter relationship and a close friendship.

When Mary’s nephew interferes, claiming he had a right to take charge of Samuel’s estate, which included his slaves, he hires a group of ‘slave catchers’ to kidnap Kitty and her children and return them to Virginia. But Kitty insists she is free and decides to take her case to court.

From there, Zephania Turner, takes charge of Kitty’s case, and thus begins an arduous, complicated trial that had so many twists I was on the edge of my seat!

I had never heard of this case before now. What an incredible and fascinating story! I’m so glad the author stumbled across it, and shared it through this work of fiction. I so admired these women and their courage and faith.

Everything about this story seems to go against the grain. Mary's decision to help the daughter her husband fathered with another woman, Zephania taking this case despite the opposition of family and friends, and the court case itself is nothing short of a miracle considering the time and place in history.

While some abhorrent attitudes still held firm, and some of the characters are despicable, the good people who stood their ground, who faced their enemies and stuck by one another, no matter the consequences, is the part of the story that gives me a slight hope that humanity isn’t as dark and it often appears to be.

This is where we need to keep our focus- on the positive. Right now, times are scary and dark, and it’s brought out the worst in some people, but it’s also brought out the best. Mary and Kitty are an inspiration and a reminder to stay strong, be good to each other, to never give up hope! show less

This was a book club choice...I waffled between 3 and 4 * so 3.5*. I enjoy historical fiction and I found this story compelling. The author drew a clear picture of the setting in antebellum Virginia and the plot propelled the reader forward with a sense of suspense and urgency. The female characters were believable and most had enough depth to support the history. Fanny and Kate could have been fleshed out a bit more, but to what purpose. The male antagonist was perhaps a bit overdone, show more making him more a caricature than a realistic character with a hate-filled heart. The facts of the story alone are surprising and previously unknown to me. The trial segments were fascinating as well due to the differences in our courts now compared to the 19th century...much the same but several very different practices that impacted the results. My favorite part of any historical fiction is the afterword and it did not disappoint, although some of the factual events that took place after the story's end were disappointing. show less

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 . . .

This story does seem to get bogged down with army troop movements and such. This slowed to pace show more of the story, in my opinion.

However, I had never heard of Lee Carson, and I have read tons of WWII books. To say I found her fascinating is an understatement. This lady was an inspiration. She truly broke the glass ceiling with her bravery and her daring.

This is told in two different timelines and they are melded very well together. And both timelines display Lee’s intelligence and strength.

Need a tale about a true life, courageous, female journalist…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review. show less

*well-written and easy to read
*powerful story told with wrenching emotion
*shatters gender norms
*highly recommend