In a period of civil unrest before the War of Liberation, a wealthy and influential couple leave Britain to make a new life in 1950s Rhodesia. Opening with the shooting of Lady Virginia 'Ginie' Courtauld in her tranquil garden in 1950s Rhodesia, The Dragon Lady, so called for the exotic tattoo snaking up her leg, tells Ginie's extraordinary story. From the glamorous Italian Riviera before the Great War to the Art Deco glory of Eltham Palace in the thirties, and from the secluded Scottish Highlands to segregated Rhodesia in the fifties, the narrative spans enormous cultural and social change. Lady Virginia Courtauld was a boundary-breaking, colourful and unconventional person who rejected the submissive role women were expected to play. Ostracised by society for being a foreign divorcee at the time of Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson, Ginie and her second husband, Stephen Courtauld, leave the confines of post-war Britain to forge a new life in Rhodesia, only to find that being progressive liberals during segregation proves mortally dangerous. Many people had reason to dislike Ginie, but who had reason enough to pull the trigger? Deeply evocative of time and place, The Dragon Lady subtly blends fact and fiction to paint the portrait of an extraordinary woman in an era of great social and cultural change.

In a period of civil unrest before the War of Liberation, a wealthy and influential couple leave Britain to make a new life in 1950s Rhodesia.

About the Author
Louisa Treger, a classical violinist, studied at the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and worked as a freelance orchestral player and teacher. She subsequently turned to literature, earning a Ph.D. in English at University College London, where she focused on early-twentieth-century women's writing and was awarded the West Scholarship and the Rosa Morison Scholarship "for distinguished work in the study of English Language and Literature". Louisa's first novel, The Lodger, was published by Macmillan in 2014. She lives in London with her husband, children, and dog.

Reviews
A fascinating fictionalised account of the life of Lady Virginia Courtauld... a spirited account of a flamboyant life. -- Antonia Senior * The Times *
An intriguing portrait of an unconventional woman. * The Sunday Times *
The Dragon Lady powerfully captures the colonial era in Zimbabwe ... Lovers of historical fiction won't be disappointed. * New York Journal of Books *
Will keep readers spellbound. * Washington Independent Review of Books *
beautifully written, absorbing book -- SD Sykes * Historia Mag *
If you enjoy books that involve both fiction and non-fiction, then I am delighted to highly recommend The Dragon Lady. * The Last Word Book Review *
I fell into the story and got lost in it, and I came out of it wanting to know more about Rhodesia/Zimbabwe history. * Fairy Bookmother *
Louisa Treger's latest novel, The Dragon Lady, is a frightening story of miscegenation and racism. This story will keep you turning pages well into a dark night. 5 Stars * KWBU-FM *
A daring blend of romance, crime and history, and an intelligent expose of the inherent injustice and consequences of all forms of oppression. -- Tsitsi Dangarembga, * Nervous Conditions *



Book Information
ISBN 9781448217403
Author Louisa Treger
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint Bloomsbury Caravel
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 224g