LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION 2024 FIRST NOVEL PRIZE

Rookie lawyer Grace Zulu does not give up easily. She escaped an arranged marriage to put herself through university. Now she's got her first case.

Her client is young Willbess 'Bessy' Mulenga, who has been arrested for offences 'against nature'. Bessy works in a men-only bar, loves to dance, to wear dresses and live freely. But in 1990s Zambia, following your own identity can get you beaten, jailed or even worse. Grace is determined to get Bessy out of custody. Then her terrified, bruised client goes missing without a trace. She knows something bad has happened and that someone is trying to cover it up. Along with the most unlikely group of allies, Grace must take on powerful enemies at the highest levels - even risk her own safety - to get to the truth. The whole truth.

A debut novel that soars with passion and humanity, The Lions' Den is a moving story of prejudice, corruption, injustice, courage and solidarity. It shows us that no cause is ever a lost one.

About the Author

Iris Mwanza is a Zambian-American writer. Now Deputy Director of Women in Leadership in the Gender Equality Division of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, she has worked as a corporate lawyer in both Zambia and the US. Mwanza holds law degrees from Cornell University and the University of Zambia, and an MA and PhD in International Relations from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. In addition to her work at the Foundation, Mwanza serves on the Supervisory Board of Care International and on the Board of Directors of World Wildlife Fund US.

@IrisMwanza

Reviews
A vibrant and pacey legal thriller with a big-hearted heroine you'll be rooting for from the very first page -- PAULA HAWKINS
An evocative, touching and - in multiple senses - moving portrait of Zambian life and politics at a moment of great transformation -- NAMWALI SERPELL
A beautiful read - short, gripping and full of intriguing characters. It blends legal procedural and activism . . . Mwanza gives us characters who show us why the stakes are way too high for us to sit on the sidelines * * Brittle Paper * *
[A] stellar debut mystery * * Washington Post * *
A refreshing, spirited debut [that] would appeal to anyone interested in modern African history, the collision of religion and tradition, progressive movements and the entanglement of power and corruption * * Booklist * *
A smash of a debut . . . Iris Mwanza has taken it all on, from the original reverberating assault of British colonialism to what happened next, to a sideswipe at contemporary Zambia, and she's done it with literal grace -- ALEXANDRA FULLER
A brave tale, written with compassion and a keen eye for detail . . . Memorable, insightful and compelling -- FEMI KAYODE
Iris Mwanza's first novel is an evocative journey into the sinister side of Zambia, a country which tries to tell you who to love, a journey into forced marriage and homophobia -- PETER GODWIN
The Lions' Den is a brave and necessary book . . . An impressive debut -- GABRIEL BYRNE
Searingly well-crafted . . . Humbling, illuminating and enrapturing! -- RICK COSNETT


Awards
Long-listed for Center for Fiction First Novel Prize 2024 (United States).



Book Information
ISBN 9781838859923
Author Iris Mwanza
Format Hardback
Page Count 256
Imprint Canongate Books
Publisher Canongate Books
Weight(grams) 365g
Dimensions(mm) 220mm * 141mm * 28mm