Iris Mwanza’s debut novel, The Lions’ Den, is a riveting legal thriller set in the corrupt and homophobic political world of Zambia in the early 1990s. Grace, a defiant rookie lawyer, has finally been assigned her first client, Wilbess “Bessy” Mulenga, a 17-year-old queer dancer accused of illegally engaging in homosexual activities. But after a contentious jailhouse visit in which Grace discovers Bessy has been abused by the cops, the teen disappears without a trace. To save him, Grace must take on Zambia’s autocrat president with help from her boss, who is privately fighting his own health battles. Mwanza brings her experience as both a former lawyer and a native of Zambia to this provocative page-turner.
Buy Now: The Lions' Den on Bookshop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Caitlin Clark Is TIME's 2024 Athlete of the Year
- Where Trump 2.0 Will Differ From 1.0
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com