Author, Lawyer, Gender Advocate

I wanted to write a page-turner that doesn’t shy away from big societal issues - anti LGBTQI+ laws, injustice, prejudice, persecution and prosecution. This is fiction but I’ve been fortunate in life to meet a few heroines like Grace, who have the moral courage to fight for others, but sadly many more like the character Bessy, who need defenders.

THE LIONS’ DEN

The Lions' Den is a gripping and enduring novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. With a courageous heroine, unforgettable characters and a thrilling plot, Iris Mwanza has announced herself as a major new talent in fiction.

  • ‘A VIBRANT AND PACEY LEGAL THRILLER WITH A BIG-HEARTED HEROINE YOU’LL BE ROOTING FOR FROM THE VERY FIRST PAGE’

    PAULA HAWKINS – #1 New York Times bestselling author of Girl on the Train

  • 'A cracking thriller . . . Mwanza jolts and dazzles'

    JENNIFER MAKUMBI

  • 'An evocative, touching and - in multiple senses - moving portrait of Zambian life and politics at a moment of great transformation

    NAMWALI SERPELL

  • '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

  • '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

Events
Meet the Author
Oct 3
Meet the Author

Iris Mwanza presents her debut novel, The Lions' Den, "an evocative, touching, and...moving portrait of Zambian life and politics at a moment of great transformation" (Namwali Serpell, author of The Furrows: An Elegy). Iris discusses her work with acclaimed author Namwali Serpell, along with a reading and book signing.