Into The Mouth Of The Lion

by A.B. Kyazze

Angola, 2002. In the last days of a vicious civil war, it is a dangerous landscape rife with rebel soldiers, landmines, corruption and deception. A suspicious explosion kills a beloved nurse, while another humanitarian worker goes missing.

Lena Rodrigues, a young photographer, flies out to Angola's highlands to piece together the reasons behind her sister's disappearance. But will she have the strength to bear witness to the truth, before she gets entangled in the country's conflict for minerals and power?

276 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 6, 2021

About the author

A.B. Kyazze is a British-American writer and photographer. She spent more than 18 years writing and taking photographs on humanitarian crises across the globe in Africa, Asia and the Balkans. Into the Mouth of the Lion is her debut novel.

Reviews

[Katie Lumsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read – compelling and powerful.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when a war photographer puts into words what her camera has captured during her career?

You’ll have to pick up this debut novel, “Into the Mouth of the Lion” on May 6, 2021, to discover what it is like to go into an unpredictable and unknown landscape like a war zone. Because the author has worked in intense situations, she brings firsthand knowledge to her readers. A. B. Kyazze, a former war photographer, worked in Angola towards the end of the civil war lasting from 1975 to 2002. The author’s experience of interviewing soldiers and warlords in addition to being captured and detained at checkpoints manned by child soldiers has added to the authenticity of this novel.

At the heart of this story are two sisters; complicated and complex women with secrets. Interwoven are love stories, one of which causes lines to be drawn even in a war zone. It begins with Magdalena, a struggling photographer, who flies from London to the war-torn highlands of Angola, after hearing the news of a suspicious explosion where a nurse was killed and a humanitarian worker, her sister, went missing. Magdalena feels she has to do whatever it takes to find her sister because after their parents died, the sisters only have each other. She’d never forgive herself if she didn’t try. Like working on a jigsaw puzzle, Magdalena tries to piece together the reasons behind her older sister’s disappearance, but she gets caught up in the conflict power and is witness to the blood diamond mining. As she gets closer to finding out what happened to DJ, the stakes increase and she finds herself in trouble.

Although difficult to get into at first due to multiple timeline switches and a lack of clear reference benchmarks, this read was worth the effort. Kyazze explores conflict, power, love and hope as her characters find the courage to bear witness to horrific situations and struggle to connect and help people in unexpected ways. I don't think I'll ever forget the scene where she hands over her necklace, where the children are digging in the dirt with spoons, nor the one where the children arrive at the empty school. Kyazze is able to place you right in the thick of the action and evoke an emotional response. She leads readers to question if we are ever able to break away from the foundation of our family and the power it had in shaping us and what happens to us when the person we love is taken away? You’ll come face to face with issues that will have you searching to see your level of commitment or acceptance and the depth of your love. Your heartbeat will increase and you’ll be rapidly flipping pages to find out what happens to Benedito and if Maglalena can catch up to DJ before it’s too late.

I was gifted this advance copy by A.B. Kyazze, Unbound Digital and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Tanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

1/100 in 2026

This is a subtle, thoughtful novel set in the aftermath of conflict rather than at its center.
Into the Mouth of the Lion explores family, loss, and moral responsibility through a calm, almost observational narrative voice. The setting of Angola’s civil war is handled with care, never sensationalized, and always grounded in human experience.
A quiet book, but a meaningful one.

[Cheryl M-M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lena, in all of her privileged naiveté, doesn't really have any idea what she has let herself in for by flying halfway across the globe to look for her sister in Angola. To the team on the ground, DJ's team, she is a liability for exactly that reason.

DJ is more of a fleeting image or a mirage in the book. Now and again the reader gets a short chapter or paragraph of her emotional state of mind and where she is headed, but no idea when that happened and if she is still safe. The death of her friend has caused a breakdown in communication - her grief has made her an uncontrollable variable.

Kyazze creates this fictional story around the factual events of the brutal Angolan Civil war or the tail-end of the unrest. The more personal fractious relationship between two sisters is indicative of the many stories that go unheard in war zones, especially ones driven with such brutality and frenzy of opposing forces.

Kudos to the author for the way she approached the character of DJ and the way she takes part in the story. The dipping in, the almost lyrical moments that are anonymous in a sense that the reader knows but there is a lack of direct reference to whom the scenes refer. It creates this beauty and fragile moments in the midst of the reality of what is taking place with Lena and the team.

Definitely a book I would recommend, certainly an author I would like to read more by.
*I received a courtesy copy*

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Into The Mouth Of The Lion' by A.B Kyazze is a debut mystery thriller that begins in Angola 2002. A story with many a twist and stunningly told.
In the final days of a civil war the picture described is a brutal one. Rebel soldiers everywhere along with landmines and the famous corruption that goes hand in hand with civil war. A nurse is killed in an explosion that seems suspicious and at the same time another humanitarian aid worker disappears. Lena Rodrigues who is a photographer has to fly out to Angola to attempt to find out her sister. She attempts to piece together the reasons behind her sisters disappearance. Will she have the strength to bear witness to the truth, before she gets entangled in the country's conflict for minerals and power?
If I didn't know this was a debut novel I could have never guessed! A B Kyazze has created such a compassionate and yet brutal story. I could feel the tension throughout, with the setting of a war zone. It felt real for me, I felt everything in my journey with Lena. I was worried for Lena and her sister as I turned the pages and sat on the edge of my settee until I had all the answers to the mysteries. Highly recommended if you enjoy an excellently written mystery thriller set in a country not too many people are willing to tackle.
Thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours, Unbound Digital and A.B Kyazze for my own copy of this dazzing book.

[Victoria Flint · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an exhilarating, storm-trooper read. Lena’s search for her missing sister takes her through the war-torn landscape of Angola- she encounters a colourful array of characters, navigates death-defying experiences and goes on a journey of self discovery. The detail is incredible – it has a beautiful photographic intensity – and would make an absolutely fantastic film! I was riveted from beginning to end – the story is multi-layered switching between Lena’s hunt for clues to find out what happened to her sister, to flashbacks of their childhoods. This is a dazzling debut novel and highly recommended.

[Alfred Nobile · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an outstanding read. A book that raises more questions than are answered. The main question is what would you do?
Suppose you had a sister you were estranged from, who you hadn't spoken to in more than a decade. A sister who walked out on her own mother's funeral. You know, the last you heard she was working with refugees in war torn Angola. A civil war that has been raging for over two decades and at the time of the story is nearing its end. A sister who has ignored her nearest and dearest, Who left all behind to pursue her own dreams and to hell with everyone else.
What would you do if you heard she was involved in an accident and was missing. Would you wait for news and whatever it may be and face the consequences. Or would you do what Lena does an go to Angola to search her sister?
This is a book that raises the questions of greed, selfishness but also the fact, that no matter what blood is thicker than water and you must do what the heart tells you and over ruling the head.
A book of love, loss, greed and the spectre of white privilege. A masterful story wrapped up in beautiful prose that tugs at the heartstrings and totally involves the reader. You will be invested in the story of Lena and her sister DJ. A book I heartily recommend to every lover of a good story.

[Oscar Scafidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

English-language stories about Angola are very difficult to find, but A.B. Kyazze has done an excellent job painting a vivid image of this lesser-visited part of Africa. Lena's quest to find her lost sister DJ at the final stages of the Angolan Civil War in 2002 is interspersed with flashbacks to her earlier life in Europe, hinting at the initial tragedy that drove their family apart. The author has used her own experiences as a former war photographer to transport readers to an African context that few have experienced. It is a well paced story, but no matter how fast we rush across the Angolan landscape, we always seem to be one step behind DJ, a mysterious character that we slowly piece together. The finale is as thrilling as it was unexpected.

[Anne Mortensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful story of how a sisterly bond can make you find strength you never knew you had. It’s beautifully told with wonderful descriptions of everything from the landscape to friendships, cross-cultural love and tough choices when faced with adversity. As a reader, you travel seamlessly between Europe and Africa on this magnificent journey. With every page I wanted to know more.

[Tejshri Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast and with depth, brilliantly written and takes you to there: Angola, London, love in all its forms and cruelty. A gripping finale - a highly recommended read. Waiting for the next book by this author.

[Emily Midorikawa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An atmospheric jigsaw puzzle of a novel that fits together, stage by stage, from a series of vivid episodes. The story of Lena’s search for her missing sister sweeps the reader across expanses of space and time: from wintry 1980s London, to the Lisbon of Lena's mother's youth, to the heat of war-ravaged, early twenty-first century Angola and beyond. A memorable debut.

[Duncan Beattie (Fiction From Afar) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really keen to read The Mouth Of A Lion when I first heard about it as it is a novel set in the precarious location of Angola towards the climax of a devastating civil war. The book tells the story of photographer Lena who leaves her home in London to travel to the African country in an attempt to find her missing sister. Known as DJ she has been working for 8 years in Angola as an aid worker who as unexpectedly vanished. While both sisters were brought up in London they were raised by (now deceased) Portuguese parents and that language is their mother tongue

We meet Lena as she lands in the capital city of Luanda after travelling alone to Africa for the first time in her life. She has no idea what to expect but is keen to make her way to the area that her sister has been working. While expecting to understand the language she realises that the Portuguese spoken in Angola is peppered with local words that she does not understand. Preparing to take an internal propeller plane to Malanje in the Angolan highlands she learns the first implication of the civil war for her, every flight must be approved by both the government MPLA authorities and the UNITA rebels.

When she does meet the aid workers she finds the welcome by leader Kojo and his colleagues to be very lukewarm. They are struggling with the loss of DJ and another colleague Maria who was killed shortly before DJ disappeared and see Lena as someone else they need to protect. By contrast she is astonished that they are not doing more to locate DJ. The unexpected appearance of another British passport holder, and one time official Jake and his arrest by the MPLA police increase their ordeal.

A. B. Kyazze spent two decades writing and taking photographs of conflicts and natural disasters and she shows these experiences of Angola through the eyes of Lena. Her portrayal of what Lena sees therefore appear very realistic, such as the dubious police authorities, the unofficial roadblocks where teenage rebel soldiers hold armed guns, but most tragically the packed refugee camps and deserted towns. The conflict would see a third of the population be displaced, sometimes as the areas they lived became too dangerous. Other times they are deliberately moved to conflict areas to use people as human shields – “into the mouth of a lion” as one elderly tribesman calls it.

The aid workers find their work hampered with rumours that the medical treatment they are providing is poisoning people. To fund their conflict against the government the UNITA rebels are extracting diamonds to be sold on the black markets while suspicions grow that someone officially on the authority’s side is enabling them to do so. Lena speculates that knowledge of this may be the reason her sister has disappeared. When the assassination of UNITA leader Jonas Savumbi leads to an immediate ceasefire, the aid agency are overjoyed. However soon it becomes apparent that this news may not have spread to all the rebels, while certain parties who have benefitted from the conflict are still desperate to maintain the power they hold. This is an interweaving story yet its very readable without further background knowledge. Eventually these mysteries are wrapped up in a conclusive and gripping climax to the storyline.

It's apparent that A. B. Kyazze is speaking from personal experience when she writes how Lena feels she has been profoundly changed by the sights she has witnessed. Life and death appeared before her while “photographs she’s taken and not yet had a change to develop… remain imprinted on her mind.”

Into The Mouth Of A Lion is a real success, it’s a very strong debut novel that illuminates a rarely written about part of the world with the compelling search for a missing person, the revealing of corruption and a very convincing depiction of a warn torn Angola.

A mention to for publishers Unbound who are the first crowdfunding publisher established in 2011 and who must be applauded for publishing novels such as Into The Mouth Of A Lion.

[Ilana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was enticed by the original description of Into the Mouth of the Lion by A.B.Kyazze. Most likely, I was expecting some usual roller-coaster action requested by this type of novels, but I was pleasantly surprised to be offered rather the opposite - at least in terms of story rhythm, but despite being the opposite of my regular expectations, this political-humanitarian thriller is of a different, more refined literary kind.

First and foremost, I was curious about a book being mostly set in Angola during the civil war, an event which I don´t remember to ever been mentioned in any noticeable work of English-speaking work of literature. The conflict took place between 1975 and 2002 and created a mass displacement of people of almost 4 million persons. Another dramatic consequence of this war was the high number of amputees - around 90,000 people - due to the intensive use of landmines.

On this background, two estranged sisters of Portuguese origin, are lost. DJ disappeared during an explosion while doing humanitarian work and her sister, Lena is coming from London to find her. But was DJ still alive ? Did she disappear? Where to? And how? Why there is no sign of life from her or her kidnappers?

I am used to ask questions after questions and this book provoked my avid brain more than ever. However, the action in itself is enfolding sinously, with partial revelations every couple of pages. Traces are left here and there, the reader just need to pay attention and not give up the search. It´s not the fast pace that keeps you glued to the book but the stirred curiosity of finding out through the game of words. It creates interest not only for the individual story, but also for the larger regional context it is set, based on the simple human curiosity and empathy. ´This is what DJ faced every day, Lena realises. Stories of executions, kidnapping, rape and forced marches. How did she bear it?´

A.B.Kyazze, herself familiar with humanitarian crises from all over the world, created a literary realm offering to the reader a quality endearment that results not necessarily from the genre but because you cannot stop from reading the book. The plot is skilfully created, but the dialogues bring that sparkle of life needed for creating an authentic story.
The book has many Portuguese expressions and words, which offers a local authenticity to the story. However, the non-Portuguese speaker - not me, as I love this language and can´t have enough of its musicality and romance - would have need eventually require a short translation or dictionary.
Disclaimer: Book offered part of a book blogging tour, but the opinions are, as usual, my own

[Lynsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Into the Mouth of the Lion’ is a heart-wrenching, thought-provoking and very human look into the Angolan war. It takes places during the latter end of the conflict and it's rare to find a piece of fiction that doesn't take a political stance in this genre. At it's heart is the people - the locals and the humanitarian workers and due to that, it manages to project a feeling of hope in the book despite the horrific circumstances that are documented. I truly found it moving.

Lena, a young photographer in London has been notified that her sister DJ has done missing in Angola where has been working as a humanitarian worker for the last few years. Despite not speaking to DJ since their mother’s funeral apart from the odd postcard, Lena flies over to help with the search. She soon realises that Angola is a very complicated country and there is danger at every turn and is in the midst of a huge humanitarian crisis.

First, of all can I say I am in awe people like the author who actually put themselves in harm's way to document, help and understand these conflict areas. It takes a very brave person to do this. In a way I think the sister's story in combination may tell the story of our author. I tended to side more with Lena, mainly due to the fact we see the majority of the story from her point of view. The chapters from her mother’s life was illuminating actually - Lena saw her as traditional but in many ways she was independent and challenging her own cultures limitations. I loved the ending of this book. I'm not going to give it away sometimes everything being tied up in a bow is unrealistic of life, especially in this story.

This was a great read and I don't hesitate to recommend it.

[Surjit Parekh · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thoughts A.B.Kyazze’s smashing debut mystery thriller Into The Mouth Of The Lion that has so many twists and turns blows you away with its powerful story and suspense, is going to take you on a rollercoaster ride. Author A.B.Kyazze is a very good talented writer, the way she has written the story takes you back and forward into the past and present that is brilliantly written and crafted. The Story of Into The Mouth Of A Lion begins in Angola, 2002. In the last days of a vicious civil war, it is a dangerous landscape rife with rebel soldiers, landmines, corruption and deception. A suspicious explosion kills a beloved nurse, while another humanitarian worker goes missing.
Lena Rodrigues, a young photographer, flies out to Angola’s highlands to piece together the reasons behind her sister’s disappearance. But will she have the strength to bear witness to the truth, before she gets entangled in the country’s conflict for minerals and power. Into The Mouth Of A Lion is one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year,that has blown me away.A highly recommend, smashing debut mystery thriller,that is brilliant in all every sense. I would like to say thank you to Author A.B.Kyazze, Publishers Urbane Books and Book Blog Organisers Random Things Tours, Anne Cater, for kindly sending me a gifted copy for me to read and review this brilliant book.🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Tansy Hawksley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. The central character is unusual in that she is a shy, passive observer, an ingenue not quite grown up despite being in her 20s. Drawn into a conflict zone, going against all her past identity and actions, she grows up - it's a coming-of-age story as much as an adventure. It's also very sensitively done: the offstage older sister, whose blurry sexuality and gender identity remain unlabelled; the complex interactions and priorities of the humanitarian works; the trauma of working in a refugee camp as a war implodes on itself - these themes all blend with the thriller that drives the book, as the main character discovers a secret which wasn't the secret she was looking for, and puts her life and those of others at risk. The denouement is shockingly feminist, and the ending an unresolved blend of hope and despair. A good read.

[Carolyn Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel appealed as I know little about Angola or the work of humanitarian agencies, but I am a keen photographer, and have travelled in Kenya. The central character of Lena travels to Angola to search for her missing sister, with little understanding of the danger she is walking into. But as her search continues, she discovers her own strength and builds relationships with the other aid workers she encounters. The novel has plenty of action and peril, but also conjures up how a photographer might observe a turbulent African country. As a reader, I had to work hard to piece together the different points of view, some in present tense, some flashbacks to the UK, but all gradually came into focus. I might read it again in a year to see how the story is built up from the beginning.
(I bought my own copy from an indie bookshop)

[Sam | Sambooka23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very insightful look into what conflict in Angola looks like. The pain in peoples faces who had lost loved ones; people who had been forced to change because of what they witnessed and went through.

I found this book very intriguing but at the same time, difficult - in the sense of topic. Kyazze honestly got the detail on point throughout the book but I do feel as much as I enjoyed it, it just wasn’t my kind of book.

I liked that it was a diary format throughout the book, the dates followed each other nicely and made it seem more personal.

I would recommend as it is very insightful and to be honest, I’d never have the guts to do what Lena does, she’s one very brave woman.

Thank you to Anne and Kyazze for allowing me a spot on this tour and a copy of your beautiful book.

[Lyn Failes · Rating 4 out of 5]

#booktour
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Into The Mouth Of The lion was an utterly exciting and heart wrenching story of a sister who is lost and her sister who is trying to locate her in the war torn Angola.
This book was completely gripping from the first page and the touches of love and friendships that survived amongst the devastation definitely tugs at the heart.
A must read for lovers of exciting dramas, touching friendships and a lasting hope that everything works out well in the end. Get your copies now 🥰
#intothemouthofthelion #randomttours

[Heidi Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I read by AB Kyazze and I was completely immersed in the story. Lena is a complex, intelligent and honest character and I liked getting to know her via flashbacks and her interactions with a really wide range of characters (good and bad) during her search for her missing sister. Highly recommend and you'll learn about conflict regions, humanitarian efforts and difficult choices. Looking forward to reading Kyazze's next book.

[Aleema Shivji · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant read - gripping (a proper page-turner!). A masterful fusion of family ties, (recent) historical fiction and thriller, all in one. Having spent a fair bit of time in similar contexts, I felt the book did a fair portrayal of the complexities of living in the midst of a conflict. Definitely worth a read!

[Briana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fast-paced mystery is laced with love, loss, and evocative descriptions of civil war in Angola. It centers on the disappearance of a humanitarian worker (DJ) and her photographer sister (Lena)'s search for her. The writing is compelling and really draws you in! I could not put it down.

[Michael Burrows · Rating 5 out of 5]

A proper page-turner of a novel, racing along through refugee camps and war-torn countryside, piecing together the mystery of a missing sister against the backdrop of a broken country. The characters are real and imperfect, and the stakes are high. A wonderful debut, highly recommended!

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me an usually setting in war torn Angola but the story is really about Lena, her sister and their mother, and their relationship to each other. I especially liked the chapters without a named speaker.

[Stacey Almon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time getting into the book and by the time I did, it ended…rather abruptly. It was just okay.

[Josephine Greenland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the Mouth of the Lion delivers exactly what it promises - a deep dive into an unknown and unpredictable war zone fraught with conflict and hidden threats. Young, struggling photographer Lena travels to the war-torn highlands of Angola after hearing about a suspicious explosion. What begins as a journalistic journey, though, turns into a search for her missing sister, DJ. Lena becomes irrevocably entangled into the country's conflict for minerals and power, most notably the infamous Blood Diamonds. Yet, it is equally a personal journey in which she must confront her complex relationship with her sister, and mature quickly in order to survive in this dangerous 'lion's den' that a war zone is. A.B. Kyazze is a former war photographer herself, and that is very clear in the depictions of the conflict, how it affects groups and individuals, and the striking language used to depict the setting and the photographer's mindset. Although I was confused by the timeline shifts and changes in narrative viewpoint at first, the originality of this novel, and pure educational experience of reading a story set in Angola - a country I knew very little about - makes this book a riveting experience. Highly Recommend.

[Michaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a beautifully written and illuminating book.

The war in Angola is not something I know much about but I really enjoyed this story of humanitarians and warriors all stirred together.

It did not shock me that the chief of police ended up being involved in the mining of the blood diamonds. But it restored my faith that Kojo was exactly who he claimed to be.

I loved that Lena found herself and some answers about her family and her relationship with her sister.

I am still sad that innocent people got caught up in the fighting and even the people trying to help were not immune from death.

Overall a brilliant book.