Lucky Bunny: A Novel

"Pacy and atmospheric…wickedly good."
—Marie Claire (UK)

"Dawson's heroine is so fresh and spirited that she carries the day."
—Sunday Times (London)

Having already made waves in the United Kingdom, Lucky Bunny has come to America. Acclaimed poet and author Jill Dawson, whose previous novels have been shortlisted for England's Whitbread Award and Orange Prize, now gives us the story of vivacious and endearing thief Queenie Dove, a Moll Flanders for World War II Britain. Brilliantly recreating mid-twentieth century London, from the bustling streets to the seamy underworld, from the Depression Era through the Blitz and into the 1950s, Lucky Bunny entangles readers in the adventurous life of a truly captivating anti-heroine, a self-proclaimed genius in the art of survival. Before the Krays, there was Queenie Dove… and readers will never forget her.

Daring, clever, and alluring, Queenie Dove has spent a lifetime developing the skills of an accomplished thief. Born into a criminal family in London's East End during the Great Depression, and trained by a group of women shoplifters during the Blitz, Queenie soon graduates from petty street crime to far more lucrative heists and the seedy glamour of the city's underworld. But giving birth to a daughter will make Queenie finally try to go straight . . . until the opportunity to take part in one last, audacious robbery tempts her back to the life of danger and excitement she once lived to the fullest.

Told in Queenie's captivating and singular voice, Lucky Bunny is a richly colorful tale of trickery, adventure, and heart.

“Pacy and atmospheric, this tale of a girl attempting to dictate her own destiny is wickedly good.” - Marie Claire (UK)

“Female fictional bandits and rogues often have a novelty value, and Queenie is no exception. . . . Dawson’s heroine is so fresh and spirited that she carries the day.” - Sunday Times (London)

“Dawson’s eye for period detail is unerring. . . . [Queenie] bursts out of these pages, longing for life, as we are drawn into her world by Dawson’s terse, electric prose. I’ve seldom read a novel with such a sense of excitement. And the fact that we find ourselves rooting for the wonderfully wicked Queenie through all her uproarious and emotional capers only underlines the subtle and affirming art of her creator.” - Sunday Telegraph

“Dawson, as ever, delves deep into her subject matter, combining fast-paced narrative with astute, piercing reflection on more complex matters. . . . [Her] research into the period is impeccable: everything from shared outdoor lavatories to sleazy Soho nightlife is vividly evoked, and the small details . . . transport the reader.” - The Independent on Sunday

“A moving, wonderfully evocative story of love, danger, and passionate intensity.” - Jake Arnott

“With a nod to Moll Flanders, Dawson creates a colorfully diverse group of characters that beg for your sympathy but don’t always get it. But you won’t soon forget them.” - Booklist