It’s 1910 when 30-year-old redhead and Scottish socialite Olive MacLeod defies all wisdom, packs her bags, and travels to Africa to find her missing fiance. Author Brad Ricca tells the true story of Olive the Lionheart based on her own journals and photographs, the lost journals of her fiance — naturalist Boyd Alexander — and the many letters that crossed continents between them.
Olive’s adventure of the heart sweeps her across deserts, cities, swamps, and jungles. We discuss what was at the heart of the journey, and what drove her. Because while some define her as a hero, Olive realizes in Africa that her journey’s not just about finding her fiance. It’s also about facing her demons and finding herself.
Brad Ricca is an award-winning writer and the Edgar-nominated author of the bestselling Mrs. Sherlock Holmes. He has appeared in documentaries on the History Channel and AMC. And has been a guest on shows such as Criminal, All Things Considered, and BBC Radio. More about Brad Ricca’s work and Olive the Lionheart: Lost Love, Imperial Spies, and Woman’s Journey into the Heart of Africa.