The Crocodile Fury by Beth Yahp

A novel of wonders ... rich with magic, secrets, dragons, curses, ghosts and, most importantly, stories.

Set in a convent school on a jungle-covered hill on the outskirts of the city, The Crocodile Fury follows the fortunes of three generations: the grandmother who was a bonded servant when the convent was a rich man's mansion; the mother who works each day in the convent laundry; and the girl who tells the story. Their lives, and the life of the bully, a charity student like the girl, are tied together by the rich man's mysterious lover, and by the crocodile that stalks the encroaching - and enticing - jungle.