Recipes for Love and Murder
A Tannie Maria Mystery, Book One
Sally Andrew
Tannie Maria used to write a recipe column for the Klein Karoo Gazette. Then Head Office decided they wanted an advice column instead, so now she gives advice. In the form of recipes. Because, as she says, she may not know much about love, but food—that’s her life.
Everything has been going well. A tongue-tied mechanic wins his girl with text messages and Welsh rarebit. A frightened teenager gets some much-needed sex ed with her chocolate-coated bananas.
But then there is a letter from Martine, whose husband beats her, and Tannie Maria feels a pang of recognition and dread. This may be a problem that cooking can’t solve…
Warm, funny, poignant: Sally Andrew’s irresistible heroine brings mystery, romance and amazing cooking together in the most entertaining new series in years. And all Tannie Maria’s mouthwatering recipes are right there in the book!
Watch videos of Sally reading from Recipes for Love and Murder and talking about her life in Karoo.
Read a starred review in Kirkus.
Baking with Tannie Maria—watch the Flipagram below and get the recipe for delicious Karoo Farm Bread here.
andRecipes for Love and Murder
‘If you want a vivid, amusing and immensely enjoyable read about detection (and cooking) in an intriguing part of southern Africa, then this is the book for you. A triumph.’
‘Recipes for Love and Murder is chock full of good food and interesting characters.’
‘A delightful debut, tender and funny. The mystery takes on the worldwide problem of abused women while revealing both the beauties and problems of South Africa. And the recipes will make you want to drop everything and start cooking.’
‘This looks likes cosy crime – and it is both funny and sweet – but it has a hard edge and doesn’t skirt the difficult subjects of South Africa’s history and the region’s huge problem with domestic violence. It is a culinary and linguistic treat too, packed with recipes and smatterings of Afrikaans.’
‘This is a murder mystery with plenty of humour…readers will find themselves smiling, chuckling and laughing out loud…A stunning debut.’
‘A clever, funny and warm-hearted debut crime novel from South Africa, that will make you laugh and cry.’
‘Andrew offers up engaging characters and a storyline with enough surprises to keep it interesting…Recipes for Love and Murder is easily digestible murder-mystery fare, with a love story or two thrown in for extra seasoning.’
‘The exotic locale, the lovely patois and the heroine’s unique sensibility make Ms. Andrew’s Recipes a blue-ribbon winner.’
‘Mouth-watering descriptions of food and landscapes delivered in an Afrikaans patois produce a distinctly new kind of tea cozy, one just right for curling up on a cold winter afternoon while daydreaming about the heat of the African sun.’
‘Funny, serious and touching.’
‘I love a cozy mystery, particularly when food is involved…The murder and characters are compelling and I’m really enjoying reading about a country that I know only a little about.’
‘Andrews’ writing is brutally honest, in the most charming way as she explores the different parts to Tannie’s character and her past. You’re going to find yourself mourning for Tannie and the life she had with Fanie, and hoping for good things for her moving forward.’
