Hello and Happy Sunday!
“My husband, Fanie, was dead and gone, but sometimes it felt he was with me again, like a bad taste in my mouth. Suddenly I could see the expression on his face just before he would hit me. My forehead was sweating and my heart beating fast. It was like I was having a bad dream, but I was wide awake.”
Recipes for Love and Murder: A Tannie Maria Mystery is a fantastic murder mystery mixed with love, sadness, romance, food, the beautiful nature in South Africa and friendship. Tannie Maria loves food, to cook and is a woman who writes a column about recipes and relationship tips for the local paper, Klein Karoo Gazette. She solves relationship and love trouble through good advice and delicious recipes that are described in such a yummy way that I felt like trying some of them right away. Don’t read this book on an empty stomach. Chocolate heaven, full of flavor and nourishing recipes can be found at the end of the book. Pictured below is Tannie’s famous Milk Tart.
Things change however, when one day, Maria received a letter from Martine, a woman who is being abused by her husband and tries to escape this hell she lives in. This reminded Maria of her own past. She had been abused for years and years by her husband before he passed away. This was reason enough to help Martine and to write her a letter back. Shortly after, local police informed the newspaper about the murder of this particular woman. Together with Harriet and Jessie, who are Maria’s colleagues at the Klein Karoo Gazette, they decide to find the person who committed the murder(s). They assist the police and find themselves in several frustrating and dangerous situations. Will they be able to find the killer? Things take a turn when Jessie went missing and Maria receives death threats herself.
Is this book for me?
This novel is very compelling, charming, a real page-turner — yet eye-opening and thought-provoking regarding this serious issue of the abuse of women in South Africa. I also enjoyed to read many words in Afrikaans that are explained in the glossary of the book. The reader will also find interesting details about South Africa and its beauty.
The author focuses a lot on the characters which I love. I can almost see Tannie Maria cooking in her kitchen. This book is a real joy to read if you are into delightful, light crime novels, South African culture, of course food with a touch of serious issues.
You can purchase a copy here. Do visit Sally Andrew’s website if you would like to find out more about South Africa and videos and pictures from the author. Enjoy!
