Sally Andrew, creator of the inimitable Tannie Maria, will publish her first cookbook with Penguin Random House South Africa (PRHSA) in May 2024. RECIPES TO DIE LIVE FOR features recipes from Sally Andrew’s first four murder mystery novels, as well as some tantalising new additions.
RECIPES TO DIE LIVE FOR is not only a celebration of Tannie Maria's delectable recipes but of her philosophy, of South Africa’s Karoo region and of life itself, Andrew explains. ‘I am so excited about RECIPES TO DIE LIVE FOR. It is the most beautiful book I have ever seen. The food styling, the design and the photographs are spectacular.’
The cookbook is a collection of the recipes Tannie Maria (the unforgettable agony aunt with a knack for righting wrongs with a recipe) has shared with readers in her column in the Klein Karoo Gazette. In the four novels – RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER, TANNIE MARIA AND THE SATANIC MECHANIC, DEATH ON THE LIMPOPO and THE MILK TART MURDERS – Tannie Maria has won hearts and whetted appetites with mouth-watering creations, including the famous Venus Cake, Muesli Buttermilk Rusks and even Spekboom Ice Cream.
PRHSA’s Lifestyle Publisher, Beverley Dodd, says: ‘Spiced with enjoyable sayings from the four novels and seasoned with photographs of the food and the beautiful Karoo, RECIPES TO DIE LIVE FOR is as warm and witty as Tannie Maria herself, guaranteed to delight fans and newcomers to the series.’
The book showcases more than 80 recipes, including vegetarian and vegan options. Many of the dishes are slow foods and traditional South African recipes, but there are also quick meals and new inventions. Whether you are craving a Karoo lamb pie or a vetkoek with mince, or are lus for a melktert or koeksister, you will find it among Tannie Maria’s gastronomic delights. As Sally sums it up so succinctly: ‘Enjoy cooking. Enjoy eating. Enjoy life. Why not?’
The Tannie Maria book series titles are all bestsellers in South Africa – regularly in the Top 5, with THE MILK TART MURDERS shooting straight to the top of the combined fiction and non-fiction charts on publication in March 2022. It also won the 2023 Nielsen SA Book Award for Fiction.
The first in the series, RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER, was recently adapted for television to great acclaim. Acorn TV hold distribution rights to the series for the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, while Multichoice holds rights for Africa. Following the pick-up by Japan’s Mystery Channel, the first season has now sold in 94 countries. A second series was recently announced, and is due to start filming in April 2024.
Sally is currently working on the next instalment in the Tannie Maria series, with more details to be announced soon.
About Sally Andrew
Sally Andrew is the best-selling author of the Tannie Maria Mysteries series. She lives in a mud-brick house on a nature reserve in the Klein Karoo with her artist partner, a giant eland, and a secretive leopard. She also spends time in the wilderness of southern Africa and the seaside suburb of Muizenberg. She has a Master’s in Adult Education from the University of Cape Town. Before settling down to write full time, she was a social and environmental activist.
Her first novel, RECIPES FOR LOVE & MURDER: A Tannie Maria Mystery was a Kirkus Best Book of 2015, A Wall Street Journal Best Mystery Book 2015, The Bookseller Fiction editor’s Choice 2015 and A Good Housekeeping Book of the Month.
Her work has been translated into thirteen languages.
Praise for the Tannie Maria series
‘Vivid, amusing and immensely enjoyable… A triumph.’ – Alexander McCall Smith
‘Take a pinch of Alexander McCall Smith, a dash of Diane Mott Davidson, and add a smidge of the wild veld and you’ll get a taste for this lekker story (that’s “delicious” in Afrikaans). While the tone is heartfelt, Andrew doesn’t shy away from the realities of spousal abuse or the shadow of South Africa’s tumultuous history. With a fascinating setting, engaging characters, and a full complement of drool-worthy recipes, this is sure to leave readers craving more.’ – Library Journal, starred review
‘An intriguing mystery in an exotic locale, a work of enormous charm.’ – Wall Street Journal
‘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.’ – Kirkus, starred review
‘Utterly delicious, to the very last morsel.’ – Deon Meyer
‘Chock full of good food and interesting characters.’ – Kerry Greenwood, author of the PHRYNE FISHER and CORINNA CHAPMAN series
Visit Sally’s website