Penguin SA to publish Sally Andrew’s Tannie Maria cookbook

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

 

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RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER renewed for second series

We’re delighted that the much-loved RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER series has been renewed for a second season, with the new eight 45-minute episodes to begin filming in South Africa in April 2024.

Based on Sally Andrew’s hugely popular Tannie Maria series, RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER is centred on Tannie Maria, a food and advice columnist who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation, along with her best friend Jessie. Season two of RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER will take up where the first season left off – following the events of the second book in the series, THE SATANIC MECHANIC.

RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER  is a co-production from Acorn TV, Multichoice and Cape Town-based production company Both Worlds Pictures, in co-operation with Global Screen. The series is produced by Both Worlds Pictures’ founder Thierry Cassuto, in collaboration with Paris-based Paradoxa.

The series stars Maria Doyle Kennedy (OUTLANDER), Tony Kgoroge (INVICTUS) and Kylie Fisher, and the first series was selected for the Berlinale ‘Series Markets Selects’ in February 2022, and began broadcast in South Africa on M-Net in March 2022 to fantastic reviews. The series was nominated for three awards at the 2023 South African Film & Television Awards (Best Supporting Actress in a TV Drama, Best Achievement in Editing in a TV Drama, and Best Achievement in Directing in a TV Drama), Best Writing for a Television Series at the 2023 WGSA Muse Awards, Best Cinematography at the 2023 Venice TV Awards, and was also shortlisted for a Rose d’Or Award. 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. You can watch the trailer here.

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.

About Sally Andrew

Sally Andrew divides her time between Muizenberg on the Cape Town coast and a nature reserve near Ladismith in the Klein Karoo, South Africa, where she lives with her artist partner and various wildlife (including a giant eland and a secretive leopard). Sally has published a number of non-fiction books on adult and environmental education.

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.

Praise for RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER TV show

‘Gentle… the TV series offers the same mix of human drama, gorgeous landscape, local colour and mouth-watering cooking, quietly threaded through with the more serious issues of domestic abuse, racial inequality and the legacies of apartheid… Despite the murders and simmering racial undertones, the show keeps its warm, humorous tone through the quiet, grounded character of Maria, with her empathetic, practical advice – and recipes – in response to the letters she receives.’ – Roslyn Sulcas, The New York Times

 ‘A quirky, colourful murder mystery set in the South African outback.’ – Christopher Vourlias, Variety

 ‘Mild comic, romantic and criminal misadventures in a picturesque setting…  a one-of-a-kind heroine.’ – Mile McCahill, Variety

 ‘The highly watchable Maria Doyle Kennedy takes the lead in this very fun and quirky crime series, which is based on the book of the same name by Sally Andrew. Tannie Maria (Doyle Kennedy) is a recipe-creator-turned-advice-columnist who gets caught up in a murder mystery based on one of the letters she receives for her column. Teaming up with an investigative journalist to get to the bottom of the case, the pair clash with local police as they run amok across crime scenes.’ – Jenna Guillaume, Flicks, ‘7 TV shows arriving in September that we’re excited for’

 ‘Though there is some darkness to the series, as well as social seriousness, it’s kept cozy by its very much post-apartheid, classically eccentric community and the sweetness of its characters. There is a bit of flirtation, and unexpressed longing. And there is food – Maria’s effective love advice always includes a recipe – which we see prepared, step by step.’ – Los Angeles Times

 ‘RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER is a delight… There's plenty of humor and wit, and the mystery elements fairly snap along.’ – Janet Mullaney, Telly Visions

 

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Acclaimed series RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER shortlisted for a Rose D'or

We are delighted that the television adaptation of Sally Andrew’s beloved Tannie Maria series, RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER, has been shortlisted in the Comedy Drama and Sitcom category at the Rose d’Or Awards. Established in 1961, the prestigious Rose d’Or Awards celebrate excellence and achievement in International TV and Audio programme making. The nominees for Rose d’Or 2022 will be announced at the start of November, ahead of the Awards which will be presented on November 28th.

Originally broadcast in South Africa on M-Net, RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER is available for streaming on Acorn TV in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, United States, Canada and Latin America. The engaging 10-part series can also be watched on Acorn via Amazon Prime.

Irish actor Maria Doyle Kennedy, whose credits include OUTLANDER and THE TUDORS, stars as series heroine Tannie Maria alongside Tony Kgoroge (INVICTUS), and newcomer Kylie Fisher. See Maria Doyle Kennedy talking about preparing for her role (filming in South Africa, but with a Scottish accent – and with a chicken co-star too!) here.

The series has already received glowing reviews. Christopher Vourlias describes it as ‘a quirky, colourful murder mystery’ and his Variety  piece includes an interview with producer Thierry Cassuto. Roslyn Sulcas praised it in The New York Times writing: ‘The TV series offers the same mix of human drama, gorgeous landscape, local colour and mouth-watering cooking, quietly threaded through with the more serious issues of domestic abuse, racial inequality and the legacies of apartheid… Despite the murders and simmering racial undertones, the show keeps its warm, humorous tone through the quiet, grounded character of Maria, with her empathetic, practical advice – and recipes – in response to the letters she receives.’

Based on the bestselling series debut by Sally Andrew, RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER follows Tannie Maria, a South African advice and food columnist, who finds herself caught up in the death of the husband of one of her correspondents.

What to Watch reviewer Ian MacEwan called the series ‘an unusual mix of food porn and murder mystery, in which cook turned agony Tannie (‘auntie’ in Afrikaans) Maria (Maria Doyle Kennedy) solves crimes, in between sharing her mouth-watering culinary creations.’ You can watch many of the recipes, which also feature in the novels, being prepared step by step onscreen!

As an example, you can catch a glimpse of an episode here – and watch out for Morag’s entrance!

 Filmed in South Africa and Scotland, the series is a co-production between M-Net, AMC Networks’ Acorn TV, and Both Worlds Pictures, in co-operation with Global Screen. Thierry Cassuto, who founded the International Emmy-nominated Cape Town-based Both Worlds Pictures, produced the series in collaboration with Scotland’s Pirate Productions, with development support provided by Creative Scotland, and Paris-based Paradoxal.

The show was adapted for TV by Karen Jeynes, who is also executive producer, along with Scotland-based writer-director Annie Griffin. The series was directed by Christiaan Olwagen and Karen Jeynes.

The full Tannie Maria book series – RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER, THE SATANIC MECHANIC, DEATH ON THE LIMPOPO and THE MILK TART MURDERS – is published by Umuzi (Penguin Random House SA) in South Africa, and the first two books are available from Canongate in the UK and Ecco Press in the US among others – with more news to follow. The Tannie Maria series titles are all bestsellers in South Africa – regularly in the Top 5, with the fourth book, THE MILK TART MURDERS, shooting straight to the top of the combined fiction and non-fiction charts on publication in March 2022.

See here for a letter to Tannie Maria asking for advice, along with Tannie Maria’s response, excerpted from RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER – along with a lamb curry recipe.

And you can watch Sally Andrew herself talking about the film adaptation, the script, some of its characters and stars and what’s she learned from Tannie Maria here. 



About Sally Andrew

Sally Andrew divides her time between the Cape Town coast and a nature reserve near the small town of Ladismith in the Klein Karoo, South Africa, the setting of her hugely popular Tannie Maria novels. She lives with her wildlife artist partner, among various wild creatures (including, as she says, ‘a giant eland and a secretive leopard’). Sally has also published a number of non-fiction books on adult and environmental education.



Praise for RECIPES FOR LOVE AND MURDER TV show

‘The TV series offers the same mix of human drama, gorgeous landscape, local colour and mouth-watering cooking, quietly threaded through with the more serious issues of domestic abuse, racial inequality and the legacies of apartheid… Despite the murders and simmering racial undertones, the show keeps its warm, humorous tone through the quiet, grounded character of Maria, with her empathetic, practical advice – and recipes – in response to the letters she receives.’ – Roslyn Sulcas, The New York Times

 ‘A quirky, colourful murder mystery set in the South African outback.’ – Christopher Vourlias, Variety

 ‘The highly watchable Maria Doyle Kennedy takes the lead in this very fun and quirky crime series, which is based on the book of the same name by Sally Andrew. Tannie Maria (Doyle Kennedy) is a recipe-creator-turned-advice-columnist who gets caught up in a murder mystery based on one of the letters she receives for her column. Teaming up with an investigative journalist to get to the bottom of the case, the pair clash with local police as they run amok across crime scenes.’ – Jenna Guillaume, Flicks, ‘7 TV shows arriving in September that we’re excited for’

 

Visit Sally’s website.

Follow Sally on Instagram and Twitter.