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Tannie Maria Mystery #1
Рецепти за любов и убийство
Изключителен микс от криминална интрига, любов и кулинарни предизвикателства!
Действието в „Рецепти за любов и убийство“ се развива сред екзотиката на природния резерват Клайн Кару в Южна Африка. Главната героиня тани (превежда се „леля“) Мария обича да готви и списва кулинарна рубрика в местния вестник. Там работят още главната редакторка Хати и Джес – млада репортерка. По идея на Хати рубриката започва да помества освен кулинарни и различни житейски съвети. Тя бързо набира скорост и се превръща в отдушник за местните.
Сред купищата писма, които получават, се откроява едно анонимно писание от отчаяна жена. Само след дни Мартин, авторката на писмото, е намерена убита, с премазана глава. Тани Мария и Джес решават да започнат собствено разследване. Подозренията им падат върху съпруга на убитата, после върху нейна приятелка, но ситуацията се оказва доста по-заплетена.
Една нощ двете се промъкват в къщата на престъплението, в същото време идва човекът, който се грижи за имота. Внезапно проехтява изстрел и той е убит на място. Кръгът на заподозрените се разширява. Тани Мария получава зловеща заплаха, че ако не се оттегли, ще я сполети същото. Но двете с Джес не се отказват и още по-упорито продължават разследването си. Джес е отвлечена, животът на тани Мария е застрашен.
Кой се крие зад всичко това? Развръзката е неочаквана, развитието на случаите от читателските писма – интригуващо. А в края на книгата има вкусни рецепти за ценители.
Действието в „Рецепти за любов и убийство“ се развива сред екзотиката на природния резерват Клайн Кару в Южна Африка. Главната героиня тани (превежда се „леля“) Мария обича да готви и списва кулинарна рубрика в местния вестник. Там работят още главната редакторка Хати и Джес – млада репортерка. По идея на Хати рубриката започва да помества освен кулинарни и различни житейски съвети. Тя бързо набира скорост и се превръща в отдушник за местните.
Сред купищата писма, които получават, се откроява едно анонимно писание от отчаяна жена. Само след дни Мартин, авторката на писмото, е намерена убита, с премазана глава. Тани Мария и Джес решават да започнат собствено разследване. Подозренията им падат върху съпруга на убитата, после върху нейна приятелка, но ситуацията се оказва доста по-заплетена.
Една нощ двете се промъкват в къщата на престъплението, в същото време идва човекът, който се грижи за имота. Внезапно проехтява изстрел и той е убит на място. Кръгът на заподозрените се разширява. Тани Мария получава зловеща заплаха, че ако не се оттегли, ще я сполети същото. Но двете с Джес не се отказват и още по-упорито продължават разследването си. Джес е отвлечена, животът на тани Мария е застрашен.
Кой се крие зад всичко това? Развръзката е неочаквана, развитието на случаите от читателските писма – интригуващо. А в края на книгата има вкусни рецепти за ценители.
432 pages, Paperback
First published September 23, 2015
About the author
Sally Andrew
9 books252 followersSally Andrew lives in a mud-brick house on a nature reserve in the Klein Karoo, South Africa, with her partner, artist Bowen Boshier, and other wildlife (including 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 Masters in Adult Education (University of Cape Town).
For some decades she was a social and environmental activist, then the manager of Bowen’s art business, before she settled down to write full-time. Recipes for Love and Murder is her first novel. It will be published in at least twelve languages, across five continents.
For some decades she was a social and environmental activist, then the manager of Bowen’s art business, before she settled down to write full-time. Recipes for Love and Murder is her first novel. It will be published in at least twelve languages, across five continents.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 838 reviews
February 22, 2024
Excellent murder mystery with many great recipes included!
Re-read this book and also listened to it on audiobook. The narration is fabulous!
Re-read this book and also listened to it on audiobook. The narration is fabulous!
October 23, 2015
“Recipe for Murder
1 stocky man who abuses his wife
1 small tender wife
1 medium-sized tough woman in love with the wife
1 double-barrelled shotgun
1 small Karoo town marinated in secrets
3 bottles of Klipdrift brandy
3 little ducks
1 bottle of pomegranate juice
1 handful of chilli peppers
1 mild gardener
1 fire poker
1 red-hot New Yorker
7 Seventh-day Adventists (prepared for The End of the World)
1 hard-boiled investigative journalist
1 soft amateur detective
2 cool policemen
1 lamb
1 handful of red herrings and suspects mixed together
Pinch of greed
Throw all the ingredients into a big pot and simmer slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon for a few years. Add the ducks, chillies and brandy towards the end and turn up the heat”
Recipes for Love and Murder: A Tannie Maria Mystery is the first novel by South African author, Sally Andrew. Tannie Maria’s Recipe for Murder perfectly sums up the plot of this captivating novel. The Recipe Columnist for the Klein Karoo Gazette, Tannie Maria has to think laterally when the powers that be decree that the Gazette must have an Advice Column. The result is Tannie Maria’s Love Advice and Recipe Column. It is sometimes a challenge, but Tannie Maria manages to give the right advice and just the right recipe to most of her correspondents.
She is disturbed, though, by an anonymous letter from a woman whose husband beats her. And it seems her best advice is not good enough, when a woman fitting her description is murdered. Tannie and her colleagues at the Gazette feel obliged to help the Police to get their man (the husband, obviously!). But it turns out that everything is not quite so straight-forward. Another murder, a suspected poisoning, a threatening letter, a mutilated pair of veldskoene and a kidnapping (or two) will come to pass before the truth is revealed.
Amongst a cast of interesting, appealing and often crazy characters, Tannie Maria is a standout favourite. She is a truly delightful character: a cross between Mma Ramotswe and Corinna Chapman, she places great importance on good food. She shares her thoughts with her food, and food, or the preparation of it, feature in most of her descriptions, as “The fan on the ceiling was going round and round. It was like an oven with a thermafan. Jessie, Hattie and I were all being evenly baked as we sat at our desks” and “He had one of those silly moustaches, like a little boy who’s drunk chocolate milk” demonstrate.
This is a murder mystery with plenty of humour, some of it slapstick, some understated, but readers will find themselves smiling, chuckling and laughing out loud. Andrew regularly gives her heroine words of wisdom: “We can be sure that our lives will end with death. There’s not much we can do about that. But you can add love and good food to your life. That is your choice”. She also touches on some topical issues like domestic violence, organic farming and fracking. And includes over 20 pages of mouth-watering recipes. A glossary would be helpful for those who don’t understand Afrikaans or Dutch, but most words are repeated in English. This is a stunning debut, and readers will be hoping this really is the start of a series. Highly recommended!
1 stocky man who abuses his wife
1 small tender wife
1 medium-sized tough woman in love with the wife
1 double-barrelled shotgun
1 small Karoo town marinated in secrets
3 bottles of Klipdrift brandy
3 little ducks
1 bottle of pomegranate juice
1 handful of chilli peppers
1 mild gardener
1 fire poker
1 red-hot New Yorker
7 Seventh-day Adventists (prepared for The End of the World)
1 hard-boiled investigative journalist
1 soft amateur detective
2 cool policemen
1 lamb
1 handful of red herrings and suspects mixed together
Pinch of greed
Throw all the ingredients into a big pot and simmer slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon for a few years. Add the ducks, chillies and brandy towards the end and turn up the heat”
Recipes for Love and Murder: A Tannie Maria Mystery is the first novel by South African author, Sally Andrew. Tannie Maria’s Recipe for Murder perfectly sums up the plot of this captivating novel. The Recipe Columnist for the Klein Karoo Gazette, Tannie Maria has to think laterally when the powers that be decree that the Gazette must have an Advice Column. The result is Tannie Maria’s Love Advice and Recipe Column. It is sometimes a challenge, but Tannie Maria manages to give the right advice and just the right recipe to most of her correspondents.
She is disturbed, though, by an anonymous letter from a woman whose husband beats her. And it seems her best advice is not good enough, when a woman fitting her description is murdered. Tannie and her colleagues at the Gazette feel obliged to help the Police to get their man (the husband, obviously!). But it turns out that everything is not quite so straight-forward. Another murder, a suspected poisoning, a threatening letter, a mutilated pair of veldskoene and a kidnapping (or two) will come to pass before the truth is revealed.
Amongst a cast of interesting, appealing and often crazy characters, Tannie Maria is a standout favourite. She is a truly delightful character: a cross between Mma Ramotswe and Corinna Chapman, she places great importance on good food. She shares her thoughts with her food, and food, or the preparation of it, feature in most of her descriptions, as “The fan on the ceiling was going round and round. It was like an oven with a thermafan. Jessie, Hattie and I were all being evenly baked as we sat at our desks” and “He had one of those silly moustaches, like a little boy who’s drunk chocolate milk” demonstrate.
This is a murder mystery with plenty of humour, some of it slapstick, some understated, but readers will find themselves smiling, chuckling and laughing out loud. Andrew regularly gives her heroine words of wisdom: “We can be sure that our lives will end with death. There’s not much we can do about that. But you can add love and good food to your life. That is your choice”. She also touches on some topical issues like domestic violence, organic farming and fracking. And includes over 20 pages of mouth-watering recipes. A glossary would be helpful for those who don’t understand Afrikaans or Dutch, but most words are repeated in English. This is a stunning debut, and readers will be hoping this really is the start of a series. Highly recommended!
February 1, 2016
Wasn't sure what to expect exactly, but my library had added this one to its downloadable audio holdings recently, so thought I'd check it out. Please bear in mind that I have never seen many of the Afrikaans names or terms in print, so will have to do the best I can phonetically - for one thing it took me quite a while to get that her vehicle was a bakkie (small truck) rather than a buggy.
Without going into a plot description (my friends know how much I dislike rehashing those), Tannie M. (her name is Maria, with Tannie being a courtesy title, basically Auntie) is a widow who writes a combination agony aunt and foodie column, based on letters from readers, in the local paper; Hattie is her very Anglo editor/manager, while Jessie does the reporting on stories. Tannie M. becomes peripherally involved in a local death, which hits much closer to home in the later part of the story. There's also a romantic regarding the cop, Henk, in charge of the investigation.
First of all ... this is one hell of a foodie book! I found myself hungry for items she mentions while I was eating myself! Some recipes are given at the back of the book (last 40 minutes of audio). At one point, Tannie M. is beside herself when she offers cake to a group of eager children, only to learn that they are Seventh Day Adventists, no eggs nor dairy! Not to worry, she later brings them a vegan cake instead.
Next we come to the issue that has defined South Africa: race. Tannie M. had a Dutch mother, and largely absent, English father, so was raised in the Afrikaaner community, although when the story opens she has largely distanced herself from them and their closed minded, rigid ways. Jessie is Colored (the South African term for mixed race), and I was pleased to see that she appears to be bi-lingual in Afrikaans, disproving the myth that the language is "white". Henk's police assistant, Pik, is San (a/k/a bushman), whose expert tracking skills save the day in crisis later. Another minor character is Xhosa.
The author's ability to set the scene reminded me of Tony Hillerman's books set in Navajo Country. I was actually transported somewhere I'd never been. Not so much a description of the town of Ladysmith itself, but of the countryside (veldt), including plants.
Alexander McCall Smith gives high praise to the book, which makes sense as it's a complement to Precious Ramotswe's stories, rather than piggybacking. Like Precious, Tannie M. was a victim of domestic violence; her husband's death was a relief. I'd love to see a crossover book between the two series -- Jessie and Grace Makutsi would get along quite well I'd think.
Definitely recommended!
Without going into a plot description (my friends know how much I dislike rehashing those), Tannie M. (her name is Maria, with Tannie being a courtesy title, basically Auntie) is a widow who writes a combination agony aunt and foodie column, based on letters from readers, in the local paper; Hattie is her very Anglo editor/manager, while Jessie does the reporting on stories. Tannie M. becomes peripherally involved in a local death, which hits much closer to home in the later part of the story. There's also a romantic regarding the cop, Henk, in charge of the investigation.
First of all ... this is one hell of a foodie book! I found myself hungry for items she mentions while I was eating myself! Some recipes are given at the back of the book (last 40 minutes of audio). At one point, Tannie M. is beside herself when she offers cake to a group of eager children, only to learn that they are Seventh Day Adventists, no eggs nor dairy! Not to worry, she later brings them a vegan cake instead.
Next we come to the issue that has defined South Africa: race. Tannie M. had a Dutch mother, and largely absent, English father, so was raised in the Afrikaaner community, although when the story opens she has largely distanced herself from them and their closed minded, rigid ways. Jessie is Colored (the South African term for mixed race), and I was pleased to see that she appears to be bi-lingual in Afrikaans, disproving the myth that the language is "white". Henk's police assistant, Pik, is San (a/k/a bushman), whose expert tracking skills save the day in crisis later. Another minor character is Xhosa.
The author's ability to set the scene reminded me of Tony Hillerman's books set in Navajo Country. I was actually transported somewhere I'd never been. Not so much a description of the town of Ladysmith itself, but of the countryside (veldt), including plants.
Alexander McCall Smith gives high praise to the book, which makes sense as it's a complement to Precious Ramotswe's stories, rather than piggybacking. Like Precious, Tannie M. was a victim of domestic violence; her husband's death was a relief. I'd love to see a crossover book between the two series -- Jessie and Grace Makutsi would get along quite well I'd think.
Definitely recommended!
November 21, 2016
4.5★s
Tannie Maria wrote columns for the Klein Karoo Gazette alongside investigative reporter Jessie and editor Hattie. But when the paper’s bosses decided Maria’s recipe columns needed to be replaced with love advice instead, it was decided to combine the two. Creating beautiful food from fresh ingredients was Tannie Maria’s love – the peace and tranquility she derived from cooking then feeding others was her forte.
Tannie Maria found it easy to add a perfectly matched recipe to the answers she gave her letter writers – but when she received the letter from a battered woman who didn’t know how to leave her husband, Maria knew this problem was deeper than any others she’d helped to solve. With worse to come, Jessie and Tannie Maria combined their skills to do some investigating – but would this put both women into the path of terrible danger?
Recipes for Love and Murder by Sally Andrew is a light and entertaining murder mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed. (I can hear you saying I told you so, Marianne!) I certainly didn’t pick the murderer until it was revealed at the end! Delightful recipes blend beautifully with the mystery and intrigue as well as love and friendship. A great read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
With thanks to Text Publishing for this copy to read in exchange for my honest review.
Tannie Maria wrote columns for the Klein Karoo Gazette alongside investigative reporter Jessie and editor Hattie. But when the paper’s bosses decided Maria’s recipe columns needed to be replaced with love advice instead, it was decided to combine the two. Creating beautiful food from fresh ingredients was Tannie Maria’s love – the peace and tranquility she derived from cooking then feeding others was her forte.
Tannie Maria found it easy to add a perfectly matched recipe to the answers she gave her letter writers – but when she received the letter from a battered woman who didn’t know how to leave her husband, Maria knew this problem was deeper than any others she’d helped to solve. With worse to come, Jessie and Tannie Maria combined their skills to do some investigating – but would this put both women into the path of terrible danger?
Recipes for Love and Murder by Sally Andrew is a light and entertaining murder mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed. (I can hear you saying I told you so, Marianne!) I certainly didn’t pick the murderer until it was revealed at the end! Delightful recipes blend beautifully with the mystery and intrigue as well as love and friendship. A great read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
With thanks to Text Publishing for this copy to read in exchange for my honest review.
April 30, 2023
Tannie María vive sola en su granja en el parque nacional del Pequeño Karoo, en Sudáfrica, desde que enviudó. Escribe una sección de recetas en el Karoo Gazette periódico local, hasta que los directivos deciden prescindir de la sección porque no es rentable, su amiga y directora le propone escribir una columna de consejos, pero ella decide dar esos consejos con recetas.
Un buen día recibe una carta de una mujer que le pide ayuda porque su marido la maltrata. Tannie María le da una receta y un consejo, a los pocos días recibe otra carta de la misma mujer pidiendo por favor que no se ponga en contacto con ella que tiene miedo si su marido se entera pero que ya tiene la solución para escapar de su casa.
A los pocos días aparece muerta, Tannie María se dispone a investigar por su cuenta y riesgo quién es el asesino. La protagonista recuerda a Miss Marple de Agatha Christie y a Jessica Fletcher de Se ha escrito un crimen.
Es una novela negra en la que hay un asesinato que investigar, novela de detectives, comedia, drama, un libro de recetas, de amor y el trasfondo de los malos tratos en Sudáfrica.
Mi reseña en Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2P7a...
Un buen día recibe una carta de una mujer que le pide ayuda porque su marido la maltrata. Tannie María le da una receta y un consejo, a los pocos días recibe otra carta de la misma mujer pidiendo por favor que no se ponga en contacto con ella que tiene miedo si su marido se entera pero que ya tiene la solución para escapar de su casa.
A los pocos días aparece muerta, Tannie María se dispone a investigar por su cuenta y riesgo quién es el asesino. La protagonista recuerda a Miss Marple de Agatha Christie y a Jessica Fletcher de Se ha escrito un crimen.
Es una novela negra en la que hay un asesinato que investigar, novela de detectives, comedia, drama, un libro de recetas, de amor y el trasfondo de los malos tratos en Sudáfrica.
Mi reseña en Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2P7a...
June 26, 2022
This is a cozy mystery that takes place in South Africa, and it also includes a lot of recipes. I liked the mystery of this, but I had trouble liking the characters of this book. Overall, I found this book just ok.
August 6, 2022
On the vast plains of the semi-arid Karoo region of South Africa, in the town Ladismith, Tannie(Aunty) Maria Van Harten and the other two members of her journalistic sleuth team are determined to find a killer, while simultaneously keep their newspaper, The Karoo Gazette, alive.
From the blurb: One Sunday morning, as Maria savours the breeze through the kitchen window whilst making apricot jam, she hears the screech and bump that announces the arrival of her good friend and editor Harriet. What Maria doesn't realise is that Harriet is about to deliver the first ingredient in two new recipes (recipes for love and murder) and a whole basketful of challenges.
Sally Andrew introduces not only the wonder of this region, but also its culinary magic to the world. The characters are colorful, quirky, straightforward and refreshing.
Tannie Maria is the protagonist of this series, and starts out her story as a columnist who addresses people's heartache and other problems with practical advice, combined with traditional recipes for cooking food with love. Good food and love. It resolves all problems, in her opinion.
I live with one foot in, and one foot out, on the south-eastern peripheries of this region, and it doesn't matter where we travel, we have to go through the Karoo. It is our heimat and our heaven on earth. So for me, this story was a super fun, entertaining and enjoyable read. For once in a very very long time, I could rejoice in the real heart beat of this region.
About the book. At first I was excited, and then it mellowed out. So much so, that a third into the story I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue. Tannie Maria's obsessive cooking and eating quickly convinced me that she could physically claim her own zip code by the end of the book. The possibility was great that she have mushroomed herself out of her own clothes and personality, and her circumference could give earth a go, after she consumed all that sugary cakes, koeksisters, farm bread, rusks, and whatever she could gobble up.
But then the action kicked in, and the adventure into cracking the murder case became real. The rest of this word theater became one huge enjoyment. The good and bad of the characters; the vivid descriptions of the environment; the sharp as a Minora-blade political prattle; the say-it-like-it-is truths of a community who knew each other genetically long enough to leave pretentiousness undiscovered or under-developed.
Tannie Maria is an uncomplicated person with her flowery dresses, 'velskoen' shoes(fellies), her five spoiled chickens, and her 'spread-the-love' mantra. There's no frills or fuss. What you see today is what you get tomorrow. Oh, and she talks to her rusks. The only pretensiousness allowed is from nature itself. He (Detective Luitenant Henk Kannemeyer) was watching the copper and flame colors of the sunset. Because of all those clouds, the sky was really showing off.
The dialogue and accent is typical Karoo. Well, the lighter side of it. A mixture of languages, but easily explained throughout the dialogue. The ambiance of the book is the same as in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Series in Botswana, written by Alexander McCall Smith. Cozy as cozy can be. And lots of fun.
I'm certainly going to try her HONEY-TOFFEE SNAKE CAKE! The rest is soul food. Everyday love served uncomplicated and fresh by all the Karoo residents. Here and there a wiggle and a tweak can be found, but the basic recipes have been gracing the homes of this region daily for more than 300 years.
From the blurb: One Sunday morning, as Maria savours the breeze through the kitchen window whilst making apricot jam, she hears the screech and bump that announces the arrival of her good friend and editor Harriet. What Maria doesn't realise is that Harriet is about to deliver the first ingredient in two new recipes (recipes for love and murder) and a whole basketful of challenges.
Sally Andrew introduces not only the wonder of this region, but also its culinary magic to the world. The characters are colorful, quirky, straightforward and refreshing.
Tannie Maria is the protagonist of this series, and starts out her story as a columnist who addresses people's heartache and other problems with practical advice, combined with traditional recipes for cooking food with love. Good food and love. It resolves all problems, in her opinion.
I live with one foot in, and one foot out, on the south-eastern peripheries of this region, and it doesn't matter where we travel, we have to go through the Karoo. It is our heimat and our heaven on earth. So for me, this story was a super fun, entertaining and enjoyable read. For once in a very very long time, I could rejoice in the real heart beat of this region.
About the book. At first I was excited, and then it mellowed out. So much so, that a third into the story I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue. Tannie Maria's obsessive cooking and eating quickly convinced me that she could physically claim her own zip code by the end of the book. The possibility was great that she have mushroomed herself out of her own clothes and personality, and her circumference could give earth a go, after she consumed all that sugary cakes, koeksisters, farm bread, rusks, and whatever she could gobble up.
But then the action kicked in, and the adventure into cracking the murder case became real. The rest of this word theater became one huge enjoyment. The good and bad of the characters; the vivid descriptions of the environment; the sharp as a Minora-blade political prattle; the say-it-like-it-is truths of a community who knew each other genetically long enough to leave pretentiousness undiscovered or under-developed.
Tannie Maria is an uncomplicated person with her flowery dresses, 'velskoen' shoes(fellies), her five spoiled chickens, and her 'spread-the-love' mantra. There's no frills or fuss. What you see today is what you get tomorrow. Oh, and she talks to her rusks. The only pretensiousness allowed is from nature itself. He (Detective Luitenant Henk Kannemeyer) was watching the copper and flame colors of the sunset. Because of all those clouds, the sky was really showing off.
The dialogue and accent is typical Karoo. Well, the lighter side of it. A mixture of languages, but easily explained throughout the dialogue. The ambiance of the book is the same as in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Series in Botswana, written by Alexander McCall Smith. Cozy as cozy can be. And lots of fun.
I'm certainly going to try her HONEY-TOFFEE SNAKE CAKE! The rest is soul food. Everyday love served uncomplicated and fresh by all the Karoo residents. Here and there a wiggle and a tweak can be found, but the basic recipes have been gracing the homes of this region daily for more than 300 years.
February 13, 2022
Popsugar reading challenge 2022 categoría 23. Un libro con una receta.
Ya sé a qué se referían cuando hablaban de que un libro era muy cozy xd esta historia se clasifica dentro de eso, un misterio resuelto por una aficionada con escenas y en un lugar más cotidiano, más amigable. Donde todas las escenas violentas aparecen tras de cámara.
Y pues ahora que se a que se refiere, he leído un par de libros así, como los de Miss Marple por ejemplo y pienso que depende mucho del como se cuente el que te guste o no (aparte de los propios gustos obviamente). En este caso sentí que el libro tenía mucho contenido que sobraba, habían muchos capítulos que no eran relevantes y lo único que hacían era alargar el libro. Sumado a la manía que le tengo a los capítulos cortos, hicieron que el libro se me hiciera eterno.
En la historia no me gustó que hubieran tantos personajes que sólo se nombraban en un par de ocasiones, tampoco me gustó la obsesión de Tannie María por la comida y que usará tantos términos en afrikaans, sin poner una nota al pie de página con su traducción. Ya que, aunque había un glosario al final del libro era un poco incómodo el ir por cada término hasta el final para saber lo que significaba, terminé por leer no mas y según el contexto me hacia una traducción :v
Lo otro, me hubiera gustado que las recetas estuvieran en el momento que aparecían en la historia y no solamente en un apartado al final del libro. Y en general eso, para mí al menos un libro olvidable.
Ya sé a qué se referían cuando hablaban de que un libro era muy cozy xd esta historia se clasifica dentro de eso, un misterio resuelto por una aficionada con escenas y en un lugar más cotidiano, más amigable. Donde todas las escenas violentas aparecen tras de cámara.
Y pues ahora que se a que se refiere, he leído un par de libros así, como los de Miss Marple por ejemplo y pienso que depende mucho del como se cuente el que te guste o no (aparte de los propios gustos obviamente). En este caso sentí que el libro tenía mucho contenido que sobraba, habían muchos capítulos que no eran relevantes y lo único que hacían era alargar el libro. Sumado a la manía que le tengo a los capítulos cortos, hicieron que el libro se me hiciera eterno.
En la historia no me gustó que hubieran tantos personajes que sólo se nombraban en un par de ocasiones, tampoco me gustó la obsesión de Tannie María por la comida y que usará tantos términos en afrikaans, sin poner una nota al pie de página con su traducción. Ya que, aunque había un glosario al final del libro era un poco incómodo el ir por cada término hasta el final para saber lo que significaba, terminé por leer no mas y según el contexto me hacia una traducción :v
Lo otro, me hubiera gustado que las recetas estuvieran en el momento que aparecían en la historia y no solamente en un apartado al final del libro. Y en general eso, para mí al menos un libro olvidable.
June 30, 2021
It's a cozy mystery set in Karoo, South Africa, with a middle-aged Tannie Maria as the protagonist. Tannie loves to cook, writes for a local gazette to give advice on love and food, and tries to solve most of life's problems with some recipes. It might sound absurd, but it goes well in the book. Then, of course, there's a murder, and Tannie becomes an amateur detective and goes after the criminal, and gives out a lot of recipes along the process which are all noted down at the end of the book. This book does a very good work of bringing South African nature into the story. You can read and actually visualize the beauty of the place. It also does a commendable job of bringing up some serious issues like domestic violence, patriarchy, loneliness, even some indications of female sexual pleasure. And there's plenty of humor. What prevented it from being an amazing read is the lack of good characters. Apart from Tannie, most of the characters are forgettable, even the villain. I was not significantly intrigued by the mystery either. It's a charming read, but not much more.
April 14, 2020
Things are changing at the Klein Karoo Gazette in rural South Africa. Head Office has decreed that the community newspaper must include an advice column, and to fit it in, Tannie Maria's recipe column will have to be sacrificed. Maria's good friend and editor, Hattie, offers her the advice column and between them they think of a way to appease Head Office while retaining some semblance of the popular recipe section. Tannie Maria will offer advice and recipes! This is perfect, because Maria is a good listener, and of course she loves food too.
Tannie Maria soon attracts a few regular correspondents who are working through some problems, and when one of them is murdered, Maria and her colleague Jessie, the gazette's up-and-coming investigative journalist, decide to ... investigate!
I loved this! In the vein of Alexander McCall Smith, but perhaps a bit darker, Sally Andrew gives us a smart, kind and warm Afrikaner widow with a food obsession as our protagonist, and surrounds her with a collection of interesting (some rather quirky) characters. The mystery is involved, but easy enough to follow. Best of all, the reader can get a real sense of location from the vivid descriptions of the environment and the food, and learn a few words of Afrikaans, too. It's lekker!
Tannie Maria soon attracts a few regular correspondents who are working through some problems, and when one of them is murdered, Maria and her colleague Jessie, the gazette's up-and-coming investigative journalist, decide to ... investigate!
I loved this! In the vein of Alexander McCall Smith, but perhaps a bit darker, Sally Andrew gives us a smart, kind and warm Afrikaner widow with a food obsession as our protagonist, and surrounds her with a collection of interesting (some rather quirky) characters. The mystery is involved, but easy enough to follow. Best of all, the reader can get a real sense of location from the vivid descriptions of the environment and the food, and learn a few words of Afrikaans, too. It's lekker!
May 29, 2016
After reading this novel, I realized that I can't call myself "proudly South African" AT ALL. I love my country, but I am not always proud of my country. But I will never be a Peter and say "I do not know you". I would rather be like a real prim and proper Afrikaans "poppie" and just keep quite and sit in the corner. And then someone like Tannie Maria comes along and she reminds you of a couple of things:
I love being Afrikaans
I love the Klein Karoo
I love koeksisters, bobotie, melktert, vetkoek and karringmelk beskuit
I love vetplantjies
I love the smell of the first rain on the warm dry earth
I love SPAR (although I might check out the managers with an eagle eye hence forth)
I love being white, but have a black friend that I can honestly call one of my 5 best friends ever.
I love reading a South African murder mystery that has nothing to do with politics or apartheid or South African history (Die Groot Trek OR The Soweto uprisings)
Meet Tannie Maria: "She's fifty-something, short and soft (like me!) with brown curls and untidy Afrikaans. She is also the agony aunt (the "dear Abby" Tannie) for the local paper, the Klein Karoo Gazette. One day, her life takes a sinister turn when a woman in the area is murdered and she becomes entangled in the investigation - to the intense irritation of a handsome local policeman."
She is also the best cook I have ever heard of. She has a recipe for just about everything under the sun - even murder.
Full review: http://marelithalkink.blogspot.co.za/...
I love being Afrikaans
I love the Klein Karoo
I love koeksisters, bobotie, melktert, vetkoek and karringmelk beskuit
I love vetplantjies
I love the smell of the first rain on the warm dry earth
I love SPAR (although I might check out the managers with an eagle eye hence forth)
I love being white, but have a black friend that I can honestly call one of my 5 best friends ever.
I love reading a South African murder mystery that has nothing to do with politics or apartheid or South African history (Die Groot Trek OR The Soweto uprisings)
Meet Tannie Maria: "She's fifty-something, short and soft (like me!) with brown curls and untidy Afrikaans. She is also the agony aunt (the "dear Abby" Tannie) for the local paper, the Klein Karoo Gazette. One day, her life takes a sinister turn when a woman in the area is murdered and she becomes entangled in the investigation - to the intense irritation of a handsome local policeman."
She is also the best cook I have ever heard of. She has a recipe for just about everything under the sun - even murder.
Full review: http://marelithalkink.blogspot.co.za/...
February 21, 2022
No negaré que es una lectura ligera, pero quiere abarcar tantas cosas -un misterio, romance, cultura y gastronomía de Sur África, etc.- que al final se queda en nada.
También tengo que mencionar que la protagonista me ha parecido una pesada con su obsesión con la comida. Está bien que le guste cocinar y comer -como a casi tod@s, sobre todo lo de comer jaja-, pero lo suyo roza lo irritante.
El estilo de la autora no me ha parecido nada del otro mundo. Lo más curioso o destacable, las palabras en afrikáans, y ni por esas se libra de una nota tan baja.
También tengo que mencionar que la protagonista me ha parecido una pesada con su obsesión con la comida. Está bien que le guste cocinar y comer -como a casi tod@s, sobre todo lo de comer jaja-, pero lo suyo roza lo irritante.
El estilo de la autora no me ha parecido nada del otro mundo. Lo más curioso o destacable, las palabras en afrikáans, y ni por esas se libra de una nota tan baja.
March 9, 2016
Sally Andrew's Recipes for Love and Murder: A Tannie Maria Mystery is an really good murder mystery with a dash of romance, sadness, love, food, beautiful nature and friendship. Tannie Maria is like mix of Miss Marple, Nero Wolfe and Nigella Lawson - she does not look for trouble, the trouble finds her, she likes solving problems and she likes food and the food she likes is nourishing, full of flavors and chocolaty.
The story is about a Tannie Maria who works as food writer in local Klein Karoo Gazette with her friends Harriet and Jessie. Hattie asks her to add to her food column also advises to people who are looking help in love and relationship. But Tannie Maria does not know much about love and relationship, her late husband was abusive and she was terrified of him. But she knows much about food and she can always try to give the advise she can along with good recipe.
When she gets a help letter from Martine, who's husband is also abusive, she feels like she has to help as much as she can. But then Martine ends up dead, and it seams like neither her husband or her best friend of her ex boyfriend are not the killers. And when Tannie Maria starts to get threats to stay away and when Jessie goes missing ... it's all much more than she had asked for.
But their little Ladysmith town has very attractive police chief Kannemeyer, and Martine's cousin Candy also arrives to help and Dirk/Anna/John will do what ever to find Martine's killer to kill him over and over again. It's all kind of a madhouse but even this madhouse has its funny moments and all ends kind of good.
It was very compelling story and it was difficult to put the book down. A very good read!
Arvustust saate lugeda siit.
The story is about a Tannie Maria who works as food writer in local Klein Karoo Gazette with her friends Harriet and Jessie. Hattie asks her to add to her food column also advises to people who are looking help in love and relationship. But Tannie Maria does not know much about love and relationship, her late husband was abusive and she was terrified of him. But she knows much about food and she can always try to give the advise she can along with good recipe.
When she gets a help letter from Martine, who's husband is also abusive, she feels like she has to help as much as she can. But then Martine ends up dead, and it seams like neither her husband or her best friend of her ex boyfriend are not the killers. And when Tannie Maria starts to get threats to stay away and when Jessie goes missing ... it's all much more than she had asked for.
But their little Ladysmith town has very attractive police chief Kannemeyer, and Martine's cousin Candy also arrives to help and Dirk/Anna/John will do what ever to find Martine's killer to kill him over and over again. It's all kind of a madhouse but even this madhouse has its funny moments and all ends kind of good.
It was very compelling story and it was difficult to put the book down. A very good read!
Arvustust saate lugeda siit.
December 3, 2017
Charming and heart-warming, this is a lovely read about a lovely group of women who find themselves in the midst of a murder investigation without meaning to. The main character of Tannie Maria is simply wonderful - I fell completely in love with her. I am so glad to find such a female model in a book these days. She is clever, brave, independent and strong-minded. But at the same time she is very soft, motherly, with an endless ability to give and care for others. She does not care one bit about shopping, fashion or trends, money and status, like so many women today. She wants to be loved and to love others, she enjoys her creativity in the kitchen and how she can help others and improve their lives with her creations. There is something very authentic, naive (in the best sense) and beautiful in that. The plot is suspenseful and easy to follow. All in all a great read. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
February 12, 2022
Pues... es un meh como una casa.
**Alerta Spoiler!!
1.-La historia. Tannie María, una viuda maltratada que ama la cocina, tiene una columna de recetas y consejos en la Gazette del Karoo. En una de las cartas que recibe, una mujer le dice que va a abandonar a su marido maltratador. Días después, la misma mujer, aparece asesinada. Tannie María se mete de lleno en la investigación... y por ende, en un montón de líos.
2.-Los personajes. Hay muchos y muy variados. Pero si dejamos a un lado a Tannie María (cuyo rasgo principal es que está loca por la cocina), el resto carecen casi por completo de desarrollo. Ella se queda con todo el peso y la evolución, y los demás son sus coristas.
Esta la amiga que conduce como una loca, la periodista joven e intrépida, el poli gigante y corpulento, el poli boskimano que es un hacha con las pistas, el marido maltratador, el ex de la difunta, la que hubiera querido ser la amante de la difunta cuando esta estaba viva, la familia de la difunta, los adventitas del último día (o algo así) y un montón de personajes más que pasaban por allí. Mucho lío.
3.-La pluma, la trama y demás. Abusa de las recetas y del afrikáans. Lo mejor que puedo decir es que los capítulos son muy cortos y aunque aburrida, es una lectura ágil. Le falta más acción y le sobra bastante la obsesión por la comida. Se lee, pero no engancha. Hay mucho personaje que no aporta nada, muchas subtramas de relleno. Y luego tiene partes absurdas, como las de los locos del hospital (que están obsesionados en matarse primero el uno a la otra, y luego en matar al asesino juntos). También tiene sus partes reflexivas y reales como la vida misma, pero en conjunto, queda todo bastante simple y apático. Y la relación amorosa... una simple pincelada y muy abierta para el siguiente libro.
4.-El final. Caso cerrado. Asesino cazado, una boda, esperanza y amor para el futuro de la protagonista. Y recetas, muchas recetas.
En fin 2 estrellas sobre 5 porque es un libro olvidable.
**Popsugar 2022 categoría 23. Un libro con una receta.
**Alerta Spoiler!!
1.-La historia. Tannie María, una viuda maltratada que ama la cocina, tiene una columna de recetas y consejos en la Gazette del Karoo. En una de las cartas que recibe, una mujer le dice que va a abandonar a su marido maltratador. Días después, la misma mujer, aparece asesinada. Tannie María se mete de lleno en la investigación... y por ende, en un montón de líos.
2.-Los personajes. Hay muchos y muy variados. Pero si dejamos a un lado a Tannie María (cuyo rasgo principal es que está loca por la cocina), el resto carecen casi por completo de desarrollo. Ella se queda con todo el peso y la evolución, y los demás son sus coristas.
Esta la amiga que conduce como una loca, la periodista joven e intrépida, el poli gigante y corpulento, el poli boskimano que es un hacha con las pistas, el marido maltratador, el ex de la difunta, la que hubiera querido ser la amante de la difunta cuando esta estaba viva, la familia de la difunta, los adventitas del último día (o algo así) y un montón de personajes más que pasaban por allí. Mucho lío.
3.-La pluma, la trama y demás. Abusa de las recetas y del afrikáans. Lo mejor que puedo decir es que los capítulos son muy cortos y aunque aburrida, es una lectura ágil. Le falta más acción y le sobra bastante la obsesión por la comida. Se lee, pero no engancha. Hay mucho personaje que no aporta nada, muchas subtramas de relleno. Y luego tiene partes absurdas, como las de los locos del hospital (que están obsesionados en matarse primero el uno a la otra, y luego en matar al asesino juntos). También tiene sus partes reflexivas y reales como la vida misma, pero en conjunto, queda todo bastante simple y apático. Y la relación amorosa... una simple pincelada y muy abierta para el siguiente libro.
4.-El final. Caso cerrado. Asesino cazado, una boda, esperanza y amor para el futuro de la protagonista. Y recetas, muchas recetas.
En fin 2 estrellas sobre 5 porque es un libro olvidable.
**Popsugar 2022 categoría 23. Un libro con una receta.
December 7, 2023
Catching up…
This story is set in a South African town that features a columnist who serves up mouthwatering dishes while solving murder mysteries.
And…
The recipes are right here in this book to enjoy and savor!
Interestingly enough, this book, has also been turned into a series on Acorn TV.
This is the first book in the Tannie Maria mystery series. Tannie Maria, the heroine, who writes a cooking column for the local newspaper is a 50-something resident of the fictional town of Eden.
The story…
Offers a mix of human drama, beautiful landscapes, yummy dishes threaded with domestic abuse, racial inequality and the legacies of apartheid.
The unfolding of the relationships between the people of different races, and a wide variety of “walks of life” makes this a very interesting read.
With murders and racial undertones, the story still provides a sense of warmth and subtle humor.
And…
We appreciate the quiet grounded character of Tannie Maria, with her empathetic, practical advice and recipes, in response to the letters she receives.
Which…
Makes this story, engaging, quirky and fun.
This story is set in a South African town that features a columnist who serves up mouthwatering dishes while solving murder mysteries.
And…
The recipes are right here in this book to enjoy and savor!
Interestingly enough, this book, has also been turned into a series on Acorn TV.
This is the first book in the Tannie Maria mystery series. Tannie Maria, the heroine, who writes a cooking column for the local newspaper is a 50-something resident of the fictional town of Eden.
The story…
Offers a mix of human drama, beautiful landscapes, yummy dishes threaded with domestic abuse, racial inequality and the legacies of apartheid.
The unfolding of the relationships between the people of different races, and a wide variety of “walks of life” makes this a very interesting read.
With murders and racial undertones, the story still provides a sense of warmth and subtle humor.
And…
We appreciate the quiet grounded character of Tannie Maria, with her empathetic, practical advice and recipes, in response to the letters she receives.
Which…
Makes this story, engaging, quirky and fun.
October 27, 2023
I was hesitant to pick this up as I’ve never read any books set in South Africa, but so glad I did! I thoroughly enjoyed the town of Ladismith, their culture, and the friends/neighbors/coworkers of Tannie Maria. Not only was it a good mystery (warning: some elements of spousal abuse), but included delicious recipes and a most helpful glossary. I look forward to the second book in the series and the further adventures, advice, and ethnic food descriptions by Tannie Maria- she’s a delight!
March 22, 2019
Un très bon cosy mystery à lire en ayant de quoi manger à porter de mains XD.
February 10, 2017
Sally Andrew's delicious new mystery set amidst the plains of South Africa
Is it a faux pas to skip straight to the end of a book? Perhaps.
If there's the promise of recipes and it's lunchtime? No problem at all.
We've done it, so it's alright.
A murder mystery, which is also a romance, which is also hilarious, which is also a cookbook—look this way if you're looking for that book to settle into for the summer break.
‘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.’
Alexander McCall Smith
‘Recipes for Love and Murder is chock full of good food and interesting characters.’
Kerry Greenwood
‘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.’
STARRED Review, Kirkus
‘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.’
Bookseller
‘This is a murder mystery with plenty of humour…readers will find themselves smiling, chuckling and laughing out loud…A stunning debut.’
BookMooch
‘A clever, funny and warm-hearted debut crime novel from South Africa, that will make you laugh and cry.’
Good Reading
‘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.’
Otago Daily Times
‘The exotic locale, the lovely patois and the heroine’s unique sensibility make Ms. Andrew’s Recipes a blue-ribbon winner.’
Wall Street Journal, Best Books of 2015
‘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.’
Oprah.com
‘Funny, serious and touching.’
New Zealand Listener
‘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.’
Readings
Is it a faux pas to skip straight to the end of a book? Perhaps.
If there's the promise of recipes and it's lunchtime? No problem at all.
We've done it, so it's alright.
A murder mystery, which is also a romance, which is also hilarious, which is also a cookbook—look this way if you're looking for that book to settle into for the summer break.
‘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.’
Alexander McCall Smith
‘Recipes for Love and Murder is chock full of good food and interesting characters.’
Kerry Greenwood
‘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.’
STARRED Review, Kirkus
‘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.’
Bookseller
‘This is a murder mystery with plenty of humour…readers will find themselves smiling, chuckling and laughing out loud…A stunning debut.’
BookMooch
‘A clever, funny and warm-hearted debut crime novel from South Africa, that will make you laugh and cry.’
Good Reading
‘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.’
Otago Daily Times
‘The exotic locale, the lovely patois and the heroine’s unique sensibility make Ms. Andrew’s Recipes a blue-ribbon winner.’
Wall Street Journal, Best Books of 2015
‘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.’
Oprah.com
‘Funny, serious and touching.’
New Zealand Listener
‘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.’
Readings
March 12, 2019
This was different from my usual mystery reads, both in setting and culture. I wasn't at all put off by the occasional word or expression that was foreign to me; in most cases I could figure out what it was. It simply added flavor to the story. I listened to the audio version, and enjoyed it. Ninety-one chapters, though, most of them not short. Still, it was great storytelling and a welcome visit to another land.
January 31, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! At first, I thought the writing was a little clipped or stilted, but then I remembered the speech rhythm and patterns on the tv show. Then the writing felt authentic to the area. Speaking of the area, this is set in Ladismith, a small town in the Klein Karoo, Western Cape of South Africa, an area with an astounding landscape of valleys and rocky mountain peaks. I'm so glad I saw the tv show before reading the book because I could visualize things as they are rather than trying to imagine them.
Tannie (Auntie) Maria is a cooking columnist for the Ladismith hometown newspaper, part of a larger syndicate. Her boss, Hattie, calls her in one day and tells her the powers that be at the syndicate want an advice column instead of a cooking one, and that Tannie Maria will need to become their agony aunt. But she loves to cook and share recipes and doesn't see herself as giving advice!! But she works it so she gets to do a little of both in her new column. People write in for advice, which she gives along with a recipe that matches their problem and her advice.
When a woman who wrote for advice about her husband beating her is found dead, all eyes go to the husband. But not so quick - there seem to be others who could have motive to kill Martine. Immediately, Tannie Maria and her co-worker, Jessie, whip into action to try to solve the murder, much to the chagrin of the local police constabulary! There are many madcap scenes, tender moments, dangerous situations, suspects, red herrings, and lots of food as everyone tries to figure out who murdered Martine. This story perhaps fits into the "cozy" category, but there are many sinister elements that kept me turning pages. Turning pages to the end where there are a number of delicious-looking recipes for food featured in the book!
This is definitely a case of "I'm glad I saw the tv series first". Recommended - the book and the show!
Why I'm reading this: We really liked the tv series set in South Africa based on this book, as well it got a good review from friend Margitte who lives in South Africa. I'm enjoying so far!
Tannie (Auntie) Maria is a cooking columnist for the Ladismith hometown newspaper, part of a larger syndicate. Her boss, Hattie, calls her in one day and tells her the powers that be at the syndicate want an advice column instead of a cooking one, and that Tannie Maria will need to become their agony aunt. But she loves to cook and share recipes and doesn't see herself as giving advice!! But she works it so she gets to do a little of both in her new column. People write in for advice, which she gives along with a recipe that matches their problem and her advice.
When a woman who wrote for advice about her husband beating her is found dead, all eyes go to the husband. But not so quick - there seem to be others who could have motive to kill Martine. Immediately, Tannie Maria and her co-worker, Jessie, whip into action to try to solve the murder, much to the chagrin of the local police constabulary! There are many madcap scenes, tender moments, dangerous situations, suspects, red herrings, and lots of food as everyone tries to figure out who murdered Martine. This story perhaps fits into the "cozy" category, but there are many sinister elements that kept me turning pages. Turning pages to the end where there are a number of delicious-looking recipes for food featured in the book!
This is definitely a case of "I'm glad I saw the tv series first". Recommended - the book and the show!
Why I'm reading this: We really liked the tv series set in South Africa based on this book, as well it got a good review from friend Margitte who lives in South Africa. I'm enjoying so far!
April 21, 2016
1.5 stars - I didn't like it.
I can completely appreciate how this one will be loved by many fans of cozy mysteries, but it was not my cup of tea. Like most cozies, it was too cute, too sweet, too neat, and had a vexatious protagonist that thought she was a mastermind sleuth. Cozy novices are always so incredibly clever that they are able to magically run circles around the professionals to crack the case, yet they are so stupid as to not recognize the most obvious of dangers. I also felt the food inclusions were far too repetitive and forced feeling at times (and this is coming from a foodie). Around 85% into the novel I decided to just skim through to the end due to a persistent lack of engagement.
I will say the main character was more charming than that in most cozies and she did have a nice way with words when doling out advice. Fans of this type of book will surely love it. As for me, I will stick with the mysteries that spare you the violence and gore while retaining some grit, and also have a professional working the case. Recommendable series that fit this description that I have read thus far would be those by Tana French and Louise Penny.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: Bruises and bones can heal. But the heart, the heart can be damaged for ever.
First Sentence: Isn’t life funny?
I can completely appreciate how this one will be loved by many fans of cozy mysteries, but it was not my cup of tea. Like most cozies, it was too cute, too sweet, too neat, and had a vexatious protagonist that thought she was a mastermind sleuth. Cozy novices are always so incredibly clever that they are able to magically run circles around the professionals to crack the case, yet they are so stupid as to not recognize the most obvious of dangers. I also felt the food inclusions were far too repetitive and forced feeling at times (and this is coming from a foodie). Around 85% into the novel I decided to just skim through to the end due to a persistent lack of engagement.
I will say the main character was more charming than that in most cozies and she did have a nice way with words when doling out advice. Fans of this type of book will surely love it. As for me, I will stick with the mysteries that spare you the violence and gore while retaining some grit, and also have a professional working the case. Recommendable series that fit this description that I have read thus far would be those by Tana French and Louise Penny.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: Bruises and bones can heal. But the heart, the heart can be damaged for ever.
First Sentence: Isn’t life funny?
August 14, 2020
AUTHOR Andrew, Sally
TITLE Recipes for Love and Murder
DATE READ 08/13/20
RATING 5/A
FIRST SENTENCE Isn't life funny? You know, how one thing leads to another in a way you just don't expect
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Crime Fiction/2015/378 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE #1 Tannie Marie
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2020 Reading Goal 148/120;
GROUP READ
TIME/PLACE 2014/South Africa
CHARACTERS Tannie Marie/journalist
COMMENTS Delightful discovery… had never heard of this author/series before I picked up the 2nd in the series at the Dollar store. Grabbed this first one from the library and it was very good -- loved the atmosphere of small town -- actually rural South Africa village -- the charming characters and modern day issues leading to crimes with plenty of red herrings.
TITLE Recipes for Love and Murder
DATE READ 08/13/20
RATING 5/A
FIRST SENTENCE Isn't life funny? You know, how one thing leads to another in a way you just don't expect
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Crime Fiction/2015/378 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE #1 Tannie Marie
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2020 Reading Goal 148/120;
GROUP READ
TIME/PLACE 2014/South Africa
CHARACTERS Tannie Marie/journalist
COMMENTS Delightful discovery… had never heard of this author/series before I picked up the 2nd in the series at the Dollar store. Grabbed this first one from the library and it was very good -- loved the atmosphere of small town -- actually rural South Africa village -- the charming characters and modern day issues leading to crimes with plenty of red herrings.
January 15, 2018
הספר לא רע. הוא פשוט רחוק מאד מהסגנון שלי.
גיבורת הסיפור, טאני מריה, היא אלמנה בת חמישים ומשהו, בשלנית כפייתית, אשר פוצחת בקריירה חדשה בה היא מעניקה מעצותיה לקוראים, בעיקר בתחומי הלב והבית, ומתבלת כל עצה במתכון "שווה".
כשאחת הקוראות שמתייעצות עמה נרצחת, טאני מריה וחברותיה מחליטות לתפוס את הרוצח, עוקבות אחר חשודים שונים, ומנהלות חקירה לא חכמה במיוחד בסגנון "דודתי" ומעצבן, תוך כדי שטאני מריה מבשלת לכולם מטעמים, וכולם מתענגים עליהם, כולל הבלש שמופקד על חקירת הרצח הרשמית. הסיפור כולו עטוף באלמנטיים רומנטיים, חמימים וביתיים, ריחות של בישול ואוירת מקרמה. החקירה הבלשית מטופשת עד כדי נלעגת, על מנת שלא לפגום בחמימותו של הספר.
לחובבי סיפורת "פיל גוד".
גיבורת הסיפור, טאני מריה, היא אלמנה בת חמישים ומשהו, בשלנית כפייתית, אשר פוצחת בקריירה חדשה בה היא מעניקה מעצותיה לקוראים, בעיקר בתחומי הלב והבית, ומתבלת כל עצה במתכון "שווה".
כשאחת הקוראות שמתייעצות עמה נרצחת, טאני מריה וחברותיה מחליטות לתפוס את הרוצח, עוקבות אחר חשודים שונים, ומנהלות חקירה לא חכמה במיוחד בסגנון "דודתי" ומעצבן, תוך כדי שטאני מריה מבשלת לכולם מטעמים, וכולם מתענגים עליהם, כולל הבלש שמופקד על חקירת הרצח הרשמית. הסיפור כולו עטוף באלמנטיים רומנטיים, חמימים וביתיים, ריחות של בישול ואוירת מקרמה. החקירה הבלשית מטופשת עד כדי נלעגת, על מנת שלא לפגום בחמימותו של הספר.
לחובבי סיפורת "פיל גוד".
November 14, 2021
Un misterio muy cozy. Ligero, simpático, ambientado en Sudáfrica y con mucho amor a la cocina
January 3, 2024
Beautifully narrated by Sandra Prinsloo, who brings the character of Tannie Maria to larger-than-life in a stereotyped Karoo dorp setting that I suspect has been slightly sanitised for an international audience. The recipes are genuinely mouthwatering, with Prinsloo adding authenticity to the sprinkling of South Africanisms.
June 18, 2022
3-
This is a cosy mystery with, on the one hand, domestic violence and a sadistic killer, and, on the other hand, two characters after each other's blood, presented as slapstick. It felt a bit incongruous.
The writing could have been tighter. Tannie Maria, the narrator, is a lovable character, but her tone is conversational and she tends to get bogged down in details, especially when she describes the preparation of food (which she does a lot). Since the recipes of most of the dishes mentioned are added at the end of the book, I thought the elaborate descriptions were redundant.
I liked the sprinkling of Afrikaans words throughout the text, although it felt a little forced at times. I read in some reviews that other (English) editions include a glossary at the end, but my South African edition does not. I take it that means that most English speakers in South Africa know enough Afrikaans to be able to understand a few words. Being Dutch, I had no problems, and besides, the translation is often given in the next sentence.
I liked the mystery well enough that I might try the second book sometime.
Edit 18 June 2022: adding my text updates under the spoiler tag in case they are disappeared:
This is a cosy mystery with, on the one hand, domestic violence and a sadistic killer, and, on the other hand, two characters after each other's blood, presented as slapstick. It felt a bit incongruous.
The writing could have been tighter. Tannie Maria, the narrator, is a lovable character, but her tone is conversational and she tends to get bogged down in details, especially when she describes the preparation of food (which she does a lot). Since the recipes of most of the dishes mentioned are added at the end of the book, I thought the elaborate descriptions were redundant.
I liked the sprinkling of Afrikaans words throughout the text, although it felt a little forced at times. I read in some reviews that other (English) editions include a glossary at the end, but my South African edition does not. I take it that means that most English speakers in South Africa know enough Afrikaans to be able to understand a few words. Being Dutch, I had no problems, and besides, the translation is often given in the next sentence.
I liked the mystery well enough that I might try the second book sometime.
Edit 18 June 2022: adding my text updates under the spoiler tag in case they are disappeared:
February 7, 2021
I loved this book.
Right so I've been sitting on this books since I discovered it in Exclusive Books in Pretoria! And finally got around to reading it.
I know about two words of Afrikaans so did have to keep asking "what does this mean" to my Afrikaans speaking partner but that didn't draw away from the delight of this book.
Fun characters, a murderous plot, incredible food and a wonderful location.
Perfect escapism reading!! Absolutely perfect.
Right so I've been sitting on this books since I discovered it in Exclusive Books in Pretoria! And finally got around to reading it.
I know about two words of Afrikaans so did have to keep asking "what does this mean" to my Afrikaans speaking partner but that didn't draw away from the delight of this book.
Fun characters, a murderous plot, incredible food and a wonderful location.
Perfect escapism reading!! Absolutely perfect.
December 6, 2015
I've been approached to review this book a few months ago and decided to give it a chance. And I am so glad I did! Recipes For Love and Murder became one of my reading highlights of the year.
First of all, it's in a small South African town, and apart from Taylor Stevens work I haven't read anything from this continent for quite a few years. Secondly, it's infused with absolutely delicious cooking, and I admit, the promise of those recipes made me race through the book even more.
The atmosphere is indescribably charming. Tannie Maria is a comforting, gorgeous character, a mother hen figure and at the same time a lonely, sweet woman battling with her fears and insecurities the same way we all do.
The supporting characters are superbly written, starting from the local dialect and ending with peculiar inside jokes. Of course there is plenty going on with the plot as well. There is a great murder mystery which makes us jump from one suspect to another all the time, there is a delicious policeman, there is a girl with gecko tattoos, - a talented investigative journalist too big for her local newspaper, there are vegan Seven Day adventists and there are two enemies who start trying to kill each other in the most comical way, and end up uniting against the world.
The whole book is one amazing experience, suffused with love and passion for cooking and soulful, wonderful characters. I say, bring it on, Tannie Maria. We demand more! Absolutely recommended.
First of all, it's in a small South African town, and apart from Taylor Stevens work I haven't read anything from this continent for quite a few years. Secondly, it's infused with absolutely delicious cooking, and I admit, the promise of those recipes made me race through the book even more.
The atmosphere is indescribably charming. Tannie Maria is a comforting, gorgeous character, a mother hen figure and at the same time a lonely, sweet woman battling with her fears and insecurities the same way we all do.
The supporting characters are superbly written, starting from the local dialect and ending with peculiar inside jokes. Of course there is plenty going on with the plot as well. There is a great murder mystery which makes us jump from one suspect to another all the time, there is a delicious policeman, there is a girl with gecko tattoos, - a talented investigative journalist too big for her local newspaper, there are vegan Seven Day adventists and there are two enemies who start trying to kill each other in the most comical way, and end up uniting against the world.
The whole book is one amazing experience, suffused with love and passion for cooking and soulful, wonderful characters. I say, bring it on, Tannie Maria. We demand more! Absolutely recommended.
December 13, 2017
I bought the book in the Capetown-airport, South Africa, wanted to get something authentic and positive, but with a 'crime' touch. I fell in love with a style, because it is so flowing and childishly-innocent for a book describing a real murder. The main hero, Tannie Maria, is 50+ curvy chick who is working for the local newspaper in the small south African town. She's actually writing a recipes ...to help people who are struggling with a grief, would like to find happiness, or love..and step by step she's becoming entangled in the investigation of the murder. She is a perfect "image" of the amateur detective, and I guess the idea isn't that new, but the intrigue, the mystery of the african community/soul, her irresistible "romance" with a food, forced me to read every page of this book.
And hey, there're lots of old-fashion recipes at the end of the book! Let's start the kitchen-party! What's for lunch, Tannie Maria? She smiled and looked at the knife...
And hey, there're lots of old-fashion recipes at the end of the book! Let's start the kitchen-party! What's for lunch, Tannie Maria? She smiled and looked at the knife...
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