Reviews

Recipes for Love and Murder by Sally Andrew

emmada11ow's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

zoefruitcake's review against another edition

5.0

I loved this book! It made me homesick for a country I have never visited and hungry for food I have never tasted. Well except bobotie because I have had that and it is delicious. Most of all I wanted to sit with Tannie Maria on her stoep, eat a feast while watching the sunset and see all the animals appear.
I enthusiastically talked about it with a couple of South Africans at work and they got all misty-eyed about the food and words used.
I'm looking forward to reading the second book

ashc123's review

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

philliesfemme's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

craftyyarnwitch's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

4.0

lilbt2003's review against another edition

funny mysterious

3.0

heini's review against another edition

dark hopeful

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

frankenstens13's review

hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

faithgaubault's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

4.0

marysesbooks's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I finished reading this book last night and this morning I woke up, made scones and sat on the stoep drinking tea and eating them with apricot jam. Sadly, not home-made apricot jam but still good. Throughout reading this book, I wanted to get into the kitchen and bake or cook some good, old-fashion South African recipes and it helps that there are many recipes included in this book.

Being South African, this book resonated with me so much. Not only the way the characters acted and were with each other but also the scenery. I want to move to the Klein Karoo and be friends with a Tannie Maria. She is a real Afrikaans, farm tannie. She is calm and caring in an unassuming way and shows her love through cooking all her favourites for the people she cares about. She gets roped into solving a murder with her friend, investigative journalist Jessie. Together, they are rushing against the clock as they witness another murder and the danger gets closer to home.
This book may appear fluffy on the outside but it deals with some heavy topics like domestic abuse and the lasting effect of it.

I have a soft spot for books where cooking and baking are woven throughout the story and recipes are given but the added bonuses are that this book has a good mystery, really likeable characters, a smattering of romance and it's set in South African. I'll definitely be reading more about Tannie Maria.