Wild Things Never Die

Tannie Maria Mystery #5

by Sally Andrew

Tannie Maria is wrestling with a fear of the dark, and her hen, Henrietta, has PTSD. But this doesn’t stop this intrepid agony aunt from going undercover with her fiancé, Detective Henk Kannemeyer, to the Karoo Wilderness Reserve. Their to save the vetplantjies. At the KWR luxury game lodge, they spy on guests and support the Anti-Poaching Unit in a battle against dangerous criminals. Jessie attends the succulent symposium addressing international succulent poaching. Then, there is a murder ...

Our favourite Ladismith sleuths – Maria, Henk, Jessie, Hattie, Reghardt and Piet – engage with a colourful cast of characters, including a barefoot artist, a botanist cowboy, a singing gardener, a shaman, and a sangoma. Between spying on tourists, solving murders, writing agony-aunt letters, eating divine food, and having epiphanies, Maria and Henk get fabulous fashion tips from a couturier and his Baroness.

But soon they too will be in the crosshairs.

Genres: Fiction, Crime

448 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2026

About the author

Sally 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.

Reviews

[Katinka Steyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

To my shame, I have to admit that this is the first book by this author that I have read - really mostly because of time constraints. But now I'll make sure to read every single one of them, as soon as possible! Why? Because it is a simply delightful, funny and unique whodunnit! Being South African, I really enjoyed and appreciated the many references to our unique and diverse country (and the fact that fans of Sally Andrew from all over the world now know what at least two very commonly used South African words mean😉 - Tannie and lekker!)
Anyway, back to the book. Tannie Maria works at the local Klein Karoo Gazette (yes, there is such an area as the Klein Karoo) as an agony aunt - giving relationship advice (and recipes) in the newspaper. Her darling, Henk, is a police officer and has to help uncover a syndicate that smuggles with unique, endemic South African succulents.Tannie Maria has to accompany him to the Karoo Wilderness Reserve to pose as his wife. Upon her arrival she stumbles accross a murder scene and immediately the investigations are stepped up a few notches. Very soon, however, her naturally curious personality gets her snooping around and finding out all sorts of interesting facts about the other visitors to the lodge - a collection of interesting characters from all over the world, each with their own interests in the existence, collection and propagation of succulents. Then, one of the guests is found dead - seemingly having been gored by an animal after venturing out alone after dark.
Are these deaths related, and do they have anything to do with the poaching situation? And will the Anti-Poaching Unit be successful in their battle against dangerous gangsters? And is tannie Maria brave enough to stand her ground when faced with so many challenges?
I absolutely love the descriptive language this author uses. Like "The bumpy road was trying to shake the flesh off my bones." (P.100) And "I tried the leopard crawl again, but I just wasn't built like a leopard." (P. 344)🤣.
You will lose out on a lot of reading pleasure if you don't read this book! And I am sure the previous adventures of tannie Maria are as entertaining! I can't wait to read them all!

[Antonio Cantoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the Penguin Random House SA for an advanced reading copy.

Tannie Maria and Detective Henk go undercover at a luxury game lodge to help stop succulent poachers.
Alongside the rest of the Ladismith crew, they investigate strange guests, attend a bizarre succulent symposium, and stumble into yet another murder mystery.
But as the investigation deepens, Maria and Henk realise they may be the next targets.

Between danger, delicious food, and Maria’s agony-aunt advice, the group meets an unforgettable mix of artists, gardeners, and fashion-loving aristocrats.

I enjoyed spending time with Tannie Maria again. Honestly, every new mystery in this series just feels better and more comfortable to sink into. One of my favourite things about these books is how the side characters never feel “extra” — they make the whole story feel richer, warmer, and more alive.
Tannie Maria is such a lovable character that sometimes it honestly feels like she has to exist somewhere out there in the Karoo.
I refuse to believe she’s completely imaginary.

I also absolutely love one the recipes at the back of the book. I’ve already made it twice, and it was such a joy to make. That’s one of the things I enjoy most about this series — it feels homie in every possible way.


The only thing I personally still miss a little is a darker edge to the mystery.
However, that’s purely a personal preference and not a criticism of the book itself.
If you love cozy mysteries with heart, food, humour, and wonderful characters, this series is 💯 for you.

📖 Overall, this was a 4.8 star read for me. 📚

[Roelia (Roelia Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rating

“A row of pot plants led from the gate to the office door. The pots held geraniums, as well as vygies and other succulents. I like the Afrikaans word for succulents – vetplantjies – small fat plants. If I was a plant, I’d probably be a vetplantjie.”

Wild Things Never Die is another delightful instalment in Sally Andrew’s Tannie Maria series, and it might be one of my favourites. The story begins in Tannie Maria’s kitchen before whisking her and Henk off to the Karoo Wilderness Reserve on an undercover mission to help stop succulent poachers. The luxury game lodge setting is atmospheric and slightly surreal, especially once the succulent symposium and its eccentric attendees come into play. When a murder occurs, the tension rises, but the book never loses its warmth.

What I love most about this series is how alive the supporting cast feels. The barefoot artist, the botanist cowboy, the shaman and the sangoma all add richness without ever feeling like decoration. Maria herself remains a wonderfully human protagonist, full of fears, tenderness and quiet courage.

The themes of conservation, healing and community are handled with care, and the appendices on poaching are genuinely informative. And of course, the recipes are a joy!

If you enjoy cosy mysteries with heart and humour, this book is a delight.

Thank you to Penguin Random House SA for the opportunity to read this book.

[Zinhle The Bookseller · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, this was my first time reading the series and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I loved jumping into the story right from the start. By the time I put it down I felt like Tannie Maria was someone that I could bump into, have a heart to heart with and possibly even cook together with. She felt so familiar even though I don't have anyone like her in my circle. The story itself starts from her kitchen and then workplace and then off to the wild in a magical game resort with Tannie Maria on an undercover mission. Subsequent series of events after, I was left feeling like I was in the Karoo for the duration of this read.