The Satanic Mechanic

Tannie Maria Mystery #2

by Sally Andrew

Meet Tannie Maria - recipe writer turned crime fighter - and before she has time to take her Venus Chocolate Cake out of the oven, our glorious heroine finds herself embroiled in another mystery.

In this wonderful sequel to Recipes for Love and Murder, Slimkat the bushman finds his life under threat and Tannie Maria is determined to find out who wants to kill him.

But her boyfriend is keen to keep Tannie out of danger, and she's pretty sure he's hiding something so Tannie has mysteries of her own solve . . .

Blending a perfect whodunnit with lovable characters, Sally Andrew really does have the perfect recipe for a crime series.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, South Africa, Africa, Crime, Romance, Cozy Mystery

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 7, 2016

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

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first in the series that I have read and it works well as a standalone. It is a warm hearted and convivial read set in Africa. It focuses on agony aunt, Tannie Maria, who is an extraordinary cook who dispenses appropriate and yummy recipes to those who write to her with their problems. She has an instinctive knack for the right recipe for the right problem. She practices what she preaches and self administers the right dish for her problems! However, Maria is suffering from PTSD which is interfering with her relationship with police officer, Henk. This leads to her seeking help from Ricus, the eponymous Satanic Mechanic.

The story begins with a victory for the bushmen, led by Slimkat, over rights to land sought by Hardcore, a diamond mining company and Agribeest, a cattle company. Slimkat has been receiving threats and is murdered by poison. Maria is present at his death and wants to investigate but is dissuaded by Henk, who wants her to be safe. Maria agrees but Jessie who works as a investigative reporter on the same paper as Maria, is determined to find out what happened. Jessie is convinced the diamond or the cattle company are behind the murder. In the meantime, Maria works on her personal issues as part of a group with Ricus. The group includes Tata Redebe, Dirk, Fatima and Lemoni. One evening Tata Redebe is shot and it later emerges that it has to be someone from the group. Who is the killer? Will they strike again?

Maria's relationship hits the rocks but goes on to recover. There are faint echoes of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency in the help and advice that Maria offers to those who write to her. It is her philosophy that recipes can help alleviate those problems or help secure the desired aims of the writer and it works. Maria is a endearing and lovable character who is endlessly compassionate. The combination of murder mystery and good food with eccentric and quirky characters is charming and engaging. Highly recommended read. Thanks to Canongate for an ARC.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5★s

With Tannie Maria’s continual stress over her late abusive husband interfering with the new relationship she had with Detective Henk Kannemeyer, she finally decided to seek counselling. On the advice of friends, she contacted a man who was nicknamed the Satanic Mechanic and who dealt in PTSD – her doctor had diagnosed Maria with that condition. But before she could go to the first session, a man was murdered at a market, right in front of her; the finding that he was poisoned by food was devastating to Tannie Maria…

Maria’s love of food and cooking was well known – she wrote for the Klein Karoo Gazette; recipes and letters of advice. Her greatest joy was cooking and eating the delicious food she made on a regular basis. Her first counselling session saw her take a dish for everyone to enjoy. But her investigative nature along with her friend and work colleague Jessie, who was an investigative journalist, would put Maria in danger as she tried to work out the identity of the murderer.

Henk was determined Maria wouldn’t be involved – but she found herself right in the middle of trouble once again. What would happen? Would Maria discover the murderer or would they get away with it?

The Satanic Mechanic is the second in the Tannie Maria mystery series, and another excellent cosy mystery by Sally Andrew. Set in Africa, the quirky characters are certainly different – you could even call them eccentric! The whole light-hearted mystery comes to life with Maria and her delicious recipes (some of which are at the back of the book) plus the gorgeous settings with the wildlife and the bush as a great backdrop. Highly recommended.

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective novels set in Southern Africa are high up in my list of must reads and I do not mind whether they are serious stuff like Deon Meyer's or cosies like Alexander McCall Smith's and this author's. They are all good.

Sally Andrew sets hers in the Klein Karoo and she describes the African atmosphere perfectly. Imagine living somewhere where a leopard may stroll across your lawn one evening. I thoroughly enjoyed all the references to day to day life in South Africa, the places and the food, and I also got great pleasure out of still understanding the words in Afrikaans. It is many, many years since I lived there and spoke it myself. Nostalgia value for me!

Amongst the quirky characters and the cosy aspect of the mystery and crime there were also references to current political and environmental issues which play a huge part in that country's day to day life. I also found the relationship between Tannie Maria and Henk to be a significant and very emotional part of the story. And if you like food the book is also full of ideas and recipes.

Altogether a very satisfying and enjoyable read.

[Margitte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bear with me: this is not a review. It's a dreadfull, utterly boring, soul-wrenching satirical letter to a best friend. Take it with a pinch of salt or forever .....

It's not that Tannie Maria (TM) WANTS to be a sleuth, or solve a murder, it's just that she's always in the nick of things, and then stuff happens. It's as though she attracts murders and mayhem, and she has no idea why it is happening. Mmm, perhaps you attract those things that is nearer to your heart, and then there is that saying 'it takes one to know one...." — or SOMETHING! ...

Karoo, ‘the place of thirst’.
"There were some lines of clouds that were dissolving into the sky. It's hard work being a cloud in the Karoo. Most clouds just give up and disappear into the blue."

I'm munching away on a piece of traditional boerewors (farmer's sausage) while reflecting on Sally Andrew's enormously successful 'Tannie Maria'- character. Perhaps my grumpiness with the character might have a psychological origin. 'It's me, not you, Tannie Maria'. She's a foodie of note and the Karoo agony aunt in her local newspaper, the Karoo Gazette, in her small town of Ladismith on route 62 - the most spectacular tourist route, probably in South Africa. We travel it often. It's my world. Perhaps she reminds me of a family member who always try to force people to eat, almost pushing food down one's throat, although it was politely declined for a gazillion times. It becomes a struggle to survive the onslaught and still maintain family relations. That difference between hospitality and attack. :-)

This is the second book in the Tannie Maria Murder Mysteries. Before I make a kill on your sensibilities, I actually and immensely LOVE this series. So, kindly continue at your own risk...

So with my PTSD for food attacks in mind, I felt like an intruder at a wedding, waiting for the minister to announce the opportunity to 'speak now or forever hold your peace'.

Tannie Maria's insecurities get the better of her. The alignment of all the stars and Venus on her horizon, make way for romance to become in vogue again. Detective Luitenant Henk Kannemeyer becomes a definitive love interest, however, it leads to more skeletons creeping out of her closet than she ever meant to address. Yep, love is a funny thing, ain't it?

Now, here's my gripes about her, and instead of seeking professional help for my own food PTSD, I'm vehemently reacting to a probably innocent fictitious character in a book. Wise woman, TM, starts off her story by asking:
Have you ever wanted something really badly? You can't just wait till it lands in your lap, but if you chase it too hard you might chase it away from you, Ot catch something you didn't expect. I was maybe too hungry for love and ended up with murder on my plate.

As usual she controls everyone with her cooking; buy acceptance and love, by feeding anyone or everything crossing her path. She has one mission, and that is to solve all problems with food, including her need to feel better about her past and the memories she has of her late husband, Fanie. Without this tool she's done. Finito. In fact, without it, she becomes null and void. Gentle giant and love-sick Henk, is being punished for what Fanie did to her, and she to Fanie. It leads to some strain in her new relationship with adorable Henk the Hunk.

Anyway, in the meantime Jessie, the investigative journalist at the Karoo Gazette, headed off to Oudtshoorn to cover the Karoo National Arts Festival and by chance TM and the editor grabs an opportunity to join her there. Jessie is Tannie Maria's sleuthing partner. More than that, they are in a symbiotic power arrangement that is otherwise commonly called friendship, with TM being the alpha female in the power hierarchy.

The three ladies are present when a prominent indigenous leader, Slimkat, with his bodygaurd, Aardvark in attendence, is getting murdered at the festival. Lt. Kannnemeyer gets busy solving the case, causing the new romance to cool down in his effort to keep TM out of police business and keep her safe. She experiences it as an effort to control her and keep her safely behind the stove at home, (which is annoying and laughable). Really, Tannie Maria?! He never asked you to drop your job as the popular agony aunt or stop writing about love and food. Get real, and honest, thank you!

Note to self: Whatever you do, be calm, hold your peace. HOLD YOUR PEACE!
As an independent woman, she refuses to be told what to do, but in the same instance demands to be involved in Henk's investigation, trying to tell him how he should do his job(because she's wiser and better), putting herself in harm's way, and resulting in Henk spending more time trying to protect her than actually investigating the murder. When he avoids her to keep her safe, she tries very hard to lure him to her home with her cooking. Oh yes, and he is the one that needs to apologize for offending her feelings. Yep, that dreadful 'Say I'm sorry or no sex, pal'.

In her popular agony aunt newspaper column, she skillfully educates people to control others with their cooking. She provides the recipes with which love can be manifested in relationships. Food prepared with love, is food that delivers happiness on a silver plate. She's good at it. Diet food, she says, has no love in it.

Due to her past trauma with her former husband (her main secret), the murders she already witnessed, and almost getting killed herself in the previous book, she decides to join an informal therapy group of victims of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A motley, but endearing, crew. I imagine adding myself to that group and describe the trauma which lead to my perpetual and indescribable nightmares of the family member jumping me in my sleep and push a juicy, sweet koeksister down a nostril, since I instinctively clenched my teeth and mouth shut. Like a witch she pours caramel sauce all over my face and yell 'yummie!' while I struggle to come up for air.

Oh, how I would LURVE to face off with Tannie Maria, and her food arsenal and finally find mutual admiration—yes, love, respect and PEACE. Think about it, she can save me from myself and I can save Ladismith from her food obsession. Not that they want to be saved, but hey, I can be ruthless too. So by the way, the delightful, truly ambrosial recipes in the story, come from various highly popular South African cookbooks and are all referenced in the back of the book. I used to prepare something similar to the Chicken Mafé in Peanut Sauce. Slightly different. But I'm looking forward to trying Tannie Maria's recipe out. The recipe is provided in the book.

Fighting can make you bitter. But sometimes it must be done. If you have to fight, then you must do so with soft hands and a heart full of forgiveness. Indeed, TM, indeed.

ABOUT THE GROUP
The new PTSD-group is the meeting place of a bunch of eccentric characters, which, like a Walmart of Humanity—all shapes, colors, and sizes—provides a broader scope of the South African population. The author uses these characters to address some of the political and social issues present in communities, such as land redistribution, xenophobia, women abuse, sexual violence, gender dysphoria/affirmation, environmental issues, religion, criticism of big business and farmers. She uses the group as a mini truth and reconciliation commission for former opponents in the freedom struggle to face each other, confess, and find peace in the group, as well as within themselves as individuals. A cornucopia of ideas and truths.

Part of this groups is Esmerelda, the pet snake, who gets bored and lonely; Colonel, the sheep dog, who brings all the sheep to kissy kissy good night to the group; and Kosie, the pet lamb who only goes to sleep when Henk the hunk sings him his favorite lullabies. Sweet, Sweet. Sweet. And I really mean it. Henk being the sweetest of them all.

A second murder takes place in which TM is a witness. Oy! In the middle of the investigation, when police and group members are all focusing on finding the culprit(s), TM asks Ricus, the Satanic Mechanic, and moderator of this group: "Do you think I am a good cook?"

You got that right. I almost lost it. It reminds me of a joke in which people are gathered around a casket during a burial and is asked if there is anyone who would like to say a few final words. One person comes forward and says: "I'm a vegan."

It was the moment in the book, where I wanted to throw the book, and this main character, under a dangerously overloaded bus, or in a bubbling cauldron of devilish witche's brew. Ohhh yeeehaaa!; then object to the romance in no uncertain terms; and tell handsome Lt. Kannemeyer to buy a few recipe books and run! But wait, she wasn't finished. "We forgot to talk about food last night." Yes, world, these scarred and deeply traumatized souls were sharing their pain, shame and shattered lives, but forgot to make her the center of attention and talk about food. Oh help me get over myself RIGHT NOW!

Wait for it, she actually DOES solve a murder. She's a foodie to be reckoned with, is all I'm saying... From here on now I will hold my peace.

Nevertheless, I found the murder mystery well written and plotted. The author delivers a multicolored painting of the South African landscape.

All the characters were good people making bad choices. They successfully carry the chaos and confusion to a happy denouement. I loved the red herrings thrown at the reader, distracting us successfully until every detail was concluded. The choice of mouth-watering recipes reflects the diversity of citizens and the different cultures, although I found them to overstay their welcome. Too much of a good thing. Distracting.

There's a wisp of hope for Sally Andrew to remain highly popular. She adheres to the latest demands of acceptable topics in publishing. Book Rioter Carole V. Bell noted last year that cozy mysteries are becoming increasingly diverse and, while the genre is unfortunately still dominated by white and straight authors, this trend towards diversity is continuing in 2022. Source: Bookriot .

Washington Post book reviewer, Ron Charles, remarks in one of his reviews: Yes, the publishing industry is growing more concentrated, and, yes, the bestseller list tyrannizes readers’ choices, but despite those alarming trends, all is not lost. The chorus of modern fiction remains reassuringly open to new voices.

I am of the opinion that Sally Andrew is safe, although she's white, damn!) This series abides by these rules for current women's fiction: marriage is bad, married (white) men are beasts, good men are either dead or disabled, and any color except white, single women are the winners, women are victims, animals are the emotional porn to ensure ratings, religion is from the devil, uhuh, and the rest of humanity is noble.

Why you might love this series:
What makes this novel slightly different, highly entertaining and most satisfying, is that all characters are good people with a history of bad experiences, there is a positive outcome, and every pancake has two sides. The plot is linear and fast moving. I applaud Sally Andrew for her wonderful renditions of South African characters. She has them down to a T – lovingly drawn in a voice that takes you into a community and the endearing and sometimes maddening members. Throw in the cultural pot pourri of spice and herbs, and you've got yourself a good experience. Scrumptious, even, if you enjoy novels from different parts of the world. For South Africans it is undoubtedly a satirical, cozy murder mystery. Oh, and where Tannie Maria is forgetting the spice, the author adds handfuls to the romps in the hay.

There are numerous similarities with Alexander McCall Smith's No.1 Lady Detective - series, Eg: The traditionally built Mma Ramotswe vs the short and round tannie Maria. The parking of the bakkie vs the white van under the shade of the tree. The homespun advice albeit the recipes are a lovely different touch. The similarities in the descriptions of the locations. The sidekicks in the office who drink coffee vs red bush tea, etc. The added South African flare in the Tannie Maria-series is frightfully entertaining indeed.

So there you have it. Enjoy! Alternatively, just add sugar and bite me.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I was deciding whether to call Henk when the phone rang and it was him. That sort of thing happens a lot, you know. I think about something, and then there it is. It makes me wonder if my life is neatly woven, instead of the tangle it looks like. If I could just follow all the threads, maybe I’d see a nice pattern”.

The Satanic Mechanic is the second book in the Tannie Maria Mystery series by South African author, Sally Andrew. Slimkat Kabbo is the face of the Kuruman Bushman’s successful land claim case. With his peace-loving attitude (“Fighting can make you bitter. But sometimes it must be done. If you have to fight, then you must do so with soft hands and a heart full of forgiveness”), he is no boastful victor. So when he is poisoned right there in front Tannie Maria and the Klein Karoo Gazette’s intrepid investigative reporter, Jessie Mostert, and under the noses of the Oudtshoorn and Ladismith police, they are puzzled.

Would the vanquished in the land case, the Hardcore diamond miners and the Agribeest cattle company really take revenge in this manner? Or was someone else behind the harassment and death threats the Bushmen had received? Tannie Maria’s boyfriend, Detective Lieutenant Henk Kannemeyer doesn’t want Maria getting involved; after her recent kidnapping and near murder, he doesn’t want to risk losing her again. Tannie Maria dislikes being told what to do, but she has another problem with Henk, one of a more intimate nature, one that stems from her former husband’s abuse and needs a counsellor’s help.

The first one she sees puts her on a diet. Readers familiar with Tannie Maria know that food plays a big role in her life: “I took a mouthful of tart, and I closed my eyes and let the sweet warm brandy and cream sing down my throat to my belly”. A visit to the doctor has a different outcome, as well as some dietary advice: “’If you apply common sense you should be fine. Obvious stuff: exercise, eat healthy food, only eat when you're hungry.’ The problem is, I thought as I left his office, I am always hungry”. Eventually, she consults the Satanic Mechanic.

Sally Andrew gives the reader a murder mystery with an original plot, a twist or two and quite a few red herrings. She touches on some topical issues: PTSD, the plight of wildlife crossing roads, and the status of gays and lesbians certain African nations. She laces it with plenty of humour, fills it with wonderful food, and wraps the whole thing in some gorgeous descriptive prose: “The phone rang. It was Henk. His voice was warm and sweet like hot chocolate, and it made a smile run through my whole body” and “...they started on a beautiful Xhosa song. Some sang high, others low, with choruses answering each other. They moved in time to the music. The voices wove a hammock of sound that held me and rocked me” are examples.

Also: “Hattie’s fingers were running around her keypad like mice…” and “He was a small man who walked lightly on the ground. But he seemed very tall, as if his head was being pulled up to the stars” and “I picked up another letter on the pile, one that looked impatient to be opened”. Sentences like: “In the Karoo sky, there are so many stars it is hard to see the darkness” are sure to make readers want to visit the Klein Karoo.

Andrew’s characters are appealing, much more than one-dimensional, and occasionally quirky; their dialogue is natural and evokes the South African accent. If there is a flaw in this book, it’s that all those mouth-watering descriptions of food are bound to make the reader hungry. But what’s this? Twenty pages of recipes at the end! Mmmmm.

Sally Andrew’s second Tannie Maria Mystery is even better than the first. Readers who are unfamiliar with Tannie Maria would do well to read Recipes for Love and Murder before this book for two good reasons: firstly, many of the characters from Recipes appear in this book, and there is not a great deal of recap; secondly, the reader will be treated to double the reading pleasure. A brilliant sequel!

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5★ An enjoyable and entertaining read, but it could be quite triggering for some readers repeated references to marital rape.

Life has settled down for Tannie Maria and co since the events of book #1. Maria and Henk are happy together but something is preventing them from taking their relationship to the next level. With encouragement from her boss and friend, Hattie, Maria goes to see a counsellor about some issues she is still dealing with from her marriage to Fanie. Just as she thinks she is getting somewhere, there is a murder and she meets the titular Satanic Mechanic, who happens to be a PTSD counsellor. Henk wants her to stay away from the investigation, but also encourages her to join the PTSD support group, thinking her issues are related to something that happened to her in book #1. He's quite wrong, but Maria decides to join the group for her own reasons. A second murder brings both Maria and Henk into the centre of the action, as they rush to get to the bottom of the mystery.

This book contains all the things I loved about the first one - the characters, the food, the location - but I felt that the plot was not quite as strong. I enjoyed having Sandra Prinsloo read to me, but then I pored over my text copy to study all the wonderful recipes at the end. I'd love to try that Venus Cake!! It also resolves a culinary mystery for me by including some information about how to make and use a hotbox, something I've only heard of in the Tannie Maria books.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up The Satanic Mechanic because I read the first book in this series and I liked the catchy title.

Unfortunately, that's the only thing I liked about this book.

In this sequel, a land activist is poisoned at a festival and Maria is drawn into the investigation in her own passive way, mostly because her boyfriend Henk is involved in an unofficial capacity.

At the same time, she has jointed a PTSD group led by a mechanic with intuitive abilities to help her overcome the trauma and abuse she suffered at the hands of her deceased husband.

I love, love, love the descriptions of food and what a talented cook and baker Maria is but I never really warmed up to her, not in the first book and not in this one.

She comes off as a bland, unassertive character and though that may be due to cultural reasons, Maria strikes me as naive, despite her age and everything she's been through.

I don't know what to make of Henk except to say he's kind of a douche in this book.

First, he breaks up with her because she keeps getting herself involved in these dangerous situations and then realizes he can't live without her. What a wuss. Stop being a dick and man up!

I didn't care about the mystery; who died, who was involved, the suspects, the characters. It was boring and I just read through to the end to find out who did it. And I still didn't care.

I might read the next book in the series. A big might.

[lethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable second volume in the Tannie Maria mystery series. Compared to Recipes for Love and Murder , the writing, with almost 50 pages less, felt tighter, and the descriptions of food preparation were less detailed (they were saved for the recipes in the back).

There is more room for romance, although it is a bit rocky sometimes due to Maria's being a survivor of domestic abuse. But she is doing her best to overcome her past by joining a therapy group for sufferers from PTSD. And of course there is murder, the agony aunt letters, and the descriptions of the Klein Karoo.

I would advise against reading the books out of order, because this one gives spoilers for what happens in the first book.

If my library stocked more volumes I would happily read on, but unfortunately, they don't.

[Kassidy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one wasn't really my cup of tea. I liked the incorporation of food and the mystery as well as the setting, but I just got kinda bored and lost interest at points.

[Julie Durnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars- upped it a half star for the unusual recipes and lovely glossary!

[Bibliovoracious · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, of course comparisons are drawn to the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, considering...there's a lady, and a mystery. In Africa. I suppose... if Mma Ramotswe was fierce but troubled, working through bad memories and behavior patterns with food, if there was darkness and fear, visible numinous animal spirits, a very large number of recipes, and cooking scenes. Then, yeah, yeah, I suppose, it's like the No 1 LDA.

It's NOT. Africa's a big place! Lady plus mystery do not a similarity make! All the food focus wasn't really for me, but I liked the grit and wild mercurial reality.

[Bookish_predator · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first cosy I've read set in South Africa and it's pretty good.

I enjoyed the character development and the mystery plus the setting is gorgeous. As are the recipes!

I will be trying to get my hands on the first book in the series to see how it all started.

*Huge thanks to Sally Andrew, Canongate Books and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review*

[Daniel Myatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Tannie Maria story and this time we get to grips with more of her back story.

I love how food plays such a big part of the story and also how the sense of taste and smell can help heal also.

There was a lot more Afrikaans in this book, so I spent quite a bit of time asking my partner (whose from South Africa) what does this word mean over and over again.

A cracking read and I can't wait to try some of the recipes that are in the book.

[Roz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alas, I did not enjoy this one as much as the first book.

I felt that the food was given more emphasis than the crime. I also felt that Maria's psychology was given more emphasis than the crime. The crime in fact happened in the first few chapters, and was only really dealt with again at the halfway mark. I think this put the balance of the pacing off. The first part was very slow, while it last part was a lot faster. My lack of enthusiasm made me notice the repetition in the narrative, how many times she described the furry feel of Henk's chestnut chest and the mountains in the distance. I was also not convinced with Maria's coping mechanism. And don't get me started on coincidence helping the plot along.

There were still many pleasant aspects of this read. I am still enjoying the South African-ness of it. I enjoy the characters. I love the setting. But the first book is by far the better book in my opinion.

[Text Publishing · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘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

‘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

‘A delightful debut, tender and funny.’
Kirkuk Reviews, Best Fiction Books of 2015

‘A blue-ribbon winner.’
Wall Street Journal, Best Books of 2015

‘Funny, serious and touching.’
New Zealand Listener

‘A triumph.’
Alexander McCall Smith

‘Sally Andrew gives the reader a murder mystery with an original plot, a twist or two and quite a few red herrings…She laces it with plenty of humour, fills it with wonderful food, and wraps the whole thing in some gorgeous descriptive prose…[the] second Tannie Maria mystery is even better than the first.’
BookMooch

‘I enjoyed the characters, of which there were many but they were well-drawn and distinct, and admired Andrew’s evident love of her South African surroundings, which comes across in her descriptions of the landscape, animal and bird life, and her liberal use of Afrikaans. Her writing has a strong sense of place and the setting serves the plot well.’
Otago Daily Times

‘Food heals, arouses, coerces, and kills in Andrew’s sublime second psychological cozy featuring South African agony aunt Tannie Maria van Harte. Her food wisdom is universal, unassailable: potato salad eases worry; warm orange pudding makes one feel whole.’
Publishers Weekly, starred review

‘The sights and sounds, animal life and community affairs of the Klein Karoo in South Africa, the huge diversity of people and cultures and the big issues that face the Bushmen, all form a fascinating background to the murder mystery. Readers who enjoyed the first book, will have another treat in store for them.’
ReadPlus

‘Exotic and enchanting…All the characters in Ms Andrew’s evocative novel are finely drawn.’
Wall Street Journal

‘This friendly novel is something to savour…especially in its assertion that there’s not much in life that the love of a little lamb, stalwart friendships, intimate relationships and several slices of the tantalisingly-titled Venus Cake can’t cure.’
Seattle Review of Books

‘Sublime…Tannie Maria’s authentic recipes for which Andrew credits many sources are easy to make far from the veldt. Her food wisdom is universe, unassailable: potato salad eases worry; warm orange pudding makes one feel whole.’
Publishers Weekly, starred review

‘This wonderfully-written South African read will have you laughing all the way…The cultures and languages of South Africa are richly and beautifully expressed…this book is the sequel to Recipes for Love and Murder, but it can easily be read as a standalone book with its charm and loveable characters.’
Writers Write

‘Sally Andrew stirs up another engaging mystery in her second Tannie Maria novel, The Satanic Mechanic…Tannie Maria’s second adventure is like the meals that come from her kitchen: a bit eclectic, with many different influences, but ultimately a satisfying feast for readers.’
Shelf Awareness

‘I really love Sally Andrew’s voice. It’s simple, stripped of all excess and cuts you to the core. Tannie Maria is a wonderful, warm, comforting character…At the same time, she is much more complex than that…There is so much character and soul in this series it’s impossible not to fall in love.’
Nocturnal Book Reviews

‘Sally Andrew’s latest entry in her Tannie Maria series is an enticing, engrossing novel filled with charmingly fascinating characters, interesting subplots, believable psychological struggles, a delightful sense of place and yes, a mystery…If you’re looking for a good story with a lot of psychological development, great characters, and a wonderfully portrayed setting, this is it.’
Reviewing the Evidence

‘Sally Andrew created a most unusual protagonist in Tannie Maria in last year’s Recipes for Love and Murder. The sequel is just as captivating—perhaps even more so—with The Satanic Mechanic, filled with eccentric characters, a budding romance, and an interesting mystery…Readers will end the book feeling they wish they knew Sally Andrew and Tannie Maria.’
Auntie M Writes

‘Don’t miss this great story. Trust me. It’s darn good.’
Book Loons

‘Blending a madcap mystery with loveable characters, in the beautiful setting of South Africa’s rural Klein Karoo, Sally Andrew really does have the perfect recipe for a crime series.’
Crime Spree

‘This book was like nothing I’ve ever read before and I absolutely loved it. The characters are wonderful and I fell in love with Tannie Maria from the first page…if you are looking for a series with a loveable amateur sleuth and a puzzling mystery without a lot of blood and gore, this is the series for you.’
Mystery Playground

‘Very readable, with a charm which is sustained to the last page.’
Crime Review

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn’t resist diving into this book, almost as soon as I got the copy, and have read it twice since: each time brings out something I missed in this lovely series by Sally Andrew. It transported me to the South African countryside, much as Alexander McCall Smith’s No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency did, ripe and rich with characters and old-fashioned advice and truths handed down by the locals we meet. Having not read the first (a situation I’ve remedied by ordering that book ) I was worried that I wouldn’t see the character development, or find myself horribly confused with the connections, and Andrew did a wonderful job of bringing the reader along, if not in actual “remember that this happened’ form, but with developing relationships that continue to grow and change as expectations and connections did.

Tannie Marie is one of those people who seems to understand that sometimes, all people want is to be heard, and pointed in the right direction. To that end, she writes an Agony Aunt column in the local newspaper, where she doles out advice, pain relief and recipes with equal aplomb, helping to mend issues in lives, health and relationships. Her curiosity and common sense go far, and when she discovers her co-worker is being sent to interview a renown San (bushmen), Kabbo, the leader, at a large music and arts festival, she decides to tag along.

Sitting with Kabbo at the festival, he suddenly drops dead, and the questions, not the least of which was who could have poisoned him with all of his security present, begin, and we are whipped through a whodunit plotline that is as twisty as it is engaging. Throughout the story, we meet Tannie’s new love interest, Henk, a policeman who isn’t thrilled with her curiosity regarding the murder, and as one of the men assigned to protect Kabbo, he’s also more than a touch guilty. While we have the murder and the chase to discover if it was the Agricultural company or the Diamond company, or someone entirely different that sent threats and then followed through with the murder of Kabbo, there is more to discover.

And this is where the Satanic Mechanic comes in. A former Satanist with a knack and reputation as a good mechanic, he’s struggling to make up for his old belief system and behavior, and wants to help others. To that end, he’s got a loosely organized support group to help members deal with PTSD and it’s effects on their lives. Tannie, now widowed with a tentative foot in a new relationship, decides to join this group to deal with her own issues: a long marriage to an abusive man have left her unable if not entirely unwilling, to move the relationship with Henk to a deeper level.

With everything going on, the two threads of the story move forward nicely, and there are plenty of secondary characters that add life, color and even some emotional moments to the story as they reveal theirs. Andrew uses ‘africanisms’ frequently, many of which are easily understood in context, but they all add to the atmosphere of the story, placing it firmly ‘elsewhere’, but moments to laugh, wonder and even just enjoy the banquet laid out to enjoy are many. And the recipes – oh you will be hungry too: from simple cakes and treats to actual entrees and regional favorites, the desire to taste the food as described, made by those with access to the ingredients and the flavors of the place are, at times, overwhelming. And, if you are like me, you won’t be able to put this one down after just one read.I can’t wait for the next!

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.


This review was originally posted on I am, Indeed

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked both of the Tannie Maria books. Recipes for Love and Murder was the first mystery I'd ever read. This is the second. Clearly, the books are not inspiring in me a new passion for mystery novels.

The only reason I unenthusiastically picked up the first volume was because it was the choice of my book club. But I couldn't wait for the second to arrive. Who knew? For some reason, the combination of peeking into a slice of South African life (granted, primarily a white slice), the psychological and social issues of the characters, the whodunit piece, and the recipes, well, it all just clicked for me. It's light without being frothy. It's fun and yet has a few serious moments. The recipes are sometimes familiar, sometimes exotic. Tannie Maria, the protagonist and mystery solver, is a food lover and food abuser, a woman with some self-confidence issues and some problems that go far deeper and that she keeps to herself...until she doesn't. She is sometimes nosy and annoying but other times likable and thoughtful. She is optimistic but expects the worst and is open-hearted and smarter than she lets on. The story is a quick read, the plot rollicks along quickly.

So, what's not to like? Well, as an American progressive who has never been to SA, I was uncomfortable with her use of the word, "coloured," though I knew the definition in her glossary was indeed how mixed race people have been historically classified during and after apartheid. But I also know that there is a growing movement to abolish that term (and it seems to me that it should be abolished). It bothered me enough that I wished she'd added a little something extra to her glossary indicating the term's history or current moves to abolish it or something, though that would've been a little different than the other definitions.

Another quibble: it might have been good, since she pulled in politics here with the Saan people's land being stolen by the diamond miners, to flesh out that part of the storyline a bit more knowing she had an international audience.

I can also imagine how some of the psychological stuff re: battered women might not appeal to some readers, but I liked it and thought it fit here.

[Ghyslaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alles wat over Zuid Afrika ging was echt de moeite waard om dit boek: de taal, het landschap, de geschiedenis, maar het verhaal is zo weinig interessant geschreven dat ik niet door het boek heen kwam. Er wordt heel kort gerefereerd aan heftige onderwerpen die vervolgens niet verder uitgewerkt worden. En dan kabbelt het verhaal weer door. Gemiste kans.

[Margaret Crampton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a unique authentically South African and charming book: A murder mystery, a detective story, a comment on rural South Africa, the Klein (Little) Karoo and small town living. Take care not to be hungry when you read this as the text is threaded through with descriptions of mouthwatering dishes of all sorts. Tannie (Auntie) Maria writes a column for the local newspaper responding to a variety of emotional problems from readers which she solves imaginatively and always with a comforting recipe. She has problems of her own and joins the Post Traumatic Stress counselling group of the Satanic Mechanic. Interesting stories here too! There is the reincarnation of Slimkat the murdered bushman as a haunting kudu in contrast to the down to earth Detective Kannemeyer ( the love interest) and his pet lamb. Hooray the best Authentic South African recipes are to be found in the last chapter!! Quite a bonus. Perhaps this book would have benefited from a glossary of SA terms for the uninitiated. This is the 2nd book in a series but reads well as a stand alone. Very much to be recommended. My review may make it sound like something of a fruit salad. But believe me it works!

[Enid · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was nowhere near as good a story as the first book, IMO. The plot just plods along, and I kept losing interest- I had to force myself to finish it so I could get it back to the library only a couple of days late. Maria comes off as naive and unassertive in this story, and I don't remember that being the case in the first book. Her boyfriend, Henk, is not a nice guy for much of the book. I got really tired of the references to "Henk's furry chestnut chest" and that type of stuff. The plot relies heavily on coincidences to move things along. I didn't really care about the various people getting murdered- I was just hoping each death would speed things up so we could (finally) get to the end. There was far more emphasis on food in this second book, which would have been OK if the rest of the story was also interesting, but it turned into a story about someone who was cooking between crises, with far too much about the cooking for a mystery, IMO.

[Carolien · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I really enjoyed the second instalment of the Tannie Maria series. Tannie Maria is still sharing advice and recipes to the readers of the local newspaper while investigating local mysteries. In this case, a San bushman is murdered right in the middle of an interview with the local reporter, Jesse. Tannie Maria is investigating, much against the wishes of local police detective and her romantic partner, Henk Kannemeyer. As usual there are lots of food and recipes to accompany the investigation. I had great fun reading this one, although the murder plot was less compelling than the previous instalment.

[Mariaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I got it gifted as a birthday present. I am definitely going to get the other two in the series as well. You can't help but fall in love with Tannie Maria and the amazing people she surrounds herself with. You also just want to go and visit her and taste her amazing cooking. She is a regte Tannie, but a Tannie with skop. I loved her romance with Henk, true old school romance and wish I could meet and talk to Ricus, the Satanic Mechanic.

[Christina Rothfusz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 2.5 for me but rounded up because I loved the narration by Sandra Prinsloo.

Tannie Maria is the "agony aunt" at the local town newspaper, but with every piece of advise, she also dispenses a recipe to help with your dilemma. Her romance with the local Supercop Lieutenant Henk Kannymeyer is on the verge of going the next level, but they both bring baggage to the relationship.

Henk, who's wife died, is terrified of loosing another love and Tannie Maria's knack for getting involved with dangerous investigations has him on edge. Tannie Maria struggles with intimacy and a dangerous secret she keeps may tear them apart.

The story has a bit of everything. The investigation to the murder two murders, the therapy group Tannie Maria joins to deal with her past relationship and the replies to her column and the valuable advise and recipe's she shares.

It's nostalgic and sweet and very much like re-reading Herman Charles Bosman or Kooperasie stories, a reminder of a more innocent time. But for me, the characters were to innocent and some too one dimensional. Especially Tannie Maria towards the end when the awful secret is revealed seemed a bit too naïve.

I did not read the first book in the series, but the second book stands well on it's own. I will try one more in the series before giving up on this.

[Maha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dans ce second tome, nous poursuivons les aventures de Tannie Maria, profiler et thérapeute culinaire aux courriers du cœur de la gazette locale du Klein Karoo. Elle a depuis peu un petit copain, sosie de feu Burt Reynolds, qui est prêt à tout pour assurer la sécurité de sa chère et tendre. Bref, tout va bien dans le meilleur des mondes (même si Tannie M. n'arrive pas à s'envoyer en l'air avec son policier), jusqu'à ce qu'une personnalité Buschmen soit assassiné par le moyen d'une sauce à la moutarde empoisonnée.

Chic une enquête culinaire avec des recettes à la fin !

Bon, il se trouve que j'en ai gros sur le coeur, alors si vous ne voulez pas en savoir trop, on se retrouve à la fin ! Si vous l'avez déjà lu ou ne comptez pas le lire mais adoré me voir m'arracher les cheveux, continuez votre lecture ! ;)

Alerte Spoiler

Oui, bah non, contrairement au premier tome, vous pouvez l'oublier tout de suite ... Pourquoi ?
Monsieur Sosie de Burt Reynolds ne veut pas que Tannie Maria enquête sur ce meurtre, parce que c'est trop dangereux. Bah oui, elle a failli y rester dans le tome 1. Et elle, gentille fille accepte.

Et c'est ainsi qu'on passe les 2/3 de ce roman à regarder les nuages du Klein Karoo passer, tout en participant à des thérapies pour personnes ayant un PTSD (Le trouble de stress post-traumatique) parce qu'elle a un blocage avec l'idée de s'envoyer en l'air avec Monsieur J'ai des poils partout. Alors si vous avez envie d'en savoir plus sur ce syndrome qui touche aussi bien les soldats que les femmes battues, vous en apprendrez dans ce roman. Par ce biais, vous en découvrirez aussi un peu en matière de géopolitique sud-africaine (au sens large) et sur les effets de la corruption, des politiques actuels, du racisme sur les Hommes ou encore sur la destruction de la faune et de la flore. Ça aurait pu être intéressant. Hélas, c'est super mal développé.

Et pour l'enquête, vous la retrouverez vaguement dans les 50 dernières pages du roman. En réalité ce sont plus des aveux servi sur un plateau en argent qu'une quelconque enquête. Et puis pourquoi ce titre meurtre à la sauce piquante ? Déjà, on passe plus de temps en thérapie qu'autre chose et au final, le poison est dans différents plats et est juste masqués par de l'ail.... ça change de la bave de crapaud dans L'étrange Noël de Myster Jack ! D'ailleurs le titre anglais est plus franc : The Satanic Mecanic. Cela fait directement référence à son thérapeute, un mécano accusé d'être sataniste.

On passe bien trop peu de temps avec Jessie et Hattie (héroïnes du premier roman aux côtés de Tannie M). Ce  qui revient à regarder la série Les petits meurtres d'Agatha Christie sans le meurtre, sans la journaliste pétillante, sans la secrétaire fan de Marilyn. Ce serait sec et sans saveur !

Ici, on ne s'attache à rien et à personne. L'humour et la fraîcheur du premier tome se sont tirés (peut-être qu'eux aussi ne voulaient pas coucher avec le sosie de Burt).


Il a l'air, mais il n'est pas cramé !
Ce second roman est aussi sec que le Karoo (Karoo signifie sec) ou que les biscottes de Tannie Maria ou son gâteau Vénus. Si, si, on a reproduit la recette du gâteau Vénus ! Il était si bien vendu dans le roman ...
Le résultat ?
Une espèce de burger géant, créature monstrueuse, qui hurle "ACHEVEZ MOI".
Comment vous le décrire ?
C'est un gâteau qui ... se scie bien, à étage, un hybride entre un moelleux chocolat café et une biscotte au chocolat. Nous n'avons pas fait de glaçage histoire de stopper là les dégâts. C'était sec, trop sucré, sans goût malgré la présence du beurre de cacahuète et de la confiture d'abricot. Juste immonde.



Bref, nous avons créé un monstre !



Je n'ai pas essayé toutes ces recettes mais a priori je dirais que la plus sympa et comestible est le mafé de poulet. Pour le côté sucré, je laisse tombé l'affaire (y'a un côté trop gras, trop sucré, trop wtf, trop salé pour moi). Si vous avez tenté une des recettes du tome 1 ou 2, n'hésitez pas à venir nous en parler en commentaire, que ce soit une réussite ou un gros fail !

Fin de l'Alerte Spoiler !

Pour conclure, ce second tome de Tannie Maria vous sera agréable si vous êtes fans de biscottes et de beurre de cacahuète (et aussi accessoirement si vous êtes un monstre sans foi ni loi qui rajoute du cheddar sur sa Moussaka à l'instar de Tannie M). Pour moi, cette lecture était sec et sans saveur.

[Aparna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

I enjoyed reading the 2nd book in the series but wanted more of Tannie Maria playing the detective. It felt like the mystery followed Maria instead of the other way around because her new boyfriend (a cop) told her to stay away from dangerous situations. I hope Henk changes his mind and realizes that Maria is too smart and independent to be told to stay away, I can't wait for Maria and Jessie to be a team again. I appreciated the issue of conflict around land (who are its true custodians?), dealing with mental health, PTSD and the continuing focus on food. I am invested in these characters and the world of Klein Karoo, can't wait to read the next one!

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last pages got me all emotional.

[Rina Coetzee Gous · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Sally Andrew's first Tannie Maria book "Recipes for Love and Murder". It was an absolute joy to read and apart from the great plot it was the people, food and places that really sparked the joy in me. I have a huge love for the Karoo, it's people and it's food. I immediately had the urge to read another Tannie Maria book - which I only managed in December but was it a worth the wait? Totally!

In the second Tannie Maria mystery Sally Andrews brings us back all our favorites from the previous book. Some just get a mention but others are once again the main or supporting characters. Oh the joy of finding the familiar in another page turner! The stunning recipes also return and once again I constantly felt hungry while reading the book. I am planning to bake her Venus cake this weekend.

This book however delves a bit deeper into Tannie Maria's past and the reasons why she handled some issues as she did in the first book - and once again in this book. The theme of the abuse of woman on many levels are highlighted even stronger and a lot of the story line touch base on abuse in all forms and how it affects the abused and those around them. However the tone stays in the light hearted off handed manner in which Andrews writes and Tannie Maria speaks and thinks.

To add to it all the plot in this book is interwoven with many stories and characters and the guilty party was a total surprise for me. Sally Andrew was my new English writer discovery of 2016 and I literally am keeping an eye on her website every day to find out when the next Tannie Maria book will be available.

By now most of you know I do have a bit of a thing about covers - I do feel it adds so much to a book if a cover is well designed and I have been know to buy books simply because the design appeals. I also for instance put off reading "I am Pilgrim" because I found the cover so uninspiring. I adore the Tannie Maria covers though - well designed, strong graphics and with a bit of a retro feel which is totally how I picture Tannie Maria in my mind.

A truly unique voice in South African English fiction this is one of my best reads for 2016. 10/10 and a must read. (Have a look here on her website for an extract from the first book and yo may get an idea of the way she tells a story)

[Alison Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another delicious Murder Mystery set in South Africa's vast Klein Karoo. The characters are just as lovable the second time around: Tannie Maria, amateur sleuth and cook extraordinaire. Plus her hunky boyfriend, Detective Inspector Henk Kannemeyer, accompanied by his pet lamb, Kosie. Add a pinch of hemlock, a cup of PTSD recovery groupies, a splash of satanists from Hotazell* , half a cup of Bushman mysticism, and there you have it - fresh from the crime scene - another recipe for love and murder.
If you're on a diet, don't read this book : it will worsen the hunger pangs.
If you like to cook, buy this book; the recipes at the back are genuine old school Boere resepte.
If you enjoy a terrific read, grab this book.

*there really is a town with this name in our country.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this! Loved how we delve into the character a little more, love the Africanisms, love the depth of this novel. Read it, but before you read it read the first one.

[Graine Milner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another treat from Sally Andrew - a clever plot, a little love interest, and all neatly resolved. Really, I should have saved it for the holidays... I hope she's writing another.