In 2022, Recipes for Love and Murder premiered on Acorn TV.
The dark comedy mystery series stayed true to its fictional roots, the Tannie Marie Mystery series by Sally Andrew, capturing the hearts of its many fans enough to deliver a second season, which premiered earlier this year.
Here’s everything you need to know about the show.
What is Recipes for Love and Murder About?
The show mostly follows the book series but there are a few changes. Tannie Maria is now a Scottish woman with a South African mother. She moves to the Karoo after inheriting a house from an aunt.
At the start of the series, Maria writes a cooking column for the small, local paper. But when her editor drops the news that the paper is being forced to change from food to advice, Maria does what any good cook would do: she adjusts her recipe.
Tackling advice can’t be that different, after all, especially when paired with the perfect dish.
Only, her first column ends with a dead body, drawing Maria and her coworker, investigative journalist, Jessie. The two can’t help but look into the murder. Soon enough, the town's skeletons come out of the closet, along with a heaping dose of danger.
Good thing the handsome police chief, Khaya Meyer, is nearby.
Trailer for Recipes for Love and Murder
Who stars in Recipes for Love and Murder?
Photo Credit: Acorn TVThe show was adapted by Karen Jeynes and Annie Griffin, and is directed by Christiaan Olwagen and Jeynes. Maria Doyle Kennedy (The Tudors, Orphan Black) stars as Tannie Maria.
Tony Kgoroge (Blood Diamond, Lord of War) plays police chief Khaya Meyer. Maria’s partner in crime-solving, Jessie, is played by Kylie Fisher (Troukoors, Fraksie), and her editor Hattie, is played by Jennifer Steyn (Goodbye Bafana, Freefall).
What do people love about Recipes for Love and Murder?
Season one landed with a 90 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an impressive 7.6 out of 10 on IMDb. By staying true to its fictional roots, the show charmed viewers with its idyllic scenery, delicious food, and characters you can’t help but root for.
But layered in between all of those positives, the story highlights the unpleasant truths that still plague South Africa, allowing the characters and the viewers to wrestle with the darker undertones that lurk in plain sight.
Add in a murder, and it’s a recipe viewers can’t resist.
When is Season Two of Recipes for Love and Murder out?
Season two of the show premiered in the U.S. and Canada on March 3. Tannie Maria is back, along with Jessie, Khaya, and the rest of the season one cast.
This time the town is engulfed in a massive fire which triggers a chain of events that reveal multiple murders. As Khaya investigates, alongside Maria and Jessie, they discover the town has darker secrets than any of them ever imagined.
Photo Credit: Acorn TVIs Season Two worth watching?
Despite only recently premiering, season two promises to deliver darker and juicer storylines that had Decider urging readers to stream it.
With new faces (Wynand Ferreria, Gerard Rudolph, and Hlubi Mboya) offering new plot lines, season one favorites offer a deeper glimpse into their inner lives and motivations.
Despite veering down more serious and grimmer tones, season two continues to weave the lighter threads of love and relationships into the mix to create the delightful balance season one delivered.
Season Two of Recipes for Love and Murder is available to stream now on Acorn TV.
