Recipes For Love & Murder - General Discussion

[AnimeMania]

The 10 episode Recipes For Love & Murder TV Series streaming on September 5 on Acorn TV is based on "A Tannie Maria Mystery" novels by Sally Andrew. Two new episodes will premiere weekly every Monday.

Maria Doyle Kennedy plays former newspaper recipe columnist turned advice columnist Tannie Maria ("Auntie Maria" in Afrikaans). Maria tries to comfort her readers by blending experiential advice with soothing recipes "a chicken soup for the soul". When a woman who wrote to Tannie Maria for advice about her abusive husband ends up dead, Maria and her colleague, rookie journalist Jessie September (Kylie Fisher), spring into action. 

They're determined to solve the murder in their small, vibrant, and beautiful South African town of Karoo, to the annoyance of Chief Detective Khaya Meyer (Tony Kgoroge). 

But will their investigation stir up too much trouble, can they catch the killer before the local police find more victims.

Elton Landrew as Constable Piet
Arno Greeff as Warrant Officer Regardt Snyman
Jennifer Steyn as newspaper editor Hattie Wilson
Lee Duru as Grace.

[Maren]

Watched the trailer for it and it definitely looks like something I want to try! Looks cute and fun.

[AnimeMania]

Episode 1 can also be watched on Prime Video. 

S01.E01: Bereft Woman

When recipe columnist Maria competes to write an advice column, she responds to a letter from a woman with an abusive husband, but the woman soon turns up dead.

When newspaper editor Hattie tells Maria that her recipe column is being discontinued, Maria and rookie journalist Jessie compete to write the new advice column and, of course, Maria squeezes a recipe in there, too. One of Maria's letter writers is a woman with an abusive husband, and when Jessie happens upon a crime scene, they quickly figure out that the victim is Maria's letter writer, Martine.

Original Airdate: September 5, 2022  
      
S01.E02: Sex Cake
As Maria and Jessie and local detective Khaya all try to solve Martine’s murder, their prime suspects are Martine’s husband and her best friend, but evidence is scarce. 

Maria and Jessie and local detective Khaya are all trying to solve Martine's murder. The prime suspects are Dirk, Martine's husband, and Anna, her best friend, who was also in love with her. Without enough evidence to charge either of them, the police let them go, but tensions between the two quickly boil over into violence. Meanwhile, in Scotland two people are trying to track down Maria.

Original Airdate: September 5, 2022

Edited September 5, 2022 by AnimeMania

[Clawdette]

I've watched the first two episodes made available today and I'll be back for more.  The hints of humor were well-placed and the characters are interesting.

[Irlandesa]

I really thought it was well done but I wish I would have known that the possible mystery lasts the whole season.  Assuming it's actually a mystery. 

But it looked yummy and I like all the characters. 

[Anela]

I wanted to watch this, but it isn't showing up for me on Prime. I signed up with a special deal in July. 

Oh, wait, I've found it, but I had to search for it on google. Clicked "watch" and it said I could watch it for free. It came up on prime that way, but not through a regular search.

Edited September 6, 2022 by Anela

[AnimeMania]

I don't have Acorn so I could only watch the first episode on Amazon Prime. The show was not what I expected, I don't think I have ever eaten real food, only processed food. While it looked quite fascinating visually, I don't think I would want to eat it. I thought this might be a murder mystery solved every episode, it seems to be a continuous saga. I see why murder mysteries always start off with the victim already dead, the show is way too depressing if you get to know a little bit about the person before they die. Although the characters seem nice, the show is a bit of a downer.

[Irlandesa]

They continue the same mystery in the second episode but it has a more upbeat secondary story about a man asking for advice about how to tell his crush that he likes him.

And she bakes a delish looking chocolate cake!

[Maren]

Thanks for the heads up on the season long story arc!! I'm not a fan of those in mystery shows. I prefer one and done stories in episodes. So I'll wait until the season ends before giving it a shot!

[msani19]

Thanks for starting the new topic for this!

I liked the show. As with others, I was surprised when murder wasn't resolved at the end of the 2nd episode, I had thought it would be a typical one and done. Not sure I'll enjoy the entire season long arc of the murder, but I'll roll with it. I appreciate that there was another story in the 2nd episode so that the entire thing isn't about the murder. 

I kinda figured out early that the story of the murder victim resonated strongly with Tanna Maria because of her personal background. 

I haven't seen many shows set in South Africa, so it's an interesting setting for me to experience and new accents to tease out!

[AnimeMania]

Recipes For Love & Murder    September 12, 2022     Acorn TV   

Episodes 3-4      Titles and Descriptions       

Spoiler

S01.E03: Do You Lick Everything?

While scrutinizing the crime scene late at night, Jessie and Maria hear another murder taking place, as Martine's gardener, Lawrence, is killed. Scared off from investigating, Maria tries to help a man who has been deceiving his fiancée, and Jessie helps her mother solve a mystery at the local hospital. Meanwhile, Anna and Dirk are still trying to kill each other, even from their hospital beds.   

S01.E04: Operation Vetkoek

Martine's cousin Candy arrives in town to plan the funeral, and she quickly gets in the way of Jessie and Regardt's budding romance. With Jessie avoiding the office, Maria focuses on a letter writer in search of her father and tries to avoid her Scottish connections, who are still looking for her. After learning what Grace had to say about Martine, Candy is convinced she knows who the killer is.

[QuinnM]

There is so much I like about this series.  The South African locale for one.  The characters and the actors portraying them.  Then the format is just different enough than the standard male & female investigator.  Really nicely directed, edited and filmed.  So this is a keeper and I hope the author wrote a dozen books.

[Anela]

I've been cooking as I watch this (finally), but I'm going to wait to watch the rest. I want to really watch, not just have it on in the background.

[Anela]

I like that she's always eating something. 

[AnimeMania]

Recipes For Love & Murder    September 19, 2022   Acorn TV   

Episodes 5-6      Titles and Descriptions   

Spoiler

S01.E05: A Shoe Murder

Maria and Candy confront John, Martine's ex, but he insists he's innocent. Marius Rabie, a local property developer, puts pressure on Dirk to sell his land to him and tries to get the Gazette to stop running articles with a political angle. Maria unravels the misunderstanding about what happened between Regardt and Candy. 

S01.E06: Breakfast for Dinner

Prison escapees Dirk and Anna attack John, believing him to be the killer. While Candy begins a flirtation with Khaya, Maria tries to help a letter writer with a very unusual doughnut problem. At Martine's funeral, her father collapses and is rushed to the hospital. Khaya confides in Maria that he suspects Martine's brother could be the killer.

[AnimeMania]

South Africa’s ‘Recipes for Love and Murder’ Treats Small-Town Murder as a Piece of Cake: TV Review

Review based on the first 3 episodes.

[wanderingstar]

Recently started this show, and I'm digging it so much. Nice to see Maria Doyle Kennedy in this, and I'm enjoying the rest of the cast as well - especially Kylie Fisher (Jessie) and Tony Kgoroge (Chief Khaya). And of course I am loving the food. I wanted to reach through the screen and grab a piece of that chocolate cake in episode 2!

[AnimeMania]

Recipes For Love & Murder    September 26, 2022   Acorn TV   

Episodes 7-8      Titles and Descriptions     

Spoiler

S01.E07: Enough Sweet Potatoes

A last-minute will by Martine's dad is not what it seems, and the doctor reveals the truth about his collapse. While Maria tries to help some sparring siblings, she gets a death threat and is placed under police protection. Maria's memories of the past keep haunting her, and she and Jessie start to wonder if they have been missing something obvious all along.

S01.E08: Pomegranate Juice and Vodka

Maria helps a letter writer struggling with her faith and finally figures out who has been following her around town. Jessie's cousin who works at the Koop has a tip-off for her. Khaya and Maria bond over dinner, but their evening is cut short when they get a shocking call.

[wanderingstar]

I'm enjoying Maria and Khaya's relationship, two old souls, who have weathered storms in their lives. Also love the relationship between Jessie and her family.

When I first started watching this, I thought I would dislike the Hattie character, but she's ended up being a lot of fun.

[AnimeMania]

Recipes For Love & Murder    October 3, 2022       Acorn TV   

Episodes 9-10 (Season Finale)      Titles and Descriptions

Spoiler

S01.E09: Scrambled Eggs

As Maria retraces Jessie's steps, the police try to track down Jessie's cousin. Following up on a hunch, Maria makes a discovery at Martine's house but not before the killer discovers her. With her life at stake, Maria agrees to an unusual culinary request. The police also figure out who the killer is, but will they be too late?

S01.E10:I Only Wanted Advice, Tannie

(Season Finale) 

Tannie: Maria makes a desperate escape with the killer in pursuit, as the police close in. A frantic search ensues for Jessie, but the amount of ground to cover over the Karoo's vast terrain is daunting. An emotional Maria and Khaya finally allow themselves some time to connect, bolstering Maria to face her past when it arrives on her doorstep.

[wanderingstar]

I enjoyed the last 2 episodes of the season. The resolution to Martine's and Lawrence's murders was satisfying. And I liked Khaya and Maria bonding and getting romantic. Hope this show is getting a second season.

[Irlandesa]

The first 30 minutes of the last episode were very dark.  I'm glad they didn't go as dark as they were hinting in the end. 

[Anela]

I finally watched the rest of this. I'm also glad they didn't go there, in the last episode. I had to google, to make sure Jessie was okay.

That ending was so sweet. I'm so glad she got together with the Detective. Such a difference from her husband. That was both gentle and hot. I like Jessie and the young policeman together, too. 

 

[AnimeMania]

[proserpina65]

I've given up on this show.  It's just too effing twee for my tastes and they keep adding murder suspects to drag it out.  I don't care about Maria's column at all, although I would like to know what happened to her husband back in Scotland.  Still, since I'm sure I know who the murderer is, I'm out.

[AnimeMania]

All episodes are available on Prime Video.