“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.”
Returning to the world of Tannie Maria always feels a bit like stepping into a familiar kitchen where something comforting is already bubbling on the stove. In Wild Things Never Die, Sally Andrew once again blends mystery, humour, food and heart in a way that feels uniquely her own. This time, Tannie Maria is grappling with a fear of the dark while her beloved hen, Henrietta, is dealing with her own trauma. Even so, Tannie Maria and her fiancé, Detective Henk Kannemeyer, head into the Karoo Wilderness Reserve on an undercover mission to help protect the vetplantjies from international poachers.
The story begins in Tannie Maria’s kitchen and soon moves to the luxury game lodge where the pair must spy on guests, support the Anti-Poaching Unit and keep their wits about them as danger creeps ever closer. Jessie is attending a succulent symposium at the same time, which adds a wonderfully odd layer to the plot. Before long, a murder shakes the lodge and the Ladismith crew find themselves navigating a tangle of secrets, strange visitors and shifting motives.
One of the things I love most about this series is how alive the supporting cast feels. The barefoot artist, the botanist cowboy, the singing gardener, the shaman and the sangoma all add colour without ever feeling like decoration. They enrich the world in a way that makes the Karoo feel both magical and grounded. Tannie Maria herself remains one of the most endearing characters in South African fiction. She is warm, anxious, brave in her own way and so vividly drawn that I sometimes catch myself believing she must exist somewhere out there among the red dust and thorn trees.
The themes in this instalment feel particularly resonant. Andrew touches on environmental protection, the emotional cost of living in fear, the healing power of food and the importance of community. The sections on succulent poaching are surprisingly informative and the appendices at the back offer real insight into the challenges facing conservationists.
“Succulents somehow seem… cleverer than other plants. Not that plants are stupid. My old friend, the gwarrie tree in the veld near my house, is very kind and clever but this little thing seemed so… alive, so awake, as if it were a creature.”
Save the vetplantjies!
And of course, the recipes are a delight. The chickpea fudge balls are calling my name!
Readers who enjoy cosy mysteries with heart, humour and a strong sense of place will find plenty to love here. If you are already a fan of the Tannie Maria series, this book will feel like coming home.
Wild Things Never Die is warm, witty and quietly profound. It left me feeling as though I had spent time in the Karoo myself, and I closed the book with a full heart and a craving for something delicious from Tannie Maria’s kitchen.
Thank you to Penguin Random House SA for the opportunity to read this book! Wild Things Never Die – Penguin Random House South Africa
