When recipe columnist Tannie Maria (Maria Doyle Kennedy) is tasked with writing the advice column for the town’s newspaper, she discovers doling out advice is trickier than creating recipes. But with food her main hobby and love, she manages to add some tasty recipes to go along with her sagely advice.

Things get a bit sticky when some letters arrive for her — each one predicting a murder. Lo and behold, that murder comes to fruition and Maria finds herself right in the middle of a police investigation. With the help of her young colleague Jessie (Kylie Fisher), they delve deep into the investigation, to the chagrin of the police detective (Tony Kgoroge).

While the town is concerned about the murder, Maria is concerned that her past may be coming back to haunt her. What is this secret she has been keeping?

Maria is not a typical resident of the small South African farming region of Karoo. She came from Scotland after inheriting her aunt’s house. But why would someone from Scotland move to South Africa? That alone is a mystery that needs answering. So with several mysteries unfolding, and murders piling up in this little town, there is plenty of drama to go around. Hungry viewers shouldn’t be alarmed, though, there are also plenty of delicious recipes concocted by Maria.

Viewers will get involved in figuring out what — or who — is behind the murders while getting served a tasty treat courtesy of Maria’s culinary expertise.

Take Agatha Christie and add a touch of Julia Child. There, in a nutshell, is “Recipes for Love and Murder.” The 10-episode first season is rolling out through Oct. 3 on Acorn TV. The series is filmed entirely in South Africa.

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