When bookish Winifred flees to a sleepy village to escape her past, she reluctantly partners with larger-than-life Sylvie to open a charming bookshop-café. After the slight inconvenience of a dead customer threatens their new venture, the unlikely duo discover they have a talent for creative problem-solving - and disposal. Dark, witty and deliciously macabre, this tale of murder, friendship and small-town secrets will leave you hungry for more.

Secrets are stacking up like wine barrels in the heat.

And this year’s ferment? It’s definitely going sour.

Winfred and Sylvie are keeping one eye open for the menacing villager who knows too much and another on the dismal bank balance of their bookshop-café, The Novel Eatery. Their side-hustle isn’t exactly legal . . . and now someone knows their secret.

Just as the tension threatens to boil over, news breaks that a wine-themed reality TV show is coming to town. The villagers are in a froth of excitement, giving the two friends a momentary reprieve. But the cameras bring their own complications. Sylvie is convinced the
slick presenter is greasier than her freshest vetkoek, and Winnie nearly chokes on her Sauvignon Blanc when she hears that Skokiaan, the mampoer king, is suddenly bottling five-star wine.

Lifting the Lid is filled with sharp wit, layered characters, and a setting that simmers with charm and danger. In a village like Riviersvalleij, nothing stays buried forever.