Set against the beauty of the Cederberg, The Tea Merchant blends mystery, family drama and historical fiction. It begins with two young nurses, Luna Parks and Amora, whose chance meeting at a job interview takes an unexpected turn, binding them together through a secret that quietly shadows everything that follows. Years later, Luna arrives in Clanwilliam. Here, she becomes intertwined with Cameron Coal, a grieving rooibos farmer struggling to reconnect with his blind daughter while fighting to save his family farm. Alongside the mystery, the novel explores grief, family, inheritance, and belonging, while also asking deeper questions about ownership and legacy. A quiet sense of suspense runs throughout, slowly revealing truths while keeping you eager to know what happens next.
The Tea Merchant
By: Jackie Phamotse
Reviewed by Delise Francis
in September 2026
In ‘The Tea Merchant’, a young nurse fleeing a deadly secret finds herself drawn into the life of a grieving rooibos farmer as family tensions, loss, and buried truths threaten to unravel everything.
Published: 2024
Publisher: Penguin Books
ISBN: 9781776391912