FRIDAY 13TH MARCH

Steinheist

Markus Jooste, Steinhoff and SA’s biggest corporate fraud.

Venue: Upstairs @ Sirocco (TH28)

Time: 09h30 – 10h30

Tickets: R200 pp

Greed, Plunder, Betrayal and Corporate fraud. As investors and regulators count the costs, Rob Rose gets to the bottom of SA’s biggest corporate fraud.

Shadows, Secrets & Scandals

South Africa’s top crime writers share their latest books and the stories ‘behind the scene’.

Venue: Upstairs @ Sirocco (Th28)

Time: 11h00 – 12h00

Tickets: R200 pp

Falls the Shadow

A cop murders his family and himself, leaving behind a stockpile of illegal weapons. Captain Zara Dewane, known as ‘the Jackal’, investigates the Internal Crime Unit case. But when she uncovers a gun-running syndicate reaching the highest political levels, the order comes from above to silence her.

Hell Of A Country

Is murder an adequate price to pay for love? Hell of a Country is a creative reimagining of the Scissors Murder – a famous crime from early 1970s South Africa. A riveting true-crime story that examines the fault lines between power and desire.

Surviving and Thriving

Hear directly from the women who have lived it?, a?s they share how to survive and thrive.

Venue: Turbine Hotel & Spa (TH36)

Time: 12h30 – 13h30

Tickets: R200 pp

After the fires

Unlocking the Power of Letting Go. Ultimately, it’s a story of growth, courage, and letting go. The memoir also touches on her familial journey, the emotional and physical challenges of infertility, and how she learned to surrender control.

Healing the Mother Wound

A guide that will change your life. This book is a transformative, deeply compassionate guide to healing one of the most complex forms of trauma: the wounds created by absent, neglectful, or harmful mothering.

The Wildest Beauty

Historical fiction depicting a complex relationship between twins against the backdrop of the Battle of Delville Wood.

Venue: Turbine Hotel & Spa (TH36)

Time: 14h00 – 15h00

Tickets: R200 pp

A remarkable account following twin brothers through their early childhood to their eventual enlistment in the First World War. From their placidly peaceful Stellenbosch schooldays to, ultimately, in the midst of the greatest conflict in history, the discovery of the power of love, between friends, family – and even foes.

Hollywood on the veld

When movie mayhem gripped the City of Gold.

Venue: Turbine Hotel & Spa (TH36)

Time: 15h30 – 16h30

Tickets: R200 pp

In 1913, a secretive American millionaire, had a crazy idea: to make movies in Johannesburg. Hollywood on the Veld is the never-been-told-before story of the rise and fall of the strangest and most unique movie empire ever.

SATURDAY 14TH MARCH

Love in Threads and Tangles

Local Romance panelists share their stories around navigating culture, legacy, family, love and marriage – and insights on the road to happiness.

Venue: Upstairs @ Sirocco (TH28)

Time: 08h00 – 09h00

Tickets: R200 pp

It’s Complicated

A modern story about love and friendship, following your passion and embracing the unpredictable journey of life.

Fabrics Of Love

A family saga that centers around the beautiful and tenacious Ntoi women who navigate inherited trauma and buried secrets, while making decisions about their futures and the women they hope to become.

When Book Clubs Go Bad

A savagely funny satire about online media, cancel culture, and book lovers who lose the plot.

Venue: Upstairs @ Sirocco (TH28)

Time: 09h30 – 10h30

Tickets: R200 pp

Norma Jacobs is an average accountant until a negative review on her book club page causes a famous author to spiral into a spectacular public meltdown. Paige Nick delivers a comedy about the chaos of the internet, perfectly suited for anyone who thinks books are harmless.

Why Am I Like This?

A contemporary South African novel about identity.

Venue: Upstairs @ Sirocco (TH28)

Time: 11h00 – 12h00

Tickets: R200 pp

In the era of Ozempic, therapy and situationships Qaanitah Hunter tells this tale with humour and unflinching honesty. Follow Farah on her journey to finding purpose in life, perhaps for the very first time.

Treading Water

A deeply moving and beautifully written exploration of grit, family bonds, and resilience of the human spirit.

Venue: Upstairs @ Sirocco (TH28)

Time: 12h30 – 13h30

Tickets: R200 pp

Set between South Africa and Texas, we follow Alison, whose life is upended by betrayal and a devastating accident. What unfolds is a compelling story of two women navigating fractured relationships and daily battles as they rediscover their strength. Kay Brown is a self-published author – budding authors bring your questions.

A Pawfect Life

More Than Just a Pet. The ultimate guide to pet parenting.

Venue: Upstairs @ Sirocco (TH28)

Time: 14h00 – 15h00

Tickets: R200 pp

Your pet runs your life; you just haven’t admitted it yet. Trend analyst Dion Chang unpacks the absurd and touching world of modern pet parenting.