The houses are built, the doors are open, and it’s finally time to meet the neighbours of Jakaranda Laan in the fictional South African town of Cedarfontein.
Fifteen international authors—many of them award-winning—have joined forces to bring you this year’s Our House series. Journey to a small town in eastern South Africa, where mountains and forests provide the backdrop to stories filled with heroes and villains, joy and heartache, and the past intertwining with the present.
Come on in—there’s a story waiting for everyone.
The Our House series is the brainchild of author Anna Jensen, who shares the inspiration behind it.
“I read an article in a history magazine about an old city home where researchers peeled back layers of wallpaper to uncover the stories of its previous occupants as each new era was revealed. I thought it would make a wonderful premise for a book series. The more I considered it, the more I felt it would be even better if other authors joined in. Rather than writing about the same house, each of us could take a different house on the same street. If you remember the 1980s song Our House by Madness, you’ll have an idea of the atmosphere I had in mind!
“After running two series set in the UK—one in England and one in Scotland—I thought it was time to bring the community to South Africa. For many of our readers (and even some of the authors), it will be a new place to explore. There’s nothing quite like armchair travel!”
Anna’s novel, The Mask’s Shadow, opens the series. She says readers can look forward to plenty of intrigue:
“Readers will enjoy The Mask’s Shadow for many reasons! It weaves together family secrets, hidden legacies, and genealogical research. Alongside familiar faces, you’ll meet new characters—and Agatha Christie even makes a cameo appearance. Yes, she really did visit South Africa!”
Congratulations, Anna! Check out her book here.
We’ll open a new door every week until October, so be sure to check in every seven days as we introduce a new homeowner.
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