Amabookabooka: The Quarantine Chronicles - Heinrich Böhmke

Amabookabooka, the literary podcast produced by Jonathan Ancer and Dan Dewes, travels into the heart of the lockdown to bring you quick and quirky interviews with SA's finest authors via everyone's favourite isolation mode of communication, Zoom.

Heinrich Böhmke loves trees, bees, wind over the veld and Nguni cattle - and even though he loves cattle he’s not scared to stomp all over sacred cows. Heinrich’s debut novel Sarie tells the story of four lives in crisis - on the same day. In the same hotel. It mixes South African politics and history, with a thrilling plot and, as one reviewer put it: "There is no chill with this book!"

Böhmke's latest book, The Helpless Lady, is a world away from Sarie. It’s a children’s book set in the lockdown.

Day 17 starts off just like any other boring lockdown day but turns into a day of mystery and adventure when nine-year-old Erika sees a desperate message for help in her neighbour's window. Erika’s grumpy dad is busy so she takes matters into her own hands to rescue her elderly neighbour - all while keeping her social distance. It’s a fast, heart-warming story told with humour and there are a few twists at the end to keep you on your toes.