‘Advocate’ brings heritage, power, corruption into focus

IN THE shadow of a flawless facade, the Coal family’s empire is crumbling.

- LUTHO PASIYA

Their rooibos farm in Clanwilliam ~a legacy forged through blood, sweat and generations - is under threat from within and without.

Luna Parks’ fragile marriage stumbles on a powder keg of secrets and betrayals, and the arrival of an unwelcome guest sets off a chain of events that could tear the family apart.

Meanwhile, the Fletcher family’s sinister grip on the town continues to tighten, forcing Cameron Coal into an impossible choice: can love save the farm, or will it be its ultimate downfall?

These are the haunting questions that drive The Advocate, the highly anticipated new novel by award-winning South African author Jackie Phamotse.

The book, a sequel to The Tea Merchant, is set for release next month and promises to deliver an even darker, more compelling exploration of power, corruption and the human condition.

Phamotse described the novel as “a story about survival and truth, about how far people will go to protect legacy and whether love can endure when tested by greed and injustice”.

In an interview, Phamotse reflected on the journey that led to the new book.

“The Tea Merchant has done extremely well — it is currently nominated at the South African Book Awards and the Sunday Times Awards.

“That recognition is a huge milestone for me. It proves I’m committed to my craft and that my resilience is a cornerstone of who I am”

The author explained that the overwhelming response to the first novel sparked the decision to continue the story.

“The inspiration came from readers who kept asking what happens next, and from my own desire to dig deeper into these characters and their world. The Advocate picks up right where The Tea Merchant left off. This time, the stakes are higher, the tension is sharper and the consequences are deadly”