Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story [Hardcover]

Leonie Swann (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 5, 2007

A witty philosophical murder mystery with a charming twist: the crack detectives are sheep determined to discover who killed their beloved shepherd.

On a hillside near the cozy Irish village of Glennkill, the members of the flock gather around their shepherd, George, whose body lies pinned to the ground with a spade. George has cared for the sheep, reading them a plethora of books every night. The daily exposure to literature has made them far savvier about the workings of the human mind than your average sheep. Led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world), they set out to find George’s killer.

The A-team of investigators includes Othello, the “bad-boy” black ram; Mopple the Whale, a merino who eats a lot and remembers everything; and Zora, a pensive black-faced ewe with a weakness for abysses. Joined by other members of the richly talented flock, they engage in nightlong discussions about the crime and wild metaphysical speculations, and they embark on reconnaissance missions into the village, where they encounter some likely suspects. There’s Ham, the terrifying butcher; Rebecca, a village newcomer with a secret and a scheme; Gabriel, the shady shepherd of a very odd flock; and Father Will, a sinister priest. Along the way, the sheep confront their own all-too-human struggles with guilt, misdeeds, and unrequited love.

Three Bags Full is already an international hit. “It’s rather as if Agatha Christie had re-written The Wind in the Willows, and I ended by loving it, ”Jane Jakeman wrote in The Independent. Funny, fresh, and endearing, it introduces a wonderful breed of detectives to American readers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this refreshingly original detective story from debut German author Swann, a flock of sheep investigates the murder of their beloved shepherd, George Glenn. Leading the effort is Miss Maple, considered the cleverest sheep in the Irish seaside village of Glennkill. She slyly "pretends" to graze while eavesdropping on suspects who come to search George's caravan for something he may have died for. When a long-lost ram recounts an incident that occurred upon his departure years earlier, Miss Maple uncovers the catalyst for George's death. The wooly troupe reveals the crime's solution in a near-Shakespearean mime at the annual "Smartest Sheep in Glennkill" contest. The author's sheep's-eye view and the animals' literal translation of the strange words and deeds of the human species not only create laugh-out-loud humor but also allow the animals occasional flashes of accidental brilliance. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* A completely original, sparklingly inventive, cleverly written story, first published in Germany, about a flock of Irish sheep who vow to solve the murder of their shepherd, George. George has always treated the flock like humans, reading to them, feeding them the best fodder, protecting them from the local butcher, acknowledging their individual personalities, and even promising to take them to Europe. Imagine the flock's shock when George is found dead in their meadow with a spade stuck in his chest! Led by Miss Maple, the smartest of them all, the sheep decide they must find out who killed George (depriving them of the best--and only--shepherd they've ever had). How they finally achieve this ambitious goal makes for a quirky, humorous, lively, weird, surprisingly dark yet joyous tale that shows how a disparate set of sheepy personalities can work together for the greater good. Although the plot meanders a bit, readers willing to accept the premise will find themselves engaged--rooting for the sheep, marveling at the ingenuity of the author, or simply enjoying the madcap story. Good fun and a fine first novel from a promising new writer. Emily Melton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 344 pages
• Publisher: Flying Dolphin Press (June 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385521111
• ISBN-13: 978-0385521116
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1.2 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,746 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining but Meandering -- Kind of Like its Protagonists... July 20, 2007

By A. Ross HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Translated from German, set on the Irish coast, and featuring a flock of sheep as protagonists, this debut channels Agatha Christie, Gary Larson (of "Far Side" fame), and "Murder, She Wrote" in a story about the murder of a shepherd and his flock's attempt to unmask his killer and bring about justice. The sleuthing sheep are a great conceit, and one that, for the most part, carries the book through the somewhat meandering and slow-developing story.

Things kick off with the shepherd dead in his field with a spade through his heart. It's certainly amusing to watch the sheep try and understand the reactions of the various humans who discover the body and the reactions the killing provokes amongst the townspeople. In homage to their beloved master and inspired by a detective story he read to them, they vow to see justice done (even if they are somewhat hazy on what that means). The sheep are greatly handicapped by their limited exposure to human affairs, not to mention generally poor memories and short attention spans. However, this is somewhat balanced by their noses, which can scent lies, fear, and other human qualities. Led by the inquisitive ewe Miss Maple (that's Ms. Marple, in case you missed it...), they are soon skulking around the village, peering in windows, and eavesdropping left and right.

The book runs into a little bit of trouble in its need to maintain the sheep's perspective on events -- which makes things somewhat more oblique and drawn out than might be ideal. The central story is also sidetracked somewhat when the long-lost brother of the flock's lead ram mysteriously reappears and starts making all manner of enigmatic statements. But it's all generally entertaining enough to maintain the reader's interest until the end. Some may get added enjoyment from trying to spot the various literary allusions (such as Wuthering Heights, and gothic horror Melmoth the Wanderer), but on the whole, one's enjoyment is probably proportional to how interesting one finds the basic conceit of sheep as amateur sleuths.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars a woolly good read July 13, 2007

By Sarah O'Hara

Format:Hardcover

This story is a really fun mystery told from the perspective of a few intrepid sheep. They've got a murder to find justice for, and no amount of tempting clover can keep them off the scent. I really did find the book quite clever and the author was good at constructing an engaging mystery.

The best part is how human behavior is interpreted from the sheep perspective. Through the course of their investigation they make some revelations of humans and their motivations that are both sheepy and accurate. Despite the mystery, the book is very relaxing and fun. A perfect choice for readers who love quirky stories from alternate perspectives.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Different and Fun August 3, 2007

By Kara J. Jorges VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

When I saw this murder mystery about sheep, I had to read it. I was not disappointed. Though its pace is a bit pastoral, it's a pretty good read, and the author did a great job of depicting the dynamics present in a flock of sheep.

Though the flock agrees that George wasn't the best shepherd in the world, he wasn't all that bad, and he was theirs. When his body is found lying in their meadow with a spade stuck through it, they decide they need justice. Working together with their variety of skills, the sheep decide to investigate George's murder themselves. Their suspects include the local butcher, the vicar (amusingly referred to as God by the sheep, as he occupies God's house), George's estranged wife, a neighbor named Beth who was always trying to save his soul, and another shepherd named Gabriel whom the sheep look up to at first, until they find out some very unpleasant things about him. The author did a fine job with the sheep's often warped comprehension of human conversations and actions, as well as creating very amusing interplay among the sheep. It was also a lot of fun watching the reactions of the human characters when they realized that George's sheep were no ordinary flock.

The pace is a bit slow for the first half of the book, and I was a bit disappointed by the outcome of the murder mystery aspect, but overall, it was a very enjoyable, highly creative book. There were several spots where I laughed out loud, and the author did a wonderful job in crafting the personalities of sheep. For a fun, quirky mystery tale quite different from the norm, this book is a winner.