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A Sheep Detective Story
by Leonie Swann
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.
With sheer wit and spunk, this international bestseller has become a darling to two- and four-legged fans alike. Funny, fresh, and endearing, it introduces a wonderful breed of detectives to American readers.
What are you reading this week? (8/28/2025)
I'm 92% through Big Bad Wool by Leonie Swann, the follow-up to Three Bags Full. My stomach is a bit clenched reading it! It's a little stressful, worrying about characters. I'm equally anxious and eager to get back to it. I read the first one waaaay back in 2007, and gave it a high rating, so I w...
-Lisa_B3
"A completely original, sparklingly inventive, cleverly written story ... 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." —Booklist
"[A] refreshingly original detective story ... 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." —Publishers Weekly
"Moments of High Comedy come thick and fast... . This entertaining, lighthearted mystery is told from a refreshingly novel perspective." —Daily Mail
This information about Three Bags Full was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Leonie Swann earned degrees in philosophy, psychology, and communications from Munich University and has worked in journalism and public relations. Currently working on her doctorate in English literature, she lives in Berlin.
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