Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story

by Leonie Swann

Paperback, 2008

Library's rating

½

Description

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. Funny, fresh, and endearing, it introduces a wonderful breed of detectives to American audiences.… (more)

Media reviews

Three Bags Full is ponderous, slow, involved and pedestrian, but it is also genuinely odd and affecting, and without a doubt the best sheep detective novel you're going to read this year.
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Das wäre so weit einfach nur nett und nicht weiter bemerkenswert, würde die Autorin nicht obendrein furchtlosen Umgang mit literarischen Versatzstücken betreiben. Man kann "Glennkill" als Krimi-Persiflage lesen, man kann sich aber auch ein Vergnügen daraus machen, die Anspielungen und
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ironischen Zitate zu entdecken.
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Und an Tiefe mangelt es auch. Auffallend ist einzig die infantile Liebheit, auf deren Niveau sich Amüsement und Unterhaltung bewegen.
Originellt, rart och väldigt roligt är det hur som helst.

Language

Original publication date

2005
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