Description
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, a flock of sheep gathers around their shepherd, George, whose body lies pinned to the ground with a spade. George has cared devotedly for the flock, even reading them books every night. 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, wild metaphysical speculations, and embark on reconnaissance missions into the village, where they encounter some likely suspects. Along the way, the sheep confront their own all-too-human struggles with guilt, misdeeds, and unrequited love.
Funny, fresh, and endearing, it introduces a wonderful new breed of detectives to Canadian readers.
Funny, fresh, and endearing, it introduces a wonderful new breed of detectives to Canadian readers.
About the Author
About the Author
Leonie Swann grew up near Munich and earned degrees in philosophy, communications, and psychology from Munich University and the Munich School of Philosophy. Her debut novel, Three Bags Full, has been translated into twenty-six languages and won the prestigious Glauser Prize for crime fiction in the debut category, as well as the PETA Award. She has now published six books, including the Agnes Sharp series, and lives and works in the English countryside near Cambridge.
Anthea Bell (1936-2018) was a translator from French and German. She translated many novels, including W. G. Sebald's Austerlitz and Franz Kafka's The Castle, as well as novellas and stories by Stefan Zweig. She won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 2012.
Anthea Bell (1936-2018) was a translator from French and German. She translated many novels, including W. G. Sebald's Austerlitz and Franz Kafka's The Castle, as well as novellas and stories by Stefan Zweig. She won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 2012.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
Praise for Three Bags Full "An original and clever mystery, with a flock of endearingly woolly detectives. I may never eat lamb chops again."
--Carl Hiaasen "Sheep make great detectives. I loved this book."
--Robert B. Parker "One of my favorite reading experiences of years past was Leonie Swann's debut, Three Bags Full . . . The writing sparkled with delight."
--Sarah Weinman, The New York Times Book Review
"Unique and wise and fun to read!"
--The Christian Science Monitor (A Reader's Pick)
"Refreshingly, joyously different."
--Sunday Telegraph "Moments of High Comedy come thick and fast. . . . This entertaining, lighthearted mystery is told from a refreshingly novel perspective."
--Daily Mail "This sheepy society--sometimes touchingly naïve, sometimes surprisingly astute--has an inexhaustible, quirky charm."
--Salon "Anthea Bell is one of our most distinguished translators . . . So when she elects to translate an unknown young German author, we might assume that there is something special about Three Bags Full . . . The plot unravels as satisfyingly as an old woolly cardigan . . . The sheep become a parable for humanity. The characters of the human herd are nicely balanced against those of the flock; the book has charm without whimsy, and is touching without being sentimental. It's rather as if Agatha Christie had re-written The Wind in the Willows, and I ended by loving it."
--The Independent "Swann has written a surprisingly satisfying murder mystery that will appeal to PETA members and diehard crime novel fans."
--Post and Courier "With sheep as detectives Swann solves one of the major problems in crime fiction, which is how to avoid the stereotypical jaded, cynical, alcoholic deadbeat gumshoe with relationship problems. Swann's sheep are as sober as judges and work out the crime from first principles . . . Genuinely odd and affecting, and without a doubt the best sheep detective novel you're going to read this year."
--The Guardian "Leonie Swann writes lyrically about sheep and wisdom, throwing in a bit pf philosophy and a generous dollop of gentle humor . . . Three Bags Full is appealing and amusing, with moments of sadness and poignancy. . . Prepare to be utterly charmed."
--Shelf Awareness "A completely original, sparklingly inventive, cleverly written story . . . 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 . . . Good fun and a fine first novel from a promising new writer."
--Booklist, Starred Review "[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
"Just when you thought you'd seen a detective in every guise imaginable, here comes one in sheep's clothing . . . The sustained tone of straight-faced wonderment is magical."
--Kirkus Reviews
"Humorous, mythical, philosophical, endearing, and in a magical way, very believable."
--New York Journal of Books "I normally do not like talking animal books. (At least not since I was five or six!) I have to make an exception for this one. It had me thinking, smiling and chuckling . . . This debut by German author Leonie Swann marks her as a writer to watch."
--Kittling Books
--Carl Hiaasen "Sheep make great detectives. I loved this book."
--Robert B. Parker "One of my favorite reading experiences of years past was Leonie Swann's debut, Three Bags Full . . . The writing sparkled with delight."
--Sarah Weinman, The New York Times Book Review
"Unique and wise and fun to read!"
--The Christian Science Monitor (A Reader's Pick)
"Refreshingly, joyously different."
--Sunday Telegraph "Moments of High Comedy come thick and fast. . . . This entertaining, lighthearted mystery is told from a refreshingly novel perspective."
--Daily Mail "This sheepy society--sometimes touchingly naïve, sometimes surprisingly astute--has an inexhaustible, quirky charm."
--Salon "Anthea Bell is one of our most distinguished translators . . . So when she elects to translate an unknown young German author, we might assume that there is something special about Three Bags Full . . . The plot unravels as satisfyingly as an old woolly cardigan . . . The sheep become a parable for humanity. The characters of the human herd are nicely balanced against those of the flock; the book has charm without whimsy, and is touching without being sentimental. It's rather as if Agatha Christie had re-written The Wind in the Willows, and I ended by loving it."
--The Independent "Swann has written a surprisingly satisfying murder mystery that will appeal to PETA members and diehard crime novel fans."
--Post and Courier "With sheep as detectives Swann solves one of the major problems in crime fiction, which is how to avoid the stereotypical jaded, cynical, alcoholic deadbeat gumshoe with relationship problems. Swann's sheep are as sober as judges and work out the crime from first principles . . . Genuinely odd and affecting, and without a doubt the best sheep detective novel you're going to read this year."
--The Guardian "Leonie Swann writes lyrically about sheep and wisdom, throwing in a bit pf philosophy and a generous dollop of gentle humor . . . Three Bags Full is appealing and amusing, with moments of sadness and poignancy. . . Prepare to be utterly charmed."
--Shelf Awareness "A completely original, sparklingly inventive, cleverly written story . . . 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 . . . Good fun and a fine first novel from a promising new writer."
--Booklist, Starred Review "[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
"Just when you thought you'd seen a detective in every guise imaginable, here comes one in sheep's clothing . . . The sustained tone of straight-faced wonderment is magical."
--Kirkus Reviews
"Humorous, mythical, philosophical, endearing, and in a magical way, very believable."
--New York Journal of Books "I normally do not like talking animal books. (At least not since I was five or six!) I have to make an exception for this one. It had me thinking, smiling and chuckling . . . This debut by German author Leonie Swann marks her as a writer to watch."
--Kittling Books
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
Publisher:
Soho Crime
Pub date:
2025-02-25
Length:
384 pages
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