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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder
Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Sexual content, Suicide
It's almost a shame this book gets shelved as a mystery. While a murder mystery underpins the action on the page, the book has very little to do with mystery and hard-core mystery fans will probably come away feeling a little underwhelmed. This book is a pretty neat commentary on books and literature; it's about existentialism and the meaning of life; it's about the relationship between humans and animals; it's a sort of conversation with one of the most important novels in the English canon (and I'm not going to tell you which, because that would spoil *everything*).
No, it's not much of a mystery. But it's a multi-layered text packed with humor, mystery, and even weirdness, and I have a hunch it gets better with every read.
Also, I loved reading a book from the point of view of sheep!
No, it's not much of a mystery. But it's a multi-layered text packed with humor, mystery, and even weirdness, and I have a hunch it gets better with every read.
Also, I loved reading a book from the point of view of sheep!
Most entertaining mystery I've ever read. Wonderful quirky characters (human and sheep). Delightful sense of humor. And some of the sheep are quite philosophical!
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The heroes of this ewe-nique book (sorry, couldn't help myself!) are a flock of sheep left shepherd-less when their shepherd George is found dead in their field one morning, pinned to the ground with a spade. The sheep had been very fond of George who had cared for his little flock very well, even going so far as to read to them. This has made them cleverer than we would normally consider sheep and they are determined to solve the mystery of who killed George and why.
It was fun getting to know the various different sheep and discovering their personalities. Who knew that sheep had personalities? There is a cast list at the beginning of the book but you’ll soon get to know the individual sheep. It made me smile that there were several literary references in their names from Miss Maple (the cleverest sheep) to Othello who is of course a black ram, Fosco who is very intelligent, Cordelia who likes unusual words and Melmoth, a sheep who has disappeared. You will no doubt recognise all or some of these as characters from fiction. Special mention for the human Inspector Holmes!
Part of the enjoyment of this book is that the sheep who are usually considered quite stupid creatures, are of course more clever than the humans and are the ones who with their quiet observations and logical approach eventually solve the crime. Using their individual talents, they work together to get to the bottom of the situation. They may be smart but they also act just like you would imagine sheep to act. It was entertaining reading about their bewilderment at some human behaviours. It’s frequently an amusing story but surprisingly wise too.
The Guardian said that Three Bags Full is “without a doubt the best sheep detective novel you’re going to read this year”. Well the reviewer may have been correct when they wrote that but with a sequel, Big Bad Wool, due out in May this year, perhaps that will be up for debate! If you are looking for a detective novel which is very different from any other you’ll likely have read, give this charming book a try.
It was fun getting to know the various different sheep and discovering their personalities. Who knew that sheep had personalities? There is a cast list at the beginning of the book but you’ll soon get to know the individual sheep. It made me smile that there were several literary references in their names from Miss Maple (the cleverest sheep) to Othello who is of course a black ram, Fosco who is very intelligent, Cordelia who likes unusual words and Melmoth, a sheep who has disappeared. You will no doubt recognise all or some of these as characters from fiction. Special mention for the human Inspector Holmes!
Part of the enjoyment of this book is that the sheep who are usually considered quite stupid creatures, are of course more clever than the humans and are the ones who with their quiet observations and logical approach eventually solve the crime. Using their individual talents, they work together to get to the bottom of the situation. They may be smart but they also act just like you would imagine sheep to act. It was entertaining reading about their bewilderment at some human behaviours. It’s frequently an amusing story but surprisingly wise too.
The Guardian said that Three Bags Full is “without a doubt the best sheep detective novel you’re going to read this year”. Well the reviewer may have been correct when they wrote that but with a sequel, Big Bad Wool, due out in May this year, perhaps that will be up for debate! If you are looking for a detective novel which is very different from any other you’ll likely have read, give this charming book a try.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
First published in 2005, Leonie Swann's debut is being reissued twenty years later, and it's still a wonderful read.
When their shepherd is found dead with a spade through him, his flock are unsettled. Led by Miss Maple, the cleverest sheep in the flock, they work to bring the culprit to justice.
First they need to find out what justice is.
The small flock had a good relationship with their shepherd, George. He read them stories. Sometimes stories about sheep diseases which they didn't enjoy, and sometimes there was a detective story, which George didn't like so didn't finish. But mostly he read trashy historical romance stories where all the women seemed to be called Pamela. The sheep enjoyed the Pamela novels. But with no shepherd, who will now read to them?
The flock are shown to have their own logic and their own ideas of what counts as important information and it was really enjoyable to see a murder investigation from a completely new perspective.
This is a quiet, thoughtful novel, beautifully written, and we as readers try to solve the puzzle but with information seen and processed through sheep minds, who are not as uncomplicated as we might believe. There are certainly some villagers in Glennkill that won't underestimate the flock after their escapades here.
Three bags full: of mystery, gentle humour and sheepy shenanigans!
When their shepherd is found dead with a spade through him, his flock are unsettled. Led by Miss Maple, the cleverest sheep in the flock, they work to bring the culprit to justice.
First they need to find out what justice is.
The small flock had a good relationship with their shepherd, George. He read them stories. Sometimes stories about sheep diseases which they didn't enjoy, and sometimes there was a detective story, which George didn't like so didn't finish. But mostly he read trashy historical romance stories where all the women seemed to be called Pamela. The sheep enjoyed the Pamela novels. But with no shepherd, who will now read to them?
The flock are shown to have their own logic and their own ideas of what counts as important information and it was really enjoyable to see a murder investigation from a completely new perspective.
This is a quiet, thoughtful novel, beautifully written, and we as readers try to solve the puzzle but with information seen and processed through sheep minds, who are not as uncomplicated as we might believe. There are certainly some villagers in Glennkill that won't underestimate the flock after their escapades here.
Three bags full: of mystery, gentle humour and sheepy shenanigans!
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I went into Three Bags Full expecting a quirky, clever mystery with a unique twist—sheep solving a murder. Unfortunately, while the premise is intriguing, the execution left a lot to be desired.
The book follows a flock of sheep trying to uncover the mystery behind their shepherd’s death. While this idea had potential for charm and humor, I found the storytelling slow and meandering. The sheep’s perspectives, though creative, often made the narrative feel disjointed and overly whimsical in a way that didn’t fully engage me. The humor didn’t land, and the pacing dragged, making it hard to stay invested.
Additionally, while the mystery itself had some interesting elements, the resolution felt underwhelming. I struggled to connect with the characters—both human and ovine—which made it difficult to care about the outcome.
Overall, Three Bags Full had an interesting concept but failed to hold my attention. If you enjoy slow, whimsical mysteries with an unconventional perspective, it might work better for you.
*Thank you to NetGalley, and Allison & Busby, for sending me a copy of this book and allowing me to read it. This review is left voluntarily and entirely my own opinion.*
Loved it. This is not the book to go to for a super well hashed out plot with all it's bases covered, it's a vibes book. But the vibes are top tier, the sheep's characters are well developed, and it does a great job of balancing fun and fluffy (lol) with sheepy philosophical bits.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated