On a hillside near the quaint Irish village of Glennkill, the flock gathers around the dead body of their shepherd, George, who lies pinned to the ground with a spade. George cared deeply for the sheep, reading to them daily, and as a result they are far smarter than your average flock.
Led by Miss Maple, the sharpest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world), they set out to find George's killer. With an assortment of woolly investigators on the case, there are furtive missions into the village and a collection of two-legged suspects to chew over.
Dazzingly original, Three Bags Full introduces a band of detectives who are a breed apart.
What did I think?
As soon as I heard that Hugh Jackman was starring in Three Bags Full, a movie about sheep detectives, I just had to read the book that the film is based on and it is every bit as fun and unique as I thought it would be.
I do love a cast of characters in a book and Three Bags Full starts with a 'dramatis oves' to introduce the reader to all of the sheep characters in the book. I loved this - it adds an element of fun to the book but also reminds us that animals have their own quirks and characteristics too.
The flock love George their shepherd, who reads to them every night and has promised them a trip to Europe, so they are completely distraught to find him dead one day. There are lots of clues for them to follow to identify the murderer, starting with the spade that has been stuck in him and the hoofprint on his chest. When the villagers gather round, they don't realise that the sheep are listening...
Oh I did enjoy this book, it is so much fun and I loved all of the sheep characters. The sheep don't think like humans so I did sometimes struggle with what on earth they were talking about and I still don't know what 'the thing' is but I've had fun trying to work it out. The mystery of George's death is very well plotted and I would never have worked it out in a million years, so well played Leonie Swann, well played indeed.
Highly original and impossible to predict, Three Bags Full is an unusual, fun and surprising murder mystery. If you love cosy mysteries and you're looking for something different to read then I would highly recommend Three Bags Full. I can't wait to see the movie now, even though I know whodunnit.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
My rating:
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