Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story

by: Leonie Swann; translated by Anthea Bell

Published by: Doubleday

Reviewed by Kathy Perschmann

Without a doubt this has to be the most unusual set of detectives ever conceived. Swann (a pseudonym) has managed to create a sociological and metaphysical commentary on flocks, animals, villages, communities, families, and religion—in the guise of an enjoyable mystery story set in Ireland.

Shepherd George Glenn is found dead in the middle of his beautiful pasture overlooking the sea, where he lives most of the time in a caravan with his flock of sheep on the fringes of the small isolated Irish town of Glennkill. He raises them for wool, and cares for them deeply. He feeds them special foods, reads to them, and teaches them by reading to them of sheep diseases. Most unsettling is that a spade has been driven though his body!

The sheep are dismayed, but Miss Maple, the smartest, decides they must find out what happened. A cursory investigation by the police turn up no clues, except that George had first been poisoned. One of the main handicaps for the sheep in their investigation is that they are not a part of everyday village life, and not available to overhear conversations, the way a pet dog or cat might; but there are plenty of visits to the pasture by suspects where events are discussed.

There are many odd goings on, like nighttime thieves trying to get into the caravan; and a visit in the fog by the nasty butcher Ham. When necessary Miss Maple, Mopple (the sheep in the flock famous for his memory and his appetite) or Othello (a black ram who has been out in the world, and has lived in the zoo and worked in a circus) travel the short road to the village, and listen in on conversations outside homes, Ham the butchers place, and even visit the church, attend George’s funeral, and the reading of his will.

When the shepherd Gabriel moves his flock of sheep (a meat breed!) to the pasture to help care for George’s flock (and keep track of the caravan), even more clues are revealed. Where did George get his money? Why is he estranged from his wife, Kate, and what exactly is his relationship with Tess? Why did Beth keep coming around trying to “convert” George? How is the flock going to find justice at the annual “Smartest sheep in Glennkill” contest at the pub?

My favorite scene was when the flock wants to drive off Gabriel and his mute and spooky meat breed sheep, and they know they have to scare him—so they imitate the symptoms of scrapie (a contagious and fatal sheep disease) and he and his flock are gone.

Armchair Interviews says: This fantastic cozy mystery has been translated into 15 languages from the original German.