Three Bags Full

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

“Rich and complex . . . Swann dexterously handles 19 ovine characters who are as individual as my neighbors’ faces.”
—The Washington Post

“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

“A truly bucolic murder mystery . . . Safe to enjoy, even for those allergic to wool.”
—Asheville Citizen Times

“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