Book Club “Three Bags Full”
For January we chose the book “Three Bags Full”, A Sheep Detective Story, by Leonie Swann and translated by Anthea Bell. While wandering a book shop, one CozyCrimes book club member came across this novel and was fascinated by the idea of a mystery told from the point of view of sheep. Of course, we all agreed this was something we wanted to read and discuss! When we found out this was being adapted into a movie this year with Hugh Jackman (called The Sheep Detectives) we were even more ewe-phoric!
Book
Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann
Description:
Something is not right with George the shepherd. His sheep have gathered around him outside the cozy Irish village of Glennkill to assess the situation. George has cared for the sheep, reading them books every night, and now he lies pinned to the ground with a spade. His flock, far savvier about the workings of the human mind than your average sheep, sets out to find George’s killer, led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world).
Her team of investigators includes Othello, who was rescued from the Dublin Zoo; Mopple the Whale, who is always hungry and remembers everything; and Zora, an existential ewe—just to name a few. Together, the sheep discuss the crime late into the night, and their speculations vary wildly. Determined to unravel the mystery, they embark on furtive missions into the village, where they encounter a hoof-full of two-legged suspects. There’s Ham, the terrifying butcher who smells of death; Rebecca, the secretive village newcomer; and Father Will, a sinister priest the sheep call God.
With wit and heart, this clever international bestseller is a mystery to chew on—and savor.
Club
Snack suggestions:
For meals, you could definitely lean into snacks that the flock of sheep would enjoy, or food featured at the human picnic (tomato salad).
We focused more on dessert and created cupcakes that look like sheep!
These were a fun treat to decorate, using marshmallows as wool and blackberries for the sheep faces. You could serve these treats outright or make decorating them an activity for the club as they discuss the mystery.
Check out Cozy Crimes’ book club questions that can be used for any mystery.
Here are our questions targeted to Three Bags Full :
1. How did the sheep function as a flock? How did their unique skills and personalities help them achieve their goals? Who was your favorite sheep? Which do you think is really the smartest sheep?
2. Who would you consider “the wolf” in the story?
3. Since this is told from the POV of sheep, their interpretations of the human world color their investigations. What interpretations did you find most interesting? Were there moments you were confused? Were there moments of dramatic irony where you knew more than the characters?
4. The sheep have their own philosophies. Which did you relate to or find intriguing?
5. Which characters did you suspect the most? How did the lens of the sheeps' thoughts color your suspicions?
6. What clues did you think were most important throughout the book? How did they ultimately play into the happenings in the town?
7. This book was translated from German. Did everyone read the same edition? How might translation affect the story?
8. How would you describe George Glenn?
9. What does Europe represent to the sheep and to George? Would you read the second book to see what occurs there?
10. What other animals do you think would make good detectives? From what animal perspective would you like to see investigate?
