THREE BAGS FULL
Soon to be a major motion picture (The Sheep Detectives with Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Galitzine, and Emma Thompson), this funny and surprising mystery stars a new breed of detectives you’ve got to read to baaaaa-lieve.
This refreshed deluxe paperback features a foreword by internationally bestselling author A. J. Finn, discussion questions, and bonus materials.
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.
Soon to be a major motion picture (The Sheep Detectives with Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Galitzine, and Emma Thompson), this funny and surprising mystery stars a new breed of detectives you’ve got to read to baaaaa-lieve.
This refreshed deluxe paperback features a foreword by internationally bestselling author A. J. Finn, discussion questions, and bonus materials.
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.
- Soho Crime
- Paperback
- February 2026
- 384 Pages
- 9781641296823
Buy the Book
$19.95
About Leonie Swann & Anthea Bell (Translator)
Leonie Swann grew up near Munich and earned degrees in philosophy, communications, and psychology from Munich University and the Munich School of Philosophy. Her debut novel, Three Bags Full, has been translated into twenty-six languages and won the prestigious Glauser Prize for crime fiction in the debut category, as well as the PETA Award. She has now published six books, including the Agnes Sharp series, and lives and works in the English countryside near Cambridge.
Anthea Bell (1936–2018) was a translator from French and German. She translated many novels, including W. G. Sebald’s Austerlitz and Franz Kafka’s The Castle, as well as novellas and stories by Stefan Zweig. She won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 2012.
Praise
“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)