A murder mystery in which the detective-work is done by a flock of sheep? YMBK. And, if you’ve noticed my preference for realistic crime stories and political thrillers, you’ll probably be surprised that Big Bad Wool and its predecessor Three Bags Full were two of my favorite books of the last year—sheepy detectives notwithstanding. As testaments to the books’ appeal, Three Bags Full has been translated into more than thirty languages and is currently being made into a movie starring Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, Bryan Cranston, and others. Big Bad Wool was translated from the original German by Amy Bojang.
Dark doings occur in these books, including murder. The sheep don’t perfectly understand the human world, of course, but they are observant, patient, and one of them—Miss Maple—is quite clever at putting two and two together. Part of their understanding of humankind has developed through their shepherds’ habit of reading to them each night: mysteries, romances, and, in one disturbing interlude, a text on sheep diseases.
In this story, Rebecca, their shepherdess, has taken the sheep on a long-promised trip to Europe. She lives in her caravan along with her Mum, a devotee of the Tarot, though sheep keep eating a card here or there, diminishing the deck and people’s possible fortunes. Shepherdess, Mum, and sheep are overwintering alongside a French chateau. Snow is on the meadow and ominous tracks are everywhere. Animals are being found in the forest, brutally murdered. Is a werewolf on the prowl? Rebecca worries about the safety of her sheep, and they worry about hers. The plot becomes complicated, making the story perhaps somewhat overlong, but it’s refreshing seeing the world through the eyes of the animals, and I didn’t mind.
The sheep bring distinct personalities and skills to this adventure. Aside from Miss Maple’s acknowledged cleverness, Mopple has the best memory, Othello is a born leader and learned a lot in his early days living in a zoo, Lane is the fastest runner, and the fearless winter lamb, born out of sync with the sheep calendar, hasn’t acquired a name yet and longs for one.
The sheep meadow is next to a fenced-in herd of goats. The temperamental and attitudinal differences between the species—as well as what you could call their different “skill sets”—prove most entertaining and useful. Swann (a pen name) must be exceptionally observant to render animal behavior so vividly and convincingly. Some things the sheep get wrong, and others they understand quite differently than the humans do—the value of veterinarians, for example—though they have an enviable ability to tell when a human is lying. They go about their sheepy business (mainly focused on eating) in a charming, sheepy way. I hated for this oddly comforting book to end!
P.S. When the Public Safety Writers Association decided to have a detective-themed costume event at its annual meeting last summer, you can guess mine!