German author Leonie Swann has written a fabulous debut novel. In rural Glenkill, Ireland, George the shepherd is found dead in his meadow - stabbed with a spade. Miss Maple is naturally very concerned. Or, not naturally, as Miss Maple is a sheep, rumored to be the smartest sheep in Glenkill. She and the rest of the flock - including lead ram Sir Ritchfield, always-hungry Mopple the Whale, and mysterious black sheep Othello, begin their investigation. Of course, the flock uses all the usual sheepy philosophies, pointing out that humans have very small souls and grass is the most sensible thing of all. They soon have a vast array of suspects - the butcher always smells of death, nobody likes God in his stiff collar, and Gabriel's sheep are alarmingly silent. In their search for clues, the sheep go to confession, haunt the village of Glenkill, and perform a fabulous pantomime, but will their investigation finally bring the killer to justice? Josephine Bailey narrates this audio book with a wide array of sheepy and human voices - never overdone or cutesy. Adult lovers of British mysteries will eat this one up!
