I was really hoping I could give this one a go and enjoy myself a quirky little cosy sheep mutstery. Through no fault of the writer's, I have to admit defeat, I didn't manage to get into this one. While I've loved past murder mysteries by Leonie Swan, like her Agnes Sharp series, I found myself drifting out of focus way too often for me to keep listening.

If you love unusual protagonists and you like your animals to be given a voice that does them justice and brings them to life, pick this one up.

This one is really confusing on audiobook. Maybe it's better in print. I wanted to like it. I didn't finish it.

🐑🐑🐏🐐🕵‍♂️

*bleets*

***If you've haven't read Three Bags Full, this is a direct sequel to the first book, so mild spoilers ahead if you haven't read the first one***

The sheep finally go to Europe, France specifically, and while on their grand adventure it was time to stop for a while, and this leads our favorite flock to a snowy meadow in the middle of rural France. Our fuzzy heros are now sandwiched between an orchard and the ever so terrifying goats, who practice their weird rituals as well as a chateau with its weird inhabitants. While just minding their business, they come about a mutilated deer, and they hear from the neighbors about the "Garou" legend, a kind of monster that lurks in the woods. This takes them into a wild misadventure and hilarious moments.

This audiobook was awesome, and I love this little flock of sheep dearly, I dont want to play my favorite, but Mopple the Whale might be my favorite one. Little dude is willing to eat anything once, and he's just hilarious overall. We are also introduced to another set MC Zora, Maude, and Heather, who set off to investigate things on their own, and now, with an added goat to join the investigation.

I loved this book so much! It was funny, mysterious, heartwarming, and such a riot to read and listen to! If you haven't read the first one and enjoy a disjointed, cozy mystery, I highly recommend you start this series!

Huge shout out, and thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for allowing me to listen to the audiobook version of this awesome book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in audiobook format.

Big Bad Wool by Leonie Swann, narrated by Caroline Lennon

Leonie Swann’s Big Bad Wool is a woolly whodunit that proves once again that crime-solving sheep are not only plausible—they’re downright delightful. In this sequel to Three Bags Full, the flock from Glennkill trades their Irish pastures for a French château, only to find themselves entangled in a mystery that’s part Grimm’s fairy tale, part Agatha Christie, and entirely original.

The premise is as eccentric as ever: sheep investigating a string of unnatural animal deaths, whispers of a werewolf, and the ominous disappearance of fellow flock members. But beneath the whimsy lies a surprisingly sharp meditation on fear, loyalty, and the stories we tell to make sense of the unknown. Swann’s prose—translated with charm by Amy Bojang—is rich with metaphor and mischief, and her sheep remain some of the most endearingly philosophical sleuths in fiction.

Caroline Lennon’s narration is a triumph of tone. She imbues each sheep with distinct personality—Miss Maple’s quiet wisdom, Mopple’s dreamy intuition, Othello’s brooding pragmatism—without ever tipping into caricature. Her voice carries the story with a gentle cadence that mirrors the flock’s woolly logic: slow, deliberate, and oddly profound. When the tension rises, Lennon tightens the reins just enough to keep listeners leaning in, ears perked.

What makes Big Bad Wool so compelling in audio is its rhythm. The pastoral pacing, the lyrical language, the occasional bleat of absurdity—it all flows like a bedtime story for grown-ups who like their fairy tales with a body count.

For listeners craving something cozy yet clever, surreal yet sincere, this audiobook is a rare breed: a mystery that’s both heartwarming and haunting, told by a narrator who knows exactly how to herd us through the fog.

I enjoyed 3 Bags Full but it may be the case that the concept of the sheep detectives only has enough charm and humor to sustain one book. This one didn't seem like it had any clear focus and there were too many characters overlapping eachother

I recently stumbled upon a delightful cozy mystery sub-genre featuring amateur sleuth animals—first with 'Pony Confidential' by Christina Lynch, and now with this series by Leonie Swann. Given how skillfully Swann navigates the minds of quirky characters (and a few beloved pets) in the Miss Sharp Investigates series, it was an easy decision to pick up her Sheep Detective Story series.

I have since learned that this is her debut series, written almost two decades ago—and it shows. The pacing drags in places, and the mystery can be almost too twisty to follow. Still, it's fun to see how she's grown as an author, especially since my favorite of hers, 'Agnes Sharp and the Trip of a Lifetime', came out just last year. It’s clear that while her storytelling has matured, she’s retained her signature charm.

Overall, I’m a big fan of Swann’s audiobooks. Her hilariously endearing writing gives the narrator so much personality to work with, and Caroline Lennon does a fantastic job bringing it to life—though I did keep the speed at 1.25x most of the time due to the slower narration.

'Big Bad Wool' builds on the character development from 'Three Bags Full', making it easier to immerse yourself in the mystery after getting to know all the characters. That said, the books in this series are quite long. If you don’t get invested in the lives of these quirky animals, you may feel lost or lose interest. However, for those who enjoy the silly tangents that sheep (and goats) take while stumbling into sleuthing, it’s a funny and entertaining escape. Given the mostly helpless nature of the animal cast, this installment actually felt more suspenseful than the first, yet it still delivers plenty of light-hearted moments.

Special thanks to RB Media and NetGalley for providing access to this audiobook. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The delightful sheep author Leonie Swann introduced us to in "Three Bags Full" are back, but this time they're in France on the grounds of a castle. Their pasture borders one containing opinionated goats, and both these groups will be involved in figuring out the strange human happenings occurring that winter.

Their new shepherdess Rebecca (George's daughter) is reading to them, as stipulated by George's will. She lives in an RV/caravan with sheep dog Tess. Then her tarot-reading mother arrives, causing Rebecca some frustration.

The intelligent Miss Maple, Maude (best nose), Lane (the fastest), Zora (abyss-loving) and Mopple the Whale (keeper of the herd's memories), the new unnamed Winter Lamb, among other sheep in the herd, and the goats, watch the goings-on around them. Someone has been killing deer in the woods, and there is word that a Garou, werewolf, is responsible. Then a man is found dead in the woods…..

There are nefarious things happening amongst the humans, and Rebecca learns some details about the history of the castle, and there are some ever so slightly scary moments during the course of this novel.

I love the idea of sheep detectives, and though the sheep do make some strides in understanding what is going on, it's the misunderstandings they, and the goats, have about human actions that make this a funny story.

There are moments of sheer silliness, as the herd attempts to protect Rebecca with silver, and the discussions with the goats are terrific.

This is not a fast-paced novel, and though I said it was funny, it's mostly gentle humour, instead of belly-laughs. Having read the first book, I knew that what makes the premise of this novel so enjoyable is the many conversations amongst the sheep as they attempt to puzzle out human actions and motives, many of which seem bizarre and silly to the animals.

I listened to this book, and the narration was wonderful. Caroline Lennon's voicing of the sheep and goats frequently had me smiling: I loved her Miss Maple, and Mopple. The standout for me was Lennon's Aubrey the goat, whose madcap ideas had me laughing -- he's such a delight, and brought so much energy to every scene he was in.

I do hope the sheep get a chance to use their talents for detection again, wherever they end up next. Their woolly logic and beliefs (woolpower!) are amusing and endearing, and I would love to spend more time with them.

Thank you to Netgalley and to RBMedia for this ARC in exchange for my review.

It’s winter, and the flock of sheep from “Three Bags Full,” the first book in a series “The Sheep Detective Stories” by Leonie Swann, goes to France, together with their shepherdess Rebecca and her eccentric, tarot-reading mom. They stay on a snowy meadow, with Rebecca’s trailer close by and a majestic chateau in the distance. And there is a forest.  Sheep are a bit of vary of a forest, especially after hearing that there were some unexplained deer deaths, and the creature named Garou – perhaps a werewolf – might be the one to blame. This Garou character sounds scary and mysterious. He might be after the sheep, and as far as the flock knows, he is only afraid of silver and holy water. Sheep can get hold of a piece of silver, but holy water would be harder to get. After all, they have never seen water with holes in it…

I enjoyed the first book in this series and was excited to learn that the second book has been translated into English. It is a pleasure to read. Each sheep has its distinctive character and voice. There is Othello,  the black lead ram; Miss Maple, “the cleverest sheep in the flock and maybe even the world,” Mopple the Whale, Zora, and others. Together, they have a lot of “wool power.”

“Big Bad Wool” is more a thriller than a mystery, as the first book was, and it’s not just an idyllic story with cute animals. I followed the plot with genuine interest and loved how the sheep interacted with each other, as well as with the group of goats and with people.  It’s a delightful novel, written with a great sense of humor, and I can’t wait for the next sheep detective story!

"With one solved mystery under their wooly belts, the time has come for the sheep of Glennkill to explore Europe. Together with their new shepherdess, Rebecca, they move into their winter quarters in the shadow of a French chateau. But their new home is far from idyllic. A number of sheep from a previous flock have disappeared, and deer are dying unnatural deaths in the forest. The strange goats from the neighboring pasture have a theory: a werewolf. Could that be real, or just a fantasy?"

I have really mixed feelings about this book. I haven't read the first in the series, but I think the reader can get the gist of the story fairly quickly, so I'm not sure that impacted my feelings. The good is that the sheep are absolutely charming and adorable. You want them to solve the mystery and live full, fuzzy lives. The bad is, it took a really, really long time for me to get into the story. The first third was so slow, I almost gave up. But the whimsey kept me involved, and I persevered. I'm unsure if it's just a clunky translation, since it picked up eventually, but I'm glad I stuck with it. It wasn't all baaaaaaad (:P)

I received a free audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I read the first entry in this series years ago. It was fun to revisit this zany bunch. I love a unique spin or a quirky point of view and this certainly delivers on both.

3 out of 5 stars

Big Bad Wool was an enjoyable follow-up. I liked the mystery elements and appreciated that the story is told from the animals' points of view—it’s still such a unique concept. The writing was strong, just like in the first book, and the audiobook narration brought the characters to life in a fun way.

That said, I think I enjoyed the first book a bit more because it felt new and unexpected. This one was solid, but the novelty had worn off a little. Still, if you liked the first one, I’d definitely recommend picking this up—it keeps the quirky charm going.

This started strong, but it dragged quite a bit in the middle and by the end of it, everything felt super convoluted. Interesting idea though! Looking forward to Swann's next book :)

A big thank you goes out to NetGalley and RBmedia for giving me the opportunity to have this as an ALC!

First thing, I have to say this was such a fun read!
Told from the perspective of a flock of sheep that has been inherited by their previous shepherd's daughter and relocated to Europe, an investigation into a possible werewolf unfolds.

The opening scene really set the tone for me, starting the book off with a sneaky view of the story's antagonist (identity, of course, withheld).

The relationship between shepherdess, Rebecca and her mother is a delightful mix of frustrating and heartwarming, the flock of sheep are such a wonderful mix of characters, and the whole story had such a nice balance of eerie and serious moments, with comedy and heart from the sheep.

I hope to see more of the Sheep Detective Story series in the future!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Big Bad Wool is the second book in in the Sheep Detective Story series by German author, Leonie Swann. It is translated by Amy Bojang. The audio version is narrated by Caroline Lennon. As stipulated in her father’s will, Rebecca reads to the flock every night, which they mostly love (Silence of the Lambs was too creepy and no sheep).

She has also taken them to Europe, as George Glenn had promised to do, but they’re not impressed: “The Europe George had told them about was full of apple blossom, with herby meadows and peculiar long bread. Nobody had said anything about honking cars, dusty country lanes and buzzing gnats, nothing of snow and ghost-sheep, let alone goats.”

They are in a snow-covered French meadow, flanked by an orchard on one side, and a field of goats on the other, and a strange unshorn ram hanging about. Rebecca’s caravan (wherein her Mum also resides) is parked close by, and they have a view of the woods and the Chateau, home to some unusual characters. When Cloud escapes the dreaded vet’s clutches and runs into the woods, Rebecca’s search yields no ewe, but a shocking sight: a mutilated deer.

Unaware, and with their need to avoid the vet prevailing, they manage a mass escape into the woods through the goats’ field, where they are warned of the Garou: a human who becomes a wolf. On their return to the meadow, the flock’s new lead ram, Othello is watching the reactions to this, and remarks “The humans around here, and the goats and the strange sheep . . . they remember something. And they’re waiting for something.”

He decides that, for Rebecca’s and their own safety, they need to leave, so while flock look for traces of the Garou, “Maude, Zora and Heather had set out to find the extra-large car that had brought the sheep here. Maude would pick up its scent. Zora would confront it. And Heather would convince it to take them away from this place.” The three are eventually joined in adventure by Aubrey, a little black goat who knows quite a bit about the Garou.

Before the dramatic climax and a very satisfying resolution, Rebecca’s favourite clothes are vandalised, a murdered man is hidden in the snow, Mum reads cards for locals, their old sheepdog becomes a victim, the workout the sheep get from the new sheepdog makes the goats jealous, Rebecca sets a trap, and three of the goats convince Mopple the Whale to join them in consulting the wise, wild old billy goat, Bernie, via the maze, just to make it interesting.

On their various excursions, different sheep observe or overhear different parts of the mystery and form conclusions naively based on innocent ignorance, but Miss Maple still proves herself to be the smartest sheep, often to the frustration of the flock when she casts doubt on their convictions. There’s a kidnapping, and quite a few of the flock display great courage, one even managing to defeat the Garou; the winter lamb decides on a name.

Swann prefaces the tale with character lists titled à la Shakespeare, not just Dramatis Oves, but also Dramatis Caprae, Dramatis Personae, and Dramatis Canidae, and so skilfully depicts the way sheep and goats behave that the reader can easily picture their reactions to what happens.

Swann has a lot of fun with wordplay: like woolpower for willpower, goodwool for goodwill, and the flock’s literal interpretations of English expressions provides plenty of humour: “The sheep were left a bit baffled at the thought of time flying. First pigs, now time! What was next?” and of the Garou, “’He’s afraid of silver – and holy water!’ Neither of them had ever seen water with holes in it – or did it mean bubbles maybe?”.

When Rebecca exclaims “’Holy cow!’ The holey cow was a very special cow that Rebecca invoked on special occasions. The sheep had never seen it, just like the flying pigs, and they hardly dared imagine what a cow with holes in it might look like but presumed it must drink holey water.” And of the gardener “The goats even claimed he had a house where it was always summer, and apparently, he secretly grew lettuce there.” This sequel is such an entertaining cosy that it’s sad there are no further books in the series.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and RB Media.

I'm always excited to read a new Leonie Swann book because she has characters with the oddest points of view. This series is about sheep who solve mysteries, and she makes it work, and it's so much fun to watch them figure everything out.
I do always forget how dark the topics are, and there are dead animals and a possible werewolf in this story, along with possible mental illness. But there are also other characters I ended up really liking, and the resolution of the mystery was satisfying and made sense (too many stories I read lately try so hard to shock that I struggle to believe the endings).
This is definitely another winner, and thanks to NetGalley, I got to listen to the audiobook. I was a little confused sometimes following it, but it was very well done.

Big Bad Wool

By Leonie Swann
Narrator: Caroline Lennon

The narrator had her job cut out for her. So many different voices and she did them all very well.

I was given a lot of information about the first novel from a good friend. So I began listening to this 2nd story with that knowledge.

I rarely listen to mystery/thrillers.
It takes something truly unique for me to start one. This is a fun mystery and I giggled often.

I had a bit of trouble following along with the story. But I stuck with it and listened in a quiet room without distractions. I also listened to this twice. That helped a bit.
My advice would be to really take this novel in without distractions if you can. At least for me it worked better that way.

A lot happens, tons of twists and turns. It’s hard not to give spoilers. Many characters are involved in the mystery and of course the goats are the busy bodies. Those goats can’t be trusted.

For myself I loved Mople the Whale and the silly winter lamb.
Their personalities are the complete opposite in the very best way.

The best part was how these sheep, who are moved to a new location and with a new shepherdess, adjust and take on the new meadow and mystery, with little fear and a big dose of spunk.

I wont be able to look at sheep or goats without thinking of this novel.

Many thanks to RBmedia/Recorded Books for the free copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
#BigBadWool #NetGalley

Second in a series of “sheep detective stories” by the German author Leonie Swann, this 2025 release of Big Bad Wool is a new English translation of the book first published in 2009. Its predecessor, Three Bags Full, is scheduled for release as a major motion picture in 2026. This charming sequel, enjoyable on its own without reading the previous story, feels like a fusion of Animal Farm, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, and of course, Little Red Riding Hood. The narration by Caroline Lennon, adds a delightful Irish lilt to the experience in the Audible version.

In this story, a flock of sheep from Ireland are spending the winter in France with their shepherdess. The sheep are curious about the surroundings of their temporary home, but quite hesitant about exploring beyond the pasture. In the adjacent field is a herd of French goats who seem more lively but not at all inquisitive, and, in the sheep’s opinion, the goats are quite foolish. Though apprehensive about wandering away from their safe meadow enclosure, in order to evade the visiting vet the sheep form an expedition into the adjacent forest through a gap in the fence. There, they see alarming signs suggesting that a terrifying and predatory “garou,” a werewolf described by the nonsensical goats, might truly exist. As more strange events occur that worry the sheep, it is a treat, often humorous, to hear them cautiously reason and attempt to solve an increasingly scary puzzle by proposing alternatives to their natural “herd mentality.”

Readers who seek mysteries that are fast-paced and thrilling will likely find the story’s pace slow, as the sleuths in this story are the observant, but dawdling sheep - not professionally trained human detectives. Those who enjoy imaginative stories at a cozy, relaxed speed, with central characters that are more enchanting than terrifying, will find this unique, adult fairy-tale very appealing.

Thank you to Net Galley and Soho Crime for this ARC.

3.5 stars.

A mystery that is told half (or more) through the eyes of the sheep has the potential to be really dumb or utterly adorable, and this fell into the latter category. I smiled a lot throughout the story and laughed out loud a couple times. Humans and human things, from a sheep's perspective, are hilarious. It's endearing, a bit slow at times, but then the sheep say something like wanting to set a "booby" instead of "boobytrap" and get the booby up into the tree, and I'm giggling like crazy. This is a great palate cleanser or an offbeat cozy to shake up your normal reading.

Thank you to Leonie Swann, RBmedia & NetGalley for the audioARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3.5 stars.
Genre(s): crime, thriller, humour.

Overall impression: an unconventional and humorous murder mystery told from the perspective of a flock of sheep. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this story but it exceeded all my expectations. The sheep were my favourite characters with their unique personalities and overly-literal way of interpreting the world. The goats provided plenty of sass and comic relief, and helped introduce some adventure and exploration into the story. The pacing was a bit on the slow side but I had a thoroughly enjoyable time listening to the audiobook on my commute.

Tropes:
➵ Untraditional story
➵ Told through the eyes of animals
➵ Murder mystery
➵ Animal sacrifices
➵ No witnesses
➵ Superstitions
➵ Tarot reading
➵ Set in isolated village
➵ Everyone is a suspect
➵ Witty dialogue
➵ Unintentionally hilarious

⤷ Plot:
The story followed a fairly simple central plot - trying to discover who was killing animals, breaking into the shepherdess' caravan and threatening the safety of the flock. Because it was told from the perspective of the sheep, the story ended up taking lots of twists and turns making deciphering the evidence even more difficult. You have to really pay attention to keep up with what was going on because the characters often split up and there were a lot of moving parts. It was a very unconventional murder mystery and I had a lot of fun trying to solve it!

⤷ Characters:
Funnily enough, the sheep all had such unique personalities and it was the humans that all seemed to blend together to me. They were fiercely protective of their shepherdess (and their meal, TV and reading time), and worked together to solve the mystery of the werewolf. The goats also played a critical role - helping the sheep escape their pen to avoid seeing the vet and initiating their first adventure into the woods. They had sassy personalities and provided comic relief.

⤷ World-building:
Most of the book was set in the field overlooked by the shepherdess' caravan. But through the sheep's adventures, we got to explore the surrounding forest and chateau. The world-building was really nicely done and we got to see the landscape through a new animal-centred perspective. Their appreciation for nature was obvious and there were a few funny scenes where they interpreted things differently, like when they saw their reflection in a puddle and thought it was a fabled underwater sheep.

⤷ Writing:
The pacing of the story was a bit too slow for my liking. It was easy to follow but it seemed to take a while for anything to happen. The writing style made it easy to read for long periods of time and I was constantly wanting to know what would happen next.

⤷ Everything else:
The narrator was really good at voicing different characters and changed her accent/tone enough that I could picture the various animals and people while she was talking. The pacing of the story was really slow, so I probably wouldn't have rated it so highly or enjoyed it as much if I was reading the print format. The audiobook definitely made it more engaging!