Name: The Trouble with Goats and Sheep
ISBN: 9780008132187

Joanna Cannon

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ‘Part whodunnit, part coming of age, this is a gripping debut about the secrets behind every door’ RACHEL JOYCE

The Trouble with Goats and Sheep

Part coming-of-age story, part mystery, The Trouble with Goats and Sheep is a quirky and utterly charming debut about a community in need of absolution and two girls learning what it means to belong. England, 1976. Mrs. Creasy is missing and the Avenue is alive with whispers. The neighbors blame her sudden disappearance on the heat wave, but ten-year-olds Grace and Tilly aren’t convinced. As the summer shimmers endlessly on, the girls decide to take matters into their own hands. Inspired by the local vicar, they go looking for God—they believe that if they find Him they might also find Mrs. Creasy and bring her home. Spunky, spirited Grace and quiet, thoughtful Tilly go door to door in search of clues. The cul-de-sac starts to give up its secrets, and the amateur detectives uncover much more than ever imagined. As they try to make sense of what they’ve seen and heard, a complicated history of deception begins to emerge. Everyone on the Avenue has something to hide, a reason for not fitting in. In the suffocating heat of the summer, the ability to guard these differences becomes impossible. Along with the parched lawns and the melting pavement, the lives of all the neighbors begin to unravel. What the girls don’t realize is that the lies told to conceal what happened one fateful day about a decade ago are the same ones Mrs. Creasy was beginning to peel back just before she disappeared.

A Novel

A child narrator that just did not work well for me. Themes were not subtle and came across as overly moralistic. 

Sarah Erle

THE SUNDAY TIMES DOUBLE BESTSELLER 'Part whodunnit, part coming of age, this is a gripping debut about the secrets behind every door' RACHEL JOYCE 'A very special book' NATHAN FILER 'An utter delight' SARAH WINMAN 'A delight' PAULA HAWKINS 'A treasure chest of a novel' JULIE COHEN 'One of the standout novels of the year' HANNAH BECKERMAN 'I didn't want the book to end' CARYS BRAY 'An excellent debut' JAMES HANNAH 'Grace and Tilly are my new heroes' KATE HAMER 'A wonderful debut' JILL MANSELL 'A modern classic in the making' SARAH HILARY 'A stunning debut' KATIE FFORDE 'Phenomenal' MIRANDA DICKINSON England,1976. Mrs Creasy is missing and The Avenue is alive with whispers. As the summer shimmers endlessly on, ten-year-olds Grace and Tilly decide to take matters into their own hands. And as the cul-de-sac starts giving up its secrets, the amateur detectives will find much more than they imagined...

Dave Perkins

Loved this. Brought back feelings from my childhood and hometown. Also a great challenge to not judge people. Great fun.

Part coming-of-age story, part mystery, The Trouble with Goats and Sheep is a quirky and utterly charming debut about a community in need of absolution and two girls learning what it means to belong.

“I loved this book. It's one of those books that you just want to give to everybody.” —Nancy Pearl on NPR’s Morning Edition “An astute, engaging debut” (Publishers Weekly), The Trouble with Goats and Sheep is a quirky and utterly charming tale of a community in need of reconciliation and two girls learning what it means to belong. England, 1976. Mrs. Creasy is missing and the Avenue is alive with whispers. The neighbors blame her sudden disappearance on the heat wave, but ten-year-olds Grace and Tilly aren’t convinced, and decide to take matters into their own hands. Spunky, spirited Grace and quiet, thoughtful Tilly go door to door in search of clues. The cul-de-sac starts to give up its secrets, and the amateur detectives uncover more than they ever imagined. A complicated history of deception begins to emerge—everyone on the Avenue has something to hide. During that sweltering summer, the lives of all the neighbors begin to unravel. The girls come to realize that the lies told to conceal what happened one fateful day about a decade ago are the same ones Mrs. Creasy was starting to peel back just before she disappeared... “A thoughtful tale of loyalty and friendship, family dynamics and human nature” (Kirkus Reviews), this glorious debut is part coming-of-age story, part mystery. The Trouble with Goats and Sheep radiates an unmistakable warmth and intelligence and is “rife with tiny extraordinaries” (The New York Times Book Review). “Joanna Cannon is an author to watch” (Booklist, starred review).

Jana Reetz

Steve Parks

Part whodunnit, part coming of age, this is a gripping debut about the secrets behind every door RACHEL JOYCE An utter delight SARAH WINMAN A treasure chest of a novel JULIE COHEN One of the standout novels of the year HANNAH BECKERMAN I didn't want the book to end CARYS BRAY An excellent debut JAMES HANNAH Grace and Tilly are my new heroes KATE HAMER A wonderful debut JILL MANSELL A modern classic in the making SARAH HILARY A stunning debut KATIE FFORDE Phenomenal MIRANDA DICKINSON England,1976. Mrs Creasy is missing and The Avenue is alive with whispers. As the summer shimmers endlessly on, ten-year-olds Grace and Tilly decide to take matters into their own hands. And as the cul-de-sac starts giving up its secrets, the amateur detectives will find much more than they imagined "

The Trouble with Goats and Sheep

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