The Trouble with Goats and Sheep: A Novel

In her masterful debut novel, The Trouble With Goats and Sheep, Joanna Cannon invites readers to explore the puzzling disappearance of Mrs. Creasy, whose sudden absence brings a host of other mysteries to light. Dwelling on the novel’s 1970s British avenue is a colorful cast of characters with incriminating secrets of their own. Cannon shifts between narrators, the most captivating of which is Grace, a lively and determined 10-year-old girl full of curiosity about many of life’s toughest questions. Motivated by the neighborhood’s vicar, Grace and her best friend Tilly are convinced that in order to find Mrs. Creasy, they must first find God. Thrilling, charming, witty, dark, and moving, Cannon’s novel is a must read.

Cannon’s prose is simply electric, but the magic of Cannon’s writing lies in the way she embraces ambiguity. With impeccable timing, she slowly unfolds the novel’s plot; however, she withholds certain details, letting the many possibilities fill the reader’s mind. Cannon has also imagined a hodgepodge community of neighbors that will leave readers wanting more; with incredible sensitivity, Cannon sheds a sympathetic light on all of her characters despite their faults, making each person wonderfully complex. The Trouble With Goats and Sheep is literary fiction at its best.