The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon (A Review by Jennifer Boksman)
Rating: 5/5
This is a lovely, sinister tale of an avenue in suburbia, during a heat wave (the likes no one has seen for years) and the people who reside there.
Sinister because there is a dark secret hidden by a few of the neighbours, Mrs. Creasy has gone missing and the story is lovely because you will fall in love with Gracie and Tilly. These 2 little girls have decided to find God on their street, as well as clues to the whereabouts of their missing neighbour, during their summer vacation.
Gracie is all knowing and pushy and little Tilly is delicate, quiet and would follow Gracie off the end of earth (if there was one). While the 2 girls make their way around the avenue, chatting with any of the neighbours who will give them the time of day, they slowly, unknowingly scrape back the surface of a secret that involves many of the characters. What unfolds is a story about community and collusion that is told from a few of the characters perspectives.
Easy to read, this story unfolds slowly and draws you in. It is a tale of deceit, lies and assumptions, this is a story you will devour quite readily. It will make you laugh out loud and in the next chapter have you ‘tut-tutting”. A terrific read!
Review by Jennifer Boksman