The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon
It’s 1976 on an avenue in England and Mrs. Creasy has gone missing. Ten-year-olds Tilly and Grace take it upon themselves to solve the mystery. The adults are all blaming it on the record heatwave but after talking to the vicar the girls get it in their heads that if they can find God on the avenue they will be able to find Mrs. Creasy too.
From the beginning it is apparent that there is a deep dark secret on the avenue. Flashbacks to 1967 fill in some of the blanks, but otherwise we are left with what Tilly and Grace can puzzle out as well as some brief glimpses into the homes on the avenue.
It was refreshing to read a book where the kids seemed like kids; they made horrible childish mistakes and assume they know more than they actually do. My only complaint was it was a little difficult to keep track of some of the characters since I spread out my reading over a week instead of sitting down and reading it in a couple of days.
If you’re looking for a glimpse into the underbelly of suburbia of the past (which seemed pretty similar to suburbia in America today) or just a good coming of age story you might want to find out what the trouble is with goats and sheep.
