February book club - The Trouble With Goats and Sheep

Thank you so much for my copy. I've finished it already, despite its size, because I found it almost impossible to put down. There were so many reminders of a 1970s childhood (I remember making copious quantities of Angel Delight for my three) and that glorious summer of 1976 along with a gripping story. What exactly happened and who was responsible? I loved the way the clues came dripping slowly through the adults' conversations. I hope I haven't given too much away - this is a super book and I thoroughly recommend it.

This is a wonderful book - I had a few late night/early mornings as I found it hard to put down. I read it months ago as a review copy courtesy of Lovereading.co.uk

I was living in Ireland in 1956 but I can clearly remember that long hot summer.

Quite apart from that, the story is wonderful.

Just fetched it from the PO and started it in the car before driving home and am already hooked. Thanks Gransnet

Thank you for this book.
I liked the description of it so began reading it immediately. I really enjoyed the first two thirds but got hopelessly confused after the 'drainpipe' incident - won't detail further as want to avoid a spoiler!
The last third just totally lost me. I don't know if I left too big a gap between reading: these days I find the old memory isn't what it was.
There seemed to be no resolution and I was left dangling in the air. If anyone can enlighten me about the disappearance and resurfacing of one character; the state of health of Tilly; the activities directed at the 'goat' of the street. I understand some sheep were goats in sheeps' clothing and that it is, to some degree, a moral tale about making judgments about people but it left me dissatisfied overall.

What a wonderful book, I really didn't want it to end. The writing and story line are superb and I loved the characters Grace and Tilly. It felt so real when I was reading it - especially as I was a teenager myself during the heatwave of 1976. A great whodunit, with a twist, a fantastic debut novel. One of the best books I have read in a long while

I found the two girls the best bit of this book and laughed out loud at some of their conversations and antics. It also illustrated how much freedom 10-year olds had in 1976 compared to now. You could not imagine two young girls going round knocking at neighbours' doors these days let alone chatting to them as these two did.

The details of 1970s products were spot on and I would like to ask Joanna if they were from research, anecdote or memory?

I did find it hard to engage with the adult characters and would have hated to live in the claustrophobic, small minded and intolerant street described. It does not reflect my memories of life in 1976 at all. Thankfully.

Well I thoroughly enjoyed this! I found it to be quite a kind portrayal of the petty small-mindedness often encountered in small communities, perhaps because it was largely seen through Grace's eyes and children tend to be less judgemental.
I loved her description of her mother staring loudly - know just what she means!
I'm still curious about exactly why Margaret went away, and what she was doing. And I didn't quite get why Jesus appeared in the drainpipe?
It was one of those books I couldn't wait to have time to read, so a lot of the housework got put on the back burner .
I would certainly look out for more by this writer.

Thank you for my copy Gransnet. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. The story made me think of 'Lord of the Flies' in suburbia. The style of writing and the descriptions often made me grin out loud. Like other readers I too was left needing a little more information about Mrs Creasy's disappearance and return. Think I missed something here! Can you enlighten us please Joanna?

Thoroughly enjoyed reading your first book Joanna. It held my interest, from start to finish. A brilliant title and concept for a book. Have already recommended it to friends.

Are you happy to share some clues as to the subject matter of your second book? I am looking forward to reading it. I do like your style of writing.

Thank you again Gransnet for giving me the opportunity to read such a page-turner.

Just finished the book, found it a good read. I did however get confused and eventually wrote down all the characters names, it was hard to remember each character's story-line. Was that just me?
I liked the two girls, they took me back to being 10 and how we knew every family on our estate and called all the adults Mr and Mrs.
I too remember 1976 very well, I went to Italy for most of August where it was stormy and raining and came home to dry yellow countryside and soon it started raining .
I was keen to get to the end for the conclusion, it didn't disappoint and certainly surprised me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book which can be read on several levels .I felt it important to read it fairly slowly in order to adjust to the different dates and different characters. It seemed to me that Asperger's, dyslexia and OCD were well portrayed and their effects developed. The descriptions of the Summer of 1976 with the frequent mention of Angel Delight were evocative and Grace's relationship with Tilly was interesting.
I may be missing something but I found the drainpipe incident bizarre and somewhat boring. I think that the residents would have been more sceptical and less gullible but altogether a beautifully written novel.

I really enjoyed this book and agree with the comments made by others so won't repeat them but would like to ask Joanna if Grace and Tilly's conviction that Jesus was not just 'everywhere' but lurking in their community was inspired by Mary Hayley Bell's book, (and subsequent film and musical) Whistle Down The Wind?

Have now finished the book which I thoroughly enjoyed. Liked the title, how it was referred to during the novel so that you were aware of what it was referring to. Must admit I found it difficult to imagine Jesus in the drainpipe! But then he is everywhere - as Grace and Tilly repeatedly reminded us.
Was this a story you had in your mind for some time Joanna before you finally put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard!)
Am I right in thinking Margaret went away to give people time to reflect on their past actions or have I got totally the wrong end of the stick?
Can't wait for your next book.

Just finished the book and loved it. Reading it in February I could feel the heat of the long hot summer coming off the pages. I loved the way we gradually got to know more about all the residents and the way information was gradually brought to light. It is so true that children pick up on things we adults think we are clever enough to conceal from them.
Does Joanna have plans for another book? I would imagine a sequel would be difficult but will look forward to reading whatever she publishes next. I will recommend this to all my book mad friends. Thank you.

Thank you so much for the book which I have enjoyed reading ..bringing back memories of life in the sixties and seventies .
I've been looking at Joanna's website .. It's really interesting.
Even the photographs of the printing process !
It was good to hear Paula Wilcox doing the audio version. She is brilliant.
I too loved " Man about the House ".

Joanna ....you mention a presentation you did, so I would like to ask these questions.......
1. How did your experience in psychiatry inspire the novel ?

2. Why was writing this story so important to you ?

Looking forward to your next book !

Really enjoying this book. Will recommend it to anyone.

I seem to be an ungracious lone voice about this book. I did read it all (and in my dotage I have at last decided it is permissible not to finish something I am not enjoying!)

I found it very worrying as I read it, and then came to the Acknowledgement at the end, where the author thanks all the patients she worked with in the mental health field. There seemed to be no one in the book who was not suffering from some mental health problem, and I was concerned whether we were supposed to find them funny, annoying, strange, or what?

At a practical level, yes, the large size of the book was unusual and made it a bit of a handful, but the larger typeface it allowed it to use was a relief after most paperbacks. I agree with the poster who suggested including a map of the Avenue with the names of the people who lived in the houses. That would help a lot.

Stylistically I found the use of so many complicated linguistic 'tricks' rather trying, like consuming a box of chocolates at one sitting, and also confusing when Grace, a 10 year-old, used the same style of language as the narrator.

I was curious about why the summer of 1976 attracted the author, and what research she had to do to describe the continuing heat.

I really enjoyed the book but agree with others that some bits were hard to follow and would have liked a map.
I too began to reminisce about the Summer of 1976 and remember not enjoying it much.
Although a lot fell into place gradually throughout the book there were things that were left to the imagination.
Was Mrs Creasey the woman in the car crash with Mr Morton? Did Tilly make a miraculous recovery even though the glances exchanged by the nurse and Grace's parents during their visit seemed to signify otherwise?
I wonder if Walter and the Kapoors were ever accepted into the clique?

I really enjoyed this book and there was some lovely use of language. "Widowhood wore a beige cardigan and said very little." Like others, I did find the ending a bit abrupt. Tilly miraculously recovered, Mrs Creasy reappeared, but visited the police first. What did she tell them? I should like to ask the author whether she intended readers to find their own ending and whether a sequel is planned?

Yes after a slow start I really got into the book. Such a narrow minded group of spiteful people. I did get the people a bit confused but kept up most of the time.

I enjoyed the idea of Jesus bringing them together over the drain. I laughed a lot and also got annoyed with the adults. I need to think why Tilly was nearly dying then recovered.

All in all a rather good book.

Had Tilly recovered or was she an apparition?

I just loved this book for so many reasons - the evocative depiction of the 70s and particularly our long hot Summer, Grace's voice which to me was spot-on for a rather precocious child of that age, the character of the much-underestimated Tilly, the interwoven tales of intrigue and loss in that narrow community and yes, the big print (a treat for the eyes, though maybe not the shoulder when carrying it around!). For me, it is the best book I've read for ages.

My question to the author would be: I'm intrigued by the fact that in your 30s you went back to college, completed your A-levels and become a doctor, and that you got the idea for your first novel from the blog you started while working in hospitals. You're such a natural and gifted writer, did you not consider writing as a career from an early age?

Just finished the book. A good read, I like the style. I got to grips with the characters and the house numbers in the end. Lovely portrayal of the two girls. I lost what happened in the fire, because I was so wrapped up in Jesus in the drain pipe. I think Walter Bishop was misunderstood, not sure if he was having an affair with Margaret Creasy. I didn't understand why he was so changed at the end. I felt for Mrs Morton about the baby, if she had owned up it would have been so different, but then that's life .....

I've not finished this yet but I wanted to put something here before the end of the month. I have followed the author's blog for a few years not and the content in it is so lovely it always had me in tears. I always knew she would one day write a book but this was not the kind of book I expected her to write. I know this book is about mental health problems and fitting in to society which I expected it to be but it is done in such a subtle way which is very clever. I am enjoying the story and Joanna has such a lovely way with words which she uses through the story. Grace really made me laugh she had such funny ideas. I know there was many salutes to the seventies, I just thought at times there was maybe too many. If I could ask Joanna a question it would be, where did the idea come from for the story.Was it from the goats and sheep from the bible or did the story in your head then lead to that quote? Right I'm off to finish the book now.

I am loving the book, and well remember the long hot summer of 1976 as I was very pregnant! Thank you for sending it to me.