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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

The Big Over Easy

By Jasper Fforde

Here’s the deal. Humpty Dumpty has fallen off his wall. Humpty Dumpty has had a great fall. But was there foul play involved? That is what Detective Inspector Jack Spratt must figure out. Jack works for the NCD, Nursery Crimes Division, of Reading along with his Detective Sergeant Mary Mary, who really is quite contrary. Spinning gold into straw scams, pipers kidnapping children and psychotic gingerbread men fall under their jurisdiction. The investigation into Humpy’s death leads to discovery of a huge conspiracy.
I adore this book. Fford has created a fabulous alternate world that is easy to fall into. For a tale so full of nursery rhyme characters and plots, the story line is deliciously complicated. It’s as intricate as any crime drama and has a distinct noir feel to it. I couldn’t stop giggling at Fford’s cleverness and word play. Reading this book is like taking a vacation from reality.
Check out his rather amusing home page at www.jasperfforde.com.