The Big Over Easy

The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde -- Fforde has built up somewhat of a cult following with his first three books -- the Thursday Next series. The premise of that series is that there are ways to jump back and forth between "reality" and books. Next is a detective who solves crimes that involve literary characters like Jane Eyre. The series is good, but you always get the feeling that Fforde is straining to be clever and, by the third book of that series, it was starting to get old.

Well, with his new book, Fforde obviously decided "the hell with it -- if I'm going to be silly, let's pull out all the stops.". Surprisingly, the result was a very funny, but still well plotted murder mystery. You know right off that this isn't going to be particularly heavy when you learn that the murder victim is Humpty (actually Humperdink) Dumpty! At first, the detectives on the case, Jack Spratt and his sidekick, Mary Mary, suspect suicide. Dumpty had been clinically depressed for years with, of course, Easter being the hardest time for him. Finding the bullet holes after the crushed shell is reconstructed sends the police off in a whole new direction.

I know, I know, it sounds pretty stupid but it was actually very entertaining. Its laugh-out-loud funny in places and it definetely turns in to a page turner by the end. The overly familiar characters are given hysterical new twists that keep you interesting and actually caring about these nursery rhyme people. For example, at one point, Spratt thinks he recognizes the MO of a related murder as being the style of the now-jailed underworld leader, Giorgio Porgia. See what I mean.

This is a good way to waste a day or so -- quick read and fun. Especially if you're tring to tackle some serious reading or school work, The Big Over Easy (get it?) is a good way to take a break.