The Big Over Easy (Nursery Crime, #1)
By: Jasper Fforde
My Rating: Four out of five stars
Best for: 16 and up

The King of Quirk Strikes Again!

I’ve said in once, I’ll say it a hundred times: Jasper Fforde is a literary alchemist. He’s turned Thursday into a person, taught a lesson in humanity using human-sized rabbits, and created a color-blind world to help us see the world better. This time, in his Nursery Crime series, he takes everything we know and love about old fairy tales and turns them into something all new, laugh-out-loud funny, and packed full of fairy-tale Easter Eggs.

Literally.

In The Big Over Easy, nursery rhymes are more than just childhood memories. In this alternate reality, they’re the basis for a thriving crime scene. Watch out for the Easter Bunny. Jack and Jill are doing time. The three little pigs just got off a charge of murdering the big bad wolf and are suing for damages. And don’t even think of messing with the Gingerbread Man.

Detective Inspector Jack Spratt, who, of course eats no fat AND kills giants (well, only one was a giant. The rest were just really tall and accidents), finds himself thrust into the center of a high-profile case when Humpty Dumpty, an alcoholic socialite/sketchy investor, falls off a wall and meets his demise. Falls off? Or…was he pushed?! With the Nursery Crimes Division on the brink of closure, Spratt must prove his worth by solving the case.

Fforde’s signature wit and clever wordplay are on full display. He expertly weaves together references to classic literature, pop culture, and nursery rhymes, creating a world that is both familiar and utterly bizarre. The characters are quirky and endearing, and the plot is full of twists and turns.

While the mystery itself is enjoyable, it’s the author’s ability to blend humor, satire, and a touch of the absurd that truly sets this book apart. If you’re a fan of Jasper Fforde, you’re not going to want to miss this one!

A bit of language and some sexy-time jokes. This dad says best for 16 and up.

Happy reading!