Just Read: The Big Over Easy (Nursery Crime #1) by Jasper Fforde

Imagine a world where human beings live with aliens, bears, nursery rhyme characters and folk from fairy tales. That place is called Reading in the English county, Berkshire.

The Nursery Crime trilogy sees Detective Inspector Jack Spratt who leads the Nursery Crime Division (NCD). Where any incidents, caused by non humans are not dealt by the main Reading police but the NCD themselves. The first book, The Big Over Easy features the murder of Humpty Dumpty who is found dead after falling off a wall. He is teamed up with Sergeant Mary Mary who discovers the murder is not what it seems and leads along a path featuring Dumpty's dark past and a load of feet. Whilst being fended off by DCI, member of The Guild of Detectives and long time rival to Spratt, Friedland Chymes (yes, he is named after a doorbell). Who does everything in his power to take over the case. The NCD is revealed to be a small team, featuring Constable Charlie Baker, a hypochondriac. Constable Ashley, an alien and Constable Otto Tibbit, who are into palindromes.

The author Jasper Fforde does everything to squeeze in as many fictional references as possible but without forcing them into the book. From fictional detectives (Miss Maple) to nursery rhyme characters which has in-depth backgrounds. In Fforde's world, The Gingerbread Man is a serial killer who kills people by ripping their limbs apart. While Georgio Porgia is Reading's leading mafia boss, now governor of the local prison. The book also features a side story where Spratt tries to sell his mother's painting, A George Stubbs painting of a cow. Turns out the painting is actually a fake and in return receives some beans from the buyer. You might work out what happens next. Each chapter begins with a newspaper clipping with articles setting before and throughout the events of the book as well as amusing news stories. Including one, where bears can now move out of Reading and live in Andersen Woods with purpose built houses. The headline being, Bears Can Now Shit in Woods.

Overall it has been a fantastic read. I have read reviews that Jasper Fforde uses a clever style of writing for his novels and The Big Over Easy is no exception. Apart from the first chapter which dragged a bit, the book picks up with the introduction of Spratt and Chymes from the second chapter onwards. The characters certainly have depth, variation and colour. The side stories from the Stubbs painting to new lodger Prometheus entertaining the Spratts doesn't derail from the main Humpty Dumpty murder inquiry. Although the book has some funny moments, there is a clever whodunnit. Where it will keep you guessing right to the very end.

As with tradition on all Jasper Fforde books. The author dedicates a website to the book. You can read about The Big Over Easy over here. It is recommended to read the book first then visit the website as you can read the special features including alternative opening chapters.

I'd bet you're thinking. "There are TV shows like Grimm and Once Upon a Time that are similar to this book in terms of nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters." The reality is, The Big Over Easy was published in 2005. Many years before these shows were even written down on paper. The only thing that would rival the book is the Shrek film franchise.

Would I recommend this book to you? Yes, if you have got an open mind. If you can handle Jasper Fforde's clever writing with nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters being brought to life and living with humans. It's also a good detective mystery with many twists and false leads. Also if you've read Fford's popular Thursday Next series, then you must read this.

Would I read the next one in the trilogy? Yes, I will read The Fourth Bear eventually and possibly The Last Great Tortoise Race when it comes out.

I gave The Big Over Easy 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

Next to read: Pudsey: My Autobidography