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Every time I finish a Jasper Fforde novel, I find myself grinning from ear to ear, wondering just how he comes up with this stuff. The Tuesday Next series of literary crimes is nothing short of brilliant, and Fforde seems to have hit on another winning blueprint with his new series, Jack Spratt Investigates. Jack Spratt is a humble man heading up the most demeaning section of all law enforcement in Reading -- the Nursery Crimes Division. The rest of the force sees this division as a joke. What serious detective would bother with nursery rhyme crimes? Well, Spratt does, and despite long odds, he does everything in his power to bring the bad eggs, er, seeds, to justice. It's not his fault that the jury acquitted the Three Little Pigs of murdering Mr Wolff, but the press seizes upon the case, lowering his status even further. Jack is a good man who can't seem to catch a break. In this first novel, Sergeant Mary Mary, a young go-getter with high career aspirations, is assigned to Jack and the NCD. She quickly realizes she's been put in a dead end job -- NCD is about to be folded up. Jack can't seem to win a case, and his reputation is fast sinking at the hands of Friedland Chymes, a former NCD detective who has gone on to be the most prolific case solver Reading has ever seen. Chymes is also the most storied member of the Detectives Guild and a regular contributor to Amazing Crimes magazine -- most of his case stories being serialized for television to boot. Sgt Mary joins the NCD just in time -- a horrific crime has taken place. Humperdink (Humpty) Jehoshaphat Aloysius Stuyvesant van Dumpty, aka Humpty Dumpty, has fallen off his wall. Despite being in his mid-60s and having a reputation as a heavy drinker, all attest that he remained the most balanced of individuals, especially when occupied in his favorite pastime, wall sitting. Before you can, umm, crack an egg, the case blows wide open -- multiple girlfriends, ex-wives and other sundry suspects come to light. It seems accurate to assume, based on the autopsy, that good ole philanthropist cum criminal Hump was murdered. Sgt Mary and DI Jack Spratt must solve this most heinous case. Outfitted with a stellar cast of characters, Fforde proves once again that he is the real deal. I caught myself mouthing nursery rhymes to put characters into place -- such as the most heinous serial killer known alive, The Gingerbread Man, mobster Giorgio Porgia, Rapunzel, the short man, the one that no one can remember his name . . . I could go on and on. Oh, and Prometheus comes to lodge at the Spratt house, complicating Jack's home life as well. I read this in one sitting, and marveled at Fforde's imagination. This book will keep you guessing and smiling, all at the same time.
Reviewed by J. T. Ellison, June 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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