Spoiler-Free Review: The Big Over Easy

Author: Jasper Fforde

“Jack, Why are there three bags of black wool in the shed?”
“It’s evidence.”

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again

But Humpty didn’t just fall off that wall. Turns out, the fall isn’t what killed Humpty at all! Jack Sprat (inventor of the fat-free BLT) is on the case with his new assistant Mary Mary (contrarian and green thumb) they have some investigating to do. Will they solve the case? or will they end up with egg on their faces?

This is not a little kid’s book. It’s a police procedural with nursery rhyme characters. It is set in a weird little world. But I enjoyed my stay in this weird little world.

I really liked this story. The mystery was actually my biggest problem. It pulls the old “coroner calling at the last moment to update the detective on the cause of death, thus solving the case.” I know it’s a detective story trope, but I don’t like it. I enjoy trying to guess who the killer is early and second-guessing myself for the whole story, this story twist just cheapens the whole thing.

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