Fourth bear nursery crime book club edition jasper fforde on. The book was the first novel fforde wrote, however, he failed in its publication. Detective inspector jack spratt and his assistant mary mary are on. Jasper fforde spent twenty years in the film business before debuting on the new york times bestseller list with the eyre affair in 2002. Last month i started my travels back through the books of jasper fforde with the big over easy, and so here i am with the sequel, the fourth bear. Fresh from the success of his bestselling thursday next series, fforde has now sealed his reputation as one of the brightest literary lights around. His writing uses a lot of wordplay, metafiction, parody and are scripted in a tight manner. Fforde s stories, the big over easy is light and witty. Jasper ffordes bestselling thursday next series has delighted readers of every genre with its literary derringdo and brilliant flights of fancy. Take a big pot and throw in a murder mystery or two, add as many nursery rhymes as you can remember, simmer over a low heat for a few hours and serve.
Working with him in his department are sergeant mary mary, baroness. He is best known for writing his thursday next series. Writing and publishing his first book, the eyre affair, in 2001, the writer jasper fforde made his debut on the literary scene with a good impact. Detective chief inspector jack spratt and his trusty sergeant, mary mary, are back in another sidesplitting nursery crime adventure from jasper fforde. Detective inspector john reginald jack spratt works in the nursery crime division, and while some of the fundamentals remain the same, policing is a bit different in fforde s universe. It was such a fun way to reexperience and reimagine.
Thankfully, jasper fforde had the mind to expose the seedy underbelly of humpty dumptys world and the truth is finally out. Detective jack spratt, recently unable to convict three wily pigs in he murder of a certain wolf, meets the challenge of a new case when humpty dumpty is found shattered to death beneath a wall in a shady part of town. It was a nice break after the 2 true crime books i listened to right before this one. Welcome to the beginning of a whole new wave of mysteries soon to be thickening bookstore shelves everywhere, because if fforde the well of lost plots, 2003, etc. Next book page detailing what books jasper fforde will be publishing next. May 20, 2018 the big over easy, jasper fforde humpty dumpty was pushed. What you end up with might be something similar to the big over easy. His worlds always on the edge of some form of magical realism, if they must be categorized at all are bizarre and curious, and never fail to be interesting. The plot is as detailed and planned as any good crime novel, and youll find yourself wanting to know who did it right up until the moment you find out. He has published two books in the loosely connected nursery crime series, and has published the first books of two additional independent series, the last dragonslayer and shades of grey.
However, by shifting the emphasis and characters, in the big over easy, fforde is able to bring a freshness to this novel similar to that which infused the eyre affair. In the big over easy jasper fforde introduces another slightly skewed and book based world. The big over easy, jasper fforde humpty dumpty was pushed. Overviewwelcome to the website who i am and what i do. Although the two are different enough and there shouldnt be many if any spoilers here, you should still read them in order as most of the worldbuilding and early character introductions. The little village of obscurity is remarkable only for its unremarkableness. Since then he has written another twelve novels, including the number one sunday times bestseller one of our thursdays is missing, and the last dragonslayer series, adapted for television by sky fforde lives and works in his adopted nation of wales. The big over easy is a skillful work of art and it was a pleasure to read although i.
In the fourth bear, spratt must track down a legendarily violent criminal known as the gingerbreadman, a sevenfoot biscuit with a bad attitude. The big over easy was actually the first book jasper fforde ever wrote, but it was rejected for presumably being too strange. It features detective inspector jack spratt and his assistant, sergeant mary mary. Detective inspector john reginald jack spratt works in the nursery crime division, and while some of the fundamentals remain the same, policing is. Jasper fforde booklist jasper fforde message board. Ovoid dclass nursery celebrity humpty stuyvesant van dumpty iii, minor baronet, exconvict, and former millionaire philanthropist, is found shattered to death beneath a wall in a shabby area of town. Nursery crime adventures 1 by fforde, jasper from amazons fiction books store. The big over easy by jasper fforde overdrive rakuten.
Jasper fforde spent twenty years in the film business before debuting on the new york times bestseller list with the eyre affair in 2001. Oh, to get a peek inside of the creative and imaginative mind of mr. Jack spratt, stuck over in ncd nursery crimes division, has hardly the reputation of. The big over easy, by jasper fforde compulsive overreader. Although the two are different enough and there shouldnt be many if any spoilers here, you should still read them in order as most of the worldbuilding and. Apr 15, 2017 its a fun idea, and fforde takes it all the way. Next book page detailing what books jasper fforde will be publishing next special page next book well, im sort of feeling a little embarrassed what with my recent creative hiatus, from which i now seem to be emerging. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. The big over easy by jasper fforde i left the fairy tales lying on the floor of the nursery, and i have not found any books so sensible since. Jasper fforde born 11 january 1961 is a british novelist. Chesterton anyone who was denied nursery rhymes and fairy tales as a child apparently there are such.
Fforde lays on his erudition with a trowel, slathering literary references all over his rote detective story. I enjoyed the quirky take on the usual detective plot, and the many little asides and metatheatrical style. The good news is, it looks like jack spratt and mary mary will become a new regular feature as the nursery crimes series continues and believe me, this new vein of stories is too rich to leave untapped. Ovoid dclass nursery celebrity, humpty stuyvesant van dumpty iii, is found shattered to death. Detective inspector jack spratt is the head of the dying nursery crime department of the reading constabulary.
Finished a book written by jasper fforde the big over easy. The big over easy book the indianapolis public library. Since then he has written another twelve novels, including the number one sunday times bestseller one of our. With his now wellregarded wit and intelligence, jasper fforde tackles a new set of books and a new set of themes, with its own characters and protagonists. Ffordes first novel, the eyre affair, was published in 2001. The big over easy is a novel written by jasper fforde and published in 2005. Humpty dumpty fell off his wall, and the nursery crimes division opened an investigation. Rowling with his literary fantasies the eyre affair and lost in a good book. Penguin putnamits easter in readinga bad time for eggsand no one can remember the last sunny day. In the big over easy jasper fforde introduces another slightly skewed and bookbased world. But the mystery of how, exactly, humpty dumpty came to be splattered on the bottom of that wall, and who, if anyone is responsible, is at the heart of this whodunnit from. The big over easy is the first book in the new nursery crime series by jasper fforde, the almost unbelievably witty and inventive author of.
Shades of grey, the first novel in a new series, was published december 2009 in the united states and january 2010 in the united kingdom. Enter the world of the nursery crime division in this novel from jasper fforde, the new york times bestselling author of the thursday next series and the constant rabbit jasper fforde s bestselling thursday next series has delighted readers of every genre with its literary derringdo and brilliant flights of fancy. Where ben picks a book, i read it, and then we tell you how it went. Hmm, probably it shouldve been a complete new experience, but this author is kind of set in his ways. Fforde is mainly known for his thursday next novels, although he has written several books in the loosely connected nursery crime series and has begun two more independent series, the last dragonslayer and shades of grey. Its easter in reading a bad time for eggs and no one can remember the last sunny day. The eyre affair was his first novel in the bestselling thursday next series. A riot of puns, injokes and literary allusions that fforde carries off with aplomb daily mail now humour is notoriously subjective so what ive just described might just sound plain daft to you.
Well, its not terribly surprising this detective story includes aliens, gods, genetic freaks, and three piglets who coldbloodedly murder a wolf. The big over easy by jasper fforde science fiction. When humpty dumpty is found dead shattered, next to a wall, jack spratt, a detective in the nursery crimes division, is on the case. The big over easy ebook by jasper fforde rakuten kobo.
In the big over easy, fforde takes a break from classic literature and tumbles into the seedy underbelly of nursery crime. The big over easy is great not just because its very funny but also because it works properly as a whodunnit. But the mystery of how, exactly, humpty dumpty came to be splattered on the bottom of that wall, and who, if anyone is responsible, is at the heart of this whodunnit from jasper fforde. In the big over easy, jasper fforde has created a new and bizarre universe where fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and real life collide. Enter the world of the nursery crime division in this novel from jasper fforde, the new york times bestselling author of the thursday. The eyre affair, lost in a good book, the well of lost plots and something rotten according to fforde, the big over easy is the result of the book caversham. Reading guide for the big over easy by jasper fforde. The followup to the big over easy, the fourth bear, was published in july 2006 and focuses on goldilocks and the three bears. Observer,peter guttridge a riot of puns, injokes and literary allusions that fforde carries off with aplomb daily mail a riot of puns, injokes and literary allusions that fforde carries off with aplomb daily. The eyre affair, lost in a good book, the well of lost plots and something rotten.
Id read few ffordes books before, but all of them had been about thursday next, so this one was a complete new experience. Humpty dumpty, wellknown nursery favourite, large egg, exconvict and former millionaire philanthropist is found shattered beneath a wall in a shabby area of town. Jun 19, 2017 finished a book written by jasper fforde the big over easy. Isolation jottings from the hills of wales merchandiset shirts, prints and more eventsappearances and stuff. A former hollywood film exec, jasper fforde has switched from the silver screen to the page, earning a reputation as a grown up j. Ein buch, bei dem ich fast durchgehend vor mich hin kichern musste. The big over easy is the first in jasper ffordes nursery crime series.
Jasper fforde is an english novelist of alternate history and comic fantasy postmodernist novels. Ill be working on this in 2020 and am not sure how long it will take to write. Its easter in readinga bad time for eggsand no one can reme. Jul 07, 2016 take a big pot and throw in a murder mystery or two, add as many nursery rhymes as you can remember, simmer over a low heat for a few hours and serve. As a frequently jaded book lover, i always seek out the odd premises and unconventional styles, and this fit the bill. Fforde is known mainly for his thursday next novels. The big over easy is a hardboiled detective novel featuring detective inspector jack spratt and his sidekick, constable mary mary.
Providing a new style and tone, its not without the comic irreverence that fforde s audience have come to appreciate over the years, offering a new ambiance and atmosphere to pace the. In spite of this, im grudgingly giving the big over easy 3 stars because the rest of the book is ok and will appeal to a certain audience. Jasper fforde books list of books by author jasper fforde. Jasper fforde s bestselling thursday next series has delighted readers of every genre with its literary derringdo and brilliant flights of fancy. Meet inspector jack spratt, family man and head of the nursery crime division. Fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters litter the pages of the story of inspector jack spratt, nursery crimes division. Jasper fforde traded a varied career in the film industry for staring vacantly out of the window and arranging words on a page. I read the big over easy over my thanksgiving break a few years ago and was pleased to find the same unique, zany, quirky, and enthralling story telling that i associate with jasper fforde. The big over easy is a prime example of jasper ffordes cleverness and control over the english language. Jasper fforde was recommended to me as a local author, and im glad i picked up the big over easy despite the librarys claim to it being a crime novel, a genre i usually avoid.
Mar 22, 2012 being such a big fan of the thursday next series, i was anxious the check out the nursery crime books. The last dragonslayerand the song of the quarkbeast. The big over easy is a comedymystery from welsh author jasper fforde, best known for his popular thursday next series. It is set in an alternate reality similar to that of his previous books. This was to start a trend in his work for the fantastical and funny that has been integrated into his work throughout much of his career. The big over easy is the first in his new nursery crime series. The main selling point of this book has to be its humour. According to fforde, the big over easy is the result of the book caversham heights featured in the well of lost plots and includes a possible cameo appearance of the authors heroine thursday next, thus verifying this claim. The big over easy is a satirical detective novel based on nursery rhymes, fables, and other stories. As a frequently jaded booklover, i always seek out the odd premises and unconventional styles, and this fit the bill. In the big over easy, fforde takes a break from classic literature and tumbles into the seedy underbelly of jasper fforde s bestselling thursday next series has delighted readers of every genre with its literary derringdo and brilliant flights of fancy.
1467 33 508 397 1536 107 103 117 563 284 1058 1365 1404 587 801 530 1223 910 681 152 110 562 288 1444 276 618 336 1305 678 1378 126 15 1049 1185 1193 476 957