Book Review: The Fourth Bear

The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde
This isn't the first book in this fictional world but you can read these books out of order. The world is the Nursery Crimes Division of the Reading Police Department. See, in the town of Reading there are many nursery rhyme based characters. Jack Spratt, Mary Mary, Goldilocks, an assortment of intelligent bears, etc. Jack heads up the NCD.
In this book The Gingerbread Man, a homicidal 7 ft cookie, escapes from the psych ward where Jack put him 10 years before. But Jack isn't put on the case. Instead he's suspended. His boss suspends him at least once per case, the difference this time is that Jack isn't on a case.
While not on duty Jack and Mary investigate the disappearance of Goldilocks which drags them into the sordid world of competitive cucumber growing and why the homes of the best growers in the world keep exploding with atomic force.
One of my favorite bits is Dorian Gray and his indestructable cars.

I will be keeping and eye out for more of this writer's stuff.