Title: The Fourth Bear
Author: Jasper Fforde
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Publisher: Viking Penguin
Copyright: 2006
ISBN: 0670037729
Pages: 382
Keywords: humor, crime
Reading period: 16-17 December, 2007

DCI Jack Spratt runs the Nursery Crimes Division of the Reading, Berks police. Investigative reporter Goldilocks is found dead, after last being seen at the three bears' house. The Gingerbreadman, a 7-foot psychopathic cake, is rampaging around, randomly killing people. Punch and Judy have moved in next door: when they're not beating each other up, they're very good marriage counsellors. And enormous cucumbers are exploding under mysterious circumstances.

An extremely bizarre story, replete with puns, nursery rhymes, literary allusions, and shaggy dog stories.

Entertaining, if silly.