Here’s the plot in a nutshell. Goldilocks discovers a plot to grow huge cucumbers that reach critical mass and set off massive cucular explosions. She’s lured to the home of the three bears where she is murdered. Jack Spratt and and Mary Mary, with the assistant, Asley the alien, investigate and discover that the murderer was a fourth bear named Demetrios who is working for QuangTech, a multinational corporation that builds weapons — including the Gingerbreadman, a super-soldier that almost kills Jack until he figures out the cookie will dissolve in water.

I was totally in the mood for this book. I enjoyed the plot, but even more I enjoyed trying to catch all the clever references to literature. For example, there's the car purchased from a dealer named Dorian Gray that repairs itself (although the photo in the trunk doesn't fare so well). And the character named McGuffin (look it up) and the criminal named Gingerbreadman (who can't be caught, no matter how fast you run). And it would help to be familiar with The Quangle Wangle's Hat, by Edward Lear before reading it.

And then there's dialogue like this:

"When did he escape?"
"Ninety-seven minutes ago," replied Copperfield. "Killed two male nurses and his doctor with his bare hands. The other three orderlies who accompanied him are critical in the hospital."
"Critical?"
"Yes. Don't like the food, beds uncomfortable, waiting lists too long — usual stuff. Other than that they're fine."

Unfortunately, Fforde does use the occasional swear word. But all of his books are fun reads for people who are familiar with literature.