Book Reviews by Elizabeth A. White

A decapitation, an S&M escort service, drug addicted police officers, art forgery, and a mad scientist…just another day in Tourquai, one of the four districts which comprises Mollisan Town.

Acting on an anonymous tip claiming a murder has been committed, Police Superintendent Larry Bloodhound and his team, Inspectors Anna Lynx and Falcon Ècu, respond to Nova Park, a company located on the top floor of the most prestigious office building in Tourquai.

There they find a gruesome scene. Well known and extraordinarily wealthy venture capitalist Oswald Vulture has been beheaded in his office. There is no evidence, no murder weapon, and Oswald’s secretary swears no one has entered or left the office since the last time she saw Oswald alive.

Even more disturbing, the head has been taken from the scene. This is of particular note because Oswald Vulture being a plush animal, as are all the residents of Mollisan Town, if his head can be found within a reasonable amount of time it can be reattached and Oswald will be virtually good as new…and able to identify his own killer. (more…)

Eva Whippoorwill and Sven Beaver always wanted a cub (what all young plush are called regardless of species), but the Environmental Ministry (the agency responsibly for creating the Cub List) never saw fit to grant their wish.

One day while working in the forest on the edge of Lanceheim (one of the four districts which comprises Mollisan Town) Sven finds a small creature, alone and crying. It’s obviously a young boy, but Sven can’t quite identify what kind of plush animal he is. Knowing he won’t survive alone in the forest, Sven takes the young one home where he is named Maximilian and formally adopted by Sven and Eva.

It quickly becomes apparent that Maximilian is not like any other plush animal. His covering, for example, is a strangely smooth, pale material devoid of seams. Maximilian also grows as he ages, something no other animal does since they come from the factory fully made. He is also wise beyond his years and, over time, begins speaking only in similes and parables.

When his teachings begin to gain him followers hungry for an alternative to the harsh constructs of Mollisan Town’s orthodox church, it is only a matter of time before those desperate to hold on to their authority resort to extreme measures to silence Maximilian. (more…)

Eric is doing well for himself. In his reckless youth he used drugs, kept pace with thugs, and worked as a runner for a mobster. But with age he settled down, married the love of his life, Emma, and has a prosperous job with a prestigious advertising agency. Life is good. Until the day Eric’s past comes back to haunt him and his world gets turned upside down.

His old boss, mobster Nicholas Dove, shows up at Eric’s house with two thugs in tow. As the thugs smash the place up, Nicholas “requests” Eric’s help. It seems Nicholas has been put on the Death List, and he demands Eric do whatever it takes to get his name removed. If Eric doesn’t get Nicolas off the Death List, his thugs will kill Eric’s wife. Sounds like a pretty standard setup for a crime story, right? Well, actually there’s a little hitch in the giddyap.

Did I mention that Eric is a plush bear? Yep, he’s stuffed with fluff. As is Nicholas Dove, so named because he’s, well, a dove. Amberville, you see, isn’t populated by people, but by plush animals. They go to school, have jobs, get married, acquire bad habits and vices, love, hate…they behave just like we do. Except they’re plush. Yeah, a visit to Amberville is a hell of a ride, so buckle-up because here we go. (more…)