Who Censored Roger Rabbit by Gary Wolf is a wonderful mystery book that combines noir trappings and Looney Tunes type characters. Everyone loved the movie, but the book is much darker and meaner with many of the same characters. If you go into the book expecting it to be like the movie, you are in for a surprise. But it will be a happy surprise as the book is well worth the read.

Roger Rabbit had a magical year, he married the love of his life Jessica and his syndicate, the DeGreasy brothers, promised that he would get his own strip. But then it all fell apart, Jessica left him (to go back to her previous lover Rocco DeGreasy) and the whole strip deal never happens. Roger believes that the DeGreasy brothers are keeping another syndicate from offering him a strip, so he hires private investigator Eddie Valiant to see who the other syndicate is.

Eddie hates toons, but when money is low enough, he’ll work for anyone. But his investigation is going nowhere until Rocco DeGreasy is murdered. Roger is the prime suspect, but he is dead as well. So Eddie has to work with Roger’s doppleganger (a duplicate body that toons create from thoughts to do physical stunts) to solve the mysteries and clear Roger’s name.

Gary Wolf has done a remarkable feat, he mixed together Looney Tunes and Dashiell Hammet and put them together into a great story. Do not mistake the book for the movie. Both have their own strengths, but they are completely different stories with some shared characters. The book is a wonderful mystery novel and would be enjoyed by anyone.