Elect H. Mouse State Judge

Elect H. Mouse State Judge by Nelly Reifler is an entertaining romp with a dark side. I thoroughly enjoyed the caper -- the daughters of a mouse are held hostage by the Sunshine Dolls family, and it's up to Barbie and Ken to find them.

Most of the characters are developed, with subtlety and nuance, and concise, sharp, elegant prose. Although they are all toys, and there's a playful tongue-in-cheek element to the novel, there are also haunting moments of insight. The last page or two really knocked me out.