WHO P-P-P-PLUGGED ROGER RABBIT?

Wolf's sequel to Who Censured Roger Rabbit?, the basis for the wildly successful film, presents private eye Eddie Valiant with some conflicting jobs: Roger Rabbit wants him to find out whether Clark Gable's beaten him out for the lead in Gone With the Wind—as well as out of wife Jessica's affections; David Selznick wants him to investigate the theft of a mysterious box from his office (the suspects are the three actors auditioning for Rhett Butler: Gable, Baby Herman, and Roger); Gable wants Eddie to find out who's been planting tabloid stories that say he's gay; and the murder of shadowy toon Kirk Enigman with Eddie's own gun sparks a search for the secret formula for Toon Tonic, which turns people into animated Toons (and vice versa). Lots of comic subplots and compulsive wordplay with the new toons Ferd Flatfoot (Eddie's brother-in-law) and Joellyn Rabbit (Jessica's 5-inch twin sister), who comes on to Eddie by popping out of a cupcake. But the net effect of all the high jinks (``I hate being hoisted by a woman half the size of my own petard'') is wearying; you'll be reminded of why S.J. Perelman never wrote a novel. The perfect bookstore browse, though most readers will have had their fill before reaching the register.