Time Stops for No Mouse

Time Stops for No Mouse (1999), a middle-grade novel by American author Michael Hoeye, follows a hard-working mouse on a mission to mend a wristwatch, who ends up embroiled in a criminal conspiracy spreading across his animal kingdom. The book, the first in the Hermux Tantamoq Adventures trilogy, was originally self-published, but it was so popular that a traditional publishing house picked it up. Hoeye writes children’s novels. Before writing novels, he worked as a teacher, a stagehand, a farmer, and a fashion photographer. He brings his diverse life experiences to his writing.

Hermux Tantamoq lives in the city of Pinchester. Modeled on Manhattan, Pinchester is a bustling, overcrowded place filled with animals such as birds, mice, and mammals. There are no humans in Pinchester and the animals live peacefully alongside one another. They all have human-like occupations and do ordinary things such as going to school and having families.

Hermux is an expert watchmaker. He spends most of his time working in his shop or talking to his pet ladybug, Terfle. Although he has many customers, he doesn’t have any friends. He hopes that one day, the love of his life will scurry through the door and brighten up his day because he doesn’t go anywhere to meet a partner.



One morning, Hermux’s luck changes. A beautiful, well-dressed pilot mouse, Ms. Linka Perflinger enters the shop. She urgently needs her watch repaired and will pay whatever Hermux demands. Instantly falling for Linka, Hermux almost doesn’t charge her for the repairs.

Hermux decides that, when she comes back for the watch, he will ask her on a date. If he doesn’t take his chance now, he will probably never see her again. However, a few days go by and Linka does not return. Hermux doesn’t understand what has happened because the watch seemingly means so much to her and she told him it was urgent.

One morning, a rat enters the store. A criminal who runs with one of Pinchester’s seediest gangs, he demands that Hermux hands over Linka’s watch. Refusing to hand it over, Hermux says he isn’t scared and he doesn’t make deals with the underworld. Unless Linka comes back for the watch herself, he will keep it. The rat leaves but he promises that the matter isn’t over.



Shortly afterward, Hermux sees Linka again. Rats ambush and kidnap her. Hermux immediately seeks help. He discovers that the rats work for an evil plastic surgeon. Dr. Hiril Mennus. Hermux plans to find out what the connection is between Linka and the doctor, and why she so urgently needs her watch back.

The next day, Hermux finds out that Dr. Hiril works with another scientist and cosmetics entrepreneur, Tucka Mertslin. They plan to steal and patent a unique rejuvenation formula developed by Linka’s friend, Dr. Turfip. The formula promises eternal youth, and they are using Linka as leverage to make Dr. Turfip hand over the ingredients. If Hermux doesn’t find Linka before Dr. Turfip gives up the formula, he could lose Linka forever.

Hermux enlists the help of the journalist Pup. Pup promises to help him infiltrate Dr. Hiril’s gang to rescue Linka. What Hermux doesn’t know is that Pup is Dr. Hiril in disguise. Luring Hermux to his clinic, he reveals his identity before locking Hermux in a mousetrap. He puts Linka in the mousetrap, too, promising to kill them both.



Linka feels bad that Hermux is embroiled in this mess. Hermux doesn’t care about his own feelings right now; he cares about freeing Linka and getting back home. Knowing his way around delicate machinery, he knows there must be a way to break the mousetrap before it snaps shut. Linka, however, isn’t so sure.

Meanwhile, Dr. Hiril bullies Tucka into giving him the key to the formula. Dr. Hiril memorizes the formula—or, at least he thinks he memorized it. When he uses the formula, something goes wrong. He reverts to infancy; he’s now a small, insignificant mouse unable to look after himself.

In the meantime, Hermux frantically looks for a way out the mousetrap. Just in time, Dr. Dandiffer’s accomplice, a creature called Ortolina, finds the mousetrap and frees Hermux and Linka. Linka flees with Ortolina, and Hermux finds himself alone once more. He returns to the watch shop, planning his next move.



When Linka doesn’t return to the shop, Hermux goes looking for her. He plans to declare his love for her and propose marriage. Linka, however, is already engaged to Dr. Dandiffer. The incident made her aware of how much she loves Dr. Dandiffer, and she accepted his proposal shortly before Hermux arrived. Though Hermux is sad, he wishes them well and moves on with his life.