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    A Real Basket Case
    Unavailable
    A Real Basket Case
    Unavailable
    A Real Basket Case
    Ebook302 pages3 hours

    A Real Basket Case

    By Beth Groundwater

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    The First Book in the Claire Hanover Mystery Series

    An Agatha Award Finalist for Best First Novel

    Feeling neglected by her workaholic husband, forty-something gift basket designer Claire Hanover joins an aerobics class at the urging of her best friend Ellen. Divorced and bitterly unhappy, Ellen and most of the other women in the class add a little vicarious excitement to their lives by flirting with the handsome instructor, Enrique. In a moment of weakness, Claire agrees to let the charming Enrique come to her house to give her a massage. She realizes she has made a deadly mistake when Enrique is shot and killed in her bedroom and her husband Roger is arrested for the murder.

    Determined to clear Roger's name and save her marriage, Claire sets out to find the real killer, encountering drug dealers, jealous ex-girlfriends, and angry cops along the way.

    Praise:
    "A tense, exciting debut."—Kirkus Reviews

    "Will appeal to Desperate Housewives fans and those who like cozies with a bit of spice."—Booklist

    "A real winner! Don't miss it."—Maggie Sefton, bestselling author of Knit One, Kill Two

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLlewellyn Worldwide
    Release dateNov 8, 2011
    ISBN9780738727899
    Unavailable
    A Real Basket Case
    Author

    Beth Groundwater

    Beth Groundwater (Colorado Springs, CO) was an avid "river rat" in the 1980s. Her book, A Real Basket Case (Five Star Publishing), was a 2007 Agatha Award finalist for Best First Novel. She is the author of several award-winning stories and holds key positions in local chapters of Mystery Writers of America and other writing associations.

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    Reviews for A Real Basket Case

    3.5/5

    30 ratings6 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 2/5
      Claire treats her husband like a God that can do no wrong. He's quite the dick, yet she can't imagine herself without him. She can stand up to cops and drug-dealers, but is the good little welcome mat to her King.
    • 4/5
      This is a fun first novel. The mystery fooled me to the end, actually led me exactly where the author wanted me to be! There were a couple of *almost* TSTL moments (that's "too stupid to live") but she pulled it off because the protagonist was so scared the whole. I enjoyed this mystery and plan to read the next one when it comes out. Recommended.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed "A Real Basket Case." Claire is such an interesting character and I liked her from the start. She's an empty-nester (been there); she's loyal to her family and finds strengths she never knew she had in this first of a series by Beth Groundwater. I can't wait to see what she does next. A very well-written mystery with quite a few surprises. I highly recommend it.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book. Usually I have the bad guy figured out about halfway through a book. Not with this one. "A Real Basket Case" didn't reveal the killer until the last few pages. And I can't believe who it ended up being. This has been a really enjoyable book. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. Beth, don't change your way of writing!Martha
    • 4/5
      A Real Basket Case is Beth Groundwater's debut novel. In this Agatha-nominated cozy mystery, Claire Hanover fights to prove her husband Roger is innocent of murdering Claire's fitness instructor, Enrique.Roger has been spending far more hours with his job than with his wife, so when Claire's friend Ellen buys her a massage with Enrique, she reluctantly agrees. However, when Enrique is shot in the midst of this massage and Ellen looks up to see Roger standing in the doorway with the murder weapon in his hand, the evidence against him is damning. Claire is convinced that someone set Roger up and she's going to prove who that person is and win Roger's trust back.A Real Basket Case is a light, quick, enjoyable read. But don't try to read it too quickly or you'll miss the creative subtleties woven throughout the plot.Groundwater has a firm grasp on how to use the English language to create effect. Groundwater's concise style can pack a powerful punch.The humor in this book is also very subtle. Numerous times I was reading along, caught up in the plot when I had to halt because I realized, "hey! That was funny." Claire's character plays right into this effect. Her good intentions in preposterous situations just result in humorous outcomes. Her interactions with Leon, the ethical drug kingpin, are prime examples of this. The paradox of his "ethics" and her naivete makes the absurd seem completely natural.The only qualm I had with Claire was her inability - or unwillingness? - to stand up to her husband. She stands up the cops, to drug pushers, to her friends. But she just let her husband blame her for his entire predicament and she accepted the blame. I was really cheering for her to give him "what for" just once. But, building self-confidence comes in small steps. She built her confidence to fight for her family in this step. I'll be looking forward to see what steps she makes as the "Basket Mysteries" continue.
    • 4/5
      Beth Groundwater introduces Claire Hanover, restless and underappreciated housewife, gift basket maker, and reluctant sleuth, in A Real Basket Case. Hanover’s gullibility drives her to make decisions that put her in danger and sometimes manages to save her. Her devotion to her husband and her motivation of saving her marriage are entirely believable and engaging in Groundwater’s capable hands. Groundwater writes all her characters with dimensions that show frailty, generosity, and the basic “humanness” shared by humankind. Readers will cheer for Hanover to succeed and commiserate with her failures. A Real Basket Case is the first in a series that promises to entertain readers who enjoy a lighthearted, engaging mystery for years to come.