Basket Case

By: Carl Hiaasen

Narrated by: George Newbern

Once a hotshot investigative reporter, Jack Tagger now bangs out obituaries for a South Florida daily, “plotting to resurrect my newspaper career by yoking my byline to some famous stiff.” Jimmy Stoma, the infamous front man of Jimmy and the Slut Puppies, dead in a fishy-smelling scuba “accident,” might be the stiff of Jack’s dreams—if only he can figure out what happened.

Standing in the way are (among others) his ambitious young editor, who hasn’t yet fired anyone but plans to “break her cherry” on Jack; the rock star’s pop-singer widow, who’s using the occasion of her husband’s death to re-launch her own career; and the soulless, profit-hungry owner of the newspaper, whom Jack once publicly humiliated at a stockholders’ meeting.

With clues from the dead rock singer’s music, Jack ultimately unravels Jimmy Stoma’s strange fate—in a hilariously hard-won triumph for muckraking journalism, and for the death-obsessed obituary writer himself.

“Always be halfway prepared” is Jack Tagger’s motto—and it’s more than enough to guarantee a wickedly funny, brilliantly entertaining novel from Carl Hiaasen.

Critic reviews

“[A] rollickingly comic and suspenseful adventure.”
—Los Angeles Times

“Fresh and juicy ... A sunny delight.”
—Entertainment Weekly

“As delicious as ever ... [Hiaasen is] a master of the comic crime novel.”
—People

“Hiaasen delivers a culpable caper that’s a pleasurable hit.”
—USA Today

“A riot ... It’s one thing to be twisted and funny. It’s quite another to manage twisted, funny, and serious.... Hiaasen consistently juggles the heavy with the light.”
—Detroit News

“Frisky.... The real music here is Mr. Hiaasen’s self-assured banter.”
—The New York Times

“Riled, righteous, and rip-roaring funny ... Hiaasen’s novels ought to bear the warning label: may be hazardous to your sides. They may split.”
—New York Newsday

“[Hiaasen] is head and shoulders above the rest.... Straight crime fiction with a biting, satiric edge, and it proves what his hardcore fans have known for a long time—he is, at heart, simply a great storyteller and a better writer.”
—Charleston Post and Courier

“Great good fun ... Basket Case is typical Hiaasen. In other words, it’s wildly hyperbolic, with lots of digs at South Florida's zany lifestyle and (in this case) a total smearing of corporate journalism.”
—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Another fun Florida story

The characters were fun, the store was interesting. A rock stars death, a mysterious circumstances that the other band members start dying.

Another Great Carl Hiaasen Listen

I really enjoyed this book, but it took a little bit to get into it. Although Carl Hiaasen‘s humor is there, it’s not quite as crazy as say, Squeeze Me.
Overall, both my husband and I really enjoyed it and thought the narrator was very good. There is still a lot of humor and we chuckled often-it’s just not quite as bitingly satirical as some of his others. Fun, plot line, and as always, a very satisfying ending.

Great Hiasson

Hiasson at his outrageously imiginative Floridian best. George Newbern is a terrific reader who is a perfect translator for Hiasson's laconic and incredibly humorous skepticism. BRAVO!
Warmest sympathy to Mr. Hiasson for his recent loss.

Wonderful

A unique voice by both author and narrator. Enjoyable. Not to be missed. Laugh out loud funny and heart aching.

Too wordy

Carl Hiassen, based on some of his earlier novels, is a favorite of mine. Unfortunately, this one just seemed to drag, and a lot of the humor seemed forced. He has certaimly done better.