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Claire Hanover, Gift Basket Designer #1
A Real Basket Case
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.
“A tense, exciting debut.”â KIRKUS REVIEWS
“Will appeal to Desperate Housewives fans and those who like cozies with a bit of spice.” â BOOKLIST
“A real winner! Don’t miss it.”â Maggie Sefton, bestselling author of Knit One, Kill Two
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.
“A tense, exciting debut.”â KIRKUS REVIEWS
“Will appeal to Desperate Housewives fans and those who like cozies with a bit of spice.” â BOOKLIST
“A real winner! Don’t miss it.”â Maggie Sefton, bestselling author of Knit One, Kill Two
269 pages, Hardcover
First published March 21, 2007
10 people are currently reading
983 people want to read
About the author
Beth Groundwater
9 books581 followersI write two mystery series, the Claire Hanover gift basket designer series and the Rocky Mountain Outdoor Adventures series starring whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner. The first book in my Claire Hanover series, A REAL BASKET CASE, was released in hardcover in 2007 and re-released in trade paperback and ebook in November, 2011. It finaled for the 2007 Best First Novel Agatha Award. The second book in the series, TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET, was released in hardcover in 2009 and re-released in trade paperback and ebook in 2012. The third book, A BASKET OF TROUBLE, was released in November, 2013.
The first book in my Rocky Mountain Outdoor Adventures series, DEADLY CURRENTS, was released in trade paperback and ebook by Midnight Ink in 2011 and became an Amazon bestseller. The second book, WICKED EDDIES, was released in 2012 and was a finalist for the Rocky Award, for the best mystery set in Western North America. The third book, FATAL DESCENT, was released in June, 2013. DEADLY CURRENTS was re-released in September, 2020 by Speaking Volumes.
I was an avid "river rat" in the 1980s, running whitewater rivers in the eastern US, and enjoyed reacquainting myself with that subculture while researching this series. In June, 2011, I was the parade VIP for the First in Boating on the Arkansas River (FIBArk) whitewater festival in Salida, Colorado, which is featured in DEADLY CURRENTS. I live in Colorado and enjoy its many outdoor activities, including skiing and whitewater rafting.
My science fiction novella, THE EPSILON ERIDANI ALTERNATIVE, was released in ebook and paperback 2009. Also, I have published nine short stories, many multiple times in various formats, including audio. I enjoy meeting with book clubs in person or via Skype or speakerphone to discuss my books. Visit my website at http://bethgroundwater.com/ and my blog at http://bethgroundwater.blogspot.com/ for more information.
The first book in my Rocky Mountain Outdoor Adventures series, DEADLY CURRENTS, was released in trade paperback and ebook by Midnight Ink in 2011 and became an Amazon bestseller. The second book, WICKED EDDIES, was released in 2012 and was a finalist for the Rocky Award, for the best mystery set in Western North America. The third book, FATAL DESCENT, was released in June, 2013. DEADLY CURRENTS was re-released in September, 2020 by Speaking Volumes.
I was an avid "river rat" in the 1980s, running whitewater rivers in the eastern US, and enjoyed reacquainting myself with that subculture while researching this series. In June, 2011, I was the parade VIP for the First in Boating on the Arkansas River (FIBArk) whitewater festival in Salida, Colorado, which is featured in DEADLY CURRENTS. I live in Colorado and enjoy its many outdoor activities, including skiing and whitewater rafting.
My science fiction novella, THE EPSILON ERIDANI ALTERNATIVE, was released in ebook and paperback 2009. Also, I have published nine short stories, many multiple times in various formats, including audio. I enjoy meeting with book clubs in person or via Skype or speakerphone to discuss my books. Visit my website at http://bethgroundwater.com/ and my blog at http://bethgroundwater.blogspot.com/ for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
April 10, 2012
Rating: 3* of five
The Book Report: Mrs. Roger Hanover hasn't seen the love-light in her husband's eyes in ten years. Kids in college, money in bank, stupid expensive car she didn't want in garage of stupid expensive house she didn't want, and...not much else, just a home-based gift-basket-making business that she's run ragged by (thank goodness, something to do!). Her best friend, divorcée Ellen, leads her into the path of temptation by introducing her to hawt yoga instructor Enrique. That sets off a chain of events powering this entire first novel, as Enrique is murdered in Mrs. Hanover's bedroom in the course of an innocent, non-sexual (to Enrique's mild annoyance) massage...and Roger, standing in the doorway with the murder weapon, looks like the murderer.
She's all verschmeckeled, our intrepid heroine, what with being caught in what was once called a compromising position by the husband she loves even now, and whose apparent murder of the louche and rentable Enrique becomes the cause célèbre of Denver seems to her exceedingly unlike him...well, these facts force her, the publicly branded Cheating Wife, to stop the trial before it starts by discovering the real killer.
Which she does, much to her sorrow, and after making all sorts of bizarre new acquaintances, accusing old friends of heinous things, and fighting to show her husband she's not a cheater.
My Review: Enrique the latin lover/drug dealer. His Mexican spitfire girlfriend. A drug kingpin in a limousine.
Oh heavenly days, as my other-mother used to say, do stop now.
Adequate plotting, adequate dialogue, and a surprise killer get the book three stars, and the racist profiling is so blind, so not the point the author's making, that all it does is keep any more from being subtracted instead of making me rate it 1 star in irritation. This is a first novel, and is the first in a series, but I am not seeking the others out.
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: "My name is David Brandstetter. I'm a claims investigator for the Medallion Life Insurance Company." He handed her a card. She didn't glance at it. "I'm looking for Peter Oats," he said.
"He's not here. I wish he were. Maybe you can help me. The police don't seem to care."
She was April Stannard. Her lover, Peter's father, had died. April believed he'd been murdered.
Dave Brandstetter's investigation takes him through the rare-book world, to backstage at a community theatre, to the home of a world-famous television performer. Along the way, Dave soon comes to agree with April.
My Review: Small-town California has a lot of atmosphere, according to Hansen; I don't remember it that way, but I was young and miserable, so I'll go with the man who found there something that led to this description of an old mill made into a theater:
Beautiful.
It's with this book, second in the series, that Hansen's chops come fully into play. He's here to wow you, and he's got the story to keep you sitting right there flipping pages. April, the bereaved, is Rita Hayworth in my mind; Oates, the dead guy, looks like John Garfield; Peter, the son and heir, is Cabaret-era Michael York; and so on and so on. (Eve, Oates' ex-wife, is Barbara Stanwyck.) I do this a lot, cast the perfect movie cast as I read along. But this time it felt as if it was all done for me. Oates' murderer, when revealed, was a surprise to me even though this was a re-read. And the actor I'd put in the role was perfect...no testament to my skills, just an example of how beautifully Hansen draws his characters.
Dave's got a man, too...how amazing for the 1970s! I so wish this had been a TV series. Magnum PI only gay! *sigh* What might have been....
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
The Book Report: Mrs. Roger Hanover hasn't seen the love-light in her husband's eyes in ten years. Kids in college, money in bank, stupid expensive car she didn't want in garage of stupid expensive house she didn't want, and...not much else, just a home-based gift-basket-making business that she's run ragged by (thank goodness, something to do!). Her best friend, divorcée Ellen, leads her into the path of temptation by introducing her to hawt yoga instructor Enrique. That sets off a chain of events powering this entire first novel, as Enrique is murdered in Mrs. Hanover's bedroom in the course of an innocent, non-sexual (to Enrique's mild annoyance) massage...and Roger, standing in the doorway with the murder weapon, looks like the murderer.
She's all verschmeckeled, our intrepid heroine, what with being caught in what was once called a compromising position by the husband she loves even now, and whose apparent murder of the louche and rentable Enrique becomes the cause célèbre of Denver seems to her exceedingly unlike him...well, these facts force her, the publicly branded Cheating Wife, to stop the trial before it starts by discovering the real killer.
Which she does, much to her sorrow, and after making all sorts of bizarre new acquaintances, accusing old friends of heinous things, and fighting to show her husband she's not a cheater.
My Review: Enrique the latin lover/drug dealer. His Mexican spitfire girlfriend. A drug kingpin in a limousine.
Oh heavenly days, as my other-mother used to say, do stop now.
Adequate plotting, adequate dialogue, and a surprise killer get the book three stars, and the racist profiling is so blind, so not the point the author's making, that all it does is keep any more from being subtracted instead of making me rate it 1 star in irritation. This is a first novel, and is the first in a series, but I am not seeking the others out.
Rating: 4* of five
The Publisher Says: "My name is David Brandstetter. I'm a claims investigator for the Medallion Life Insurance Company." He handed her a card. She didn't glance at it. "I'm looking for Peter Oats," he said.
"He's not here. I wish he were. Maybe you can help me. The police don't seem to care."
She was April Stannard. Her lover, Peter's father, had died. April believed he'd been murdered.
Dave Brandstetter's investigation takes him through the rare-book world, to backstage at a community theatre, to the home of a world-famous television performer. Along the way, Dave soon comes to agree with April.
My Review: Small-town California has a lot of atmosphere, according to Hansen; I don't remember it that way, but I was young and miserable, so I'll go with the man who found there something that led to this description of an old mill made into a theater:
The waterwheel was twice a man’s height, wider than a man’s two stretched arms. The timbers, braced and bolted with rusty iron were heavy, hand-hewn, swollen with a century of wet. Moss bearded the paddles, which dripped as they rose. The sounds were good. Wooden stutter like children running down a hall at the end of school. Grudging axle thud like the heartbeat of a strong old man.
Beautiful.
It's with this book, second in the series, that Hansen's chops come fully into play. He's here to wow you, and he's got the story to keep you sitting right there flipping pages. April, the bereaved, is Rita Hayworth in my mind; Oates, the dead guy, looks like John Garfield; Peter, the son and heir, is Cabaret-era Michael York; and so on and so on. (Eve, Oates' ex-wife, is Barbara Stanwyck.) I do this a lot, cast the perfect movie cast as I read along. But this time it felt as if it was all done for me. Oates' murderer, when revealed, was a surprise to me even though this was a re-read. And the actor I'd put in the role was perfect...no testament to my skills, just an example of how beautifully Hansen draws his characters.
Dave's got a man, too...how amazing for the 1970s! I so wish this had been a TV series. Magnum PI only gay! *sigh* What might have been....
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
February 13, 2009
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.
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.
February 16, 2009
This was a very good book. Very fast-paced and kept me guessing. My mom recommended it to me based on the recommendation from a favorite author of ours (Maggie Sefton). I really enjoyed it.
November 30, 2012
Thanks to Beth Groundwater, I won this really cozy mystery! I enjoyed reading about Claire Hanover's fight for justice when her husband is accused of a crime she knows he could not commit. Claire is an empty nester who runs her own basket making business in her spare time. Her husband is so caught up in his job that he doesn't notice that Claire is feeling a bit neglected.
Claire's friend Ellen convinces her that she needs a little fun and gets her to join an aerobics class. Unbeknownst to Claire, Ellen also thinks Claire needs a little "extra-curricular" excitement in her life. She sets up a massage appointment for Claire with the hot aerobics instructor, and everything goes downhill from there. (Don't play with fire!) Shots ring out and the instructor ends up dead in Claire's bedroom. Her husband is accused of his murder, and it is up to Clarie to clear his name since the police are convinced he is the killer.
A Real Basket Case is a book filled with plot twists and humor. Claire has several humorous run-ins with drug-dealers and the police in this fast-paced novel.
There were a couple of times when I really thought I knew who the killer was, but though I was close, I was surprised in the end. I'm looking forward to reading more of Beth's novels and seeing what else Claire gets into.
Disclaimer: This is PG-13ish in some spots.
Claire's friend Ellen convinces her that she needs a little fun and gets her to join an aerobics class. Unbeknownst to Claire, Ellen also thinks Claire needs a little "extra-curricular" excitement in her life. She sets up a massage appointment for Claire with the hot aerobics instructor, and everything goes downhill from there. (Don't play with fire!) Shots ring out and the instructor ends up dead in Claire's bedroom. Her husband is accused of his murder, and it is up to Clarie to clear his name since the police are convinced he is the killer.
A Real Basket Case is a book filled with plot twists and humor. Claire has several humorous run-ins with drug-dealers and the police in this fast-paced novel.
There were a couple of times when I really thought I knew who the killer was, but though I was close, I was surprised in the end. I'm looking forward to reading more of Beth's novels and seeing what else Claire gets into.
Disclaimer: This is PG-13ish in some spots.
November 18, 2015
This is the first book in the Claire Hanover series and I am looking forward to the rest of them. In this book, Claire and her husband Roger are having difficulties. Roger has become a workaholic trying to get ahead. Claire is lonely (her children are grown and gone) and she wants her husband to cut back on work and rekindle the romance they had years ago. When her friend Ellen invites her to attend aerobics classes with her, Claire agrees. The instructor, Enrique, is a handsome gigolo who tries to latch onto Claire with Ellen's encouragement. Claire agrees to a massage, and while that is happening in her master bedroom, someone breaks in and shoots and kills Enrique. When Claire gets the dead body off herself, she sees her husband standing there holding a gun. He is promptly arrested and charged with murder. Claire believes his when he says he did not do it and spends the rest of the book investigating the crime because the police think they have the guilty party and are not looking elsewhere. She ends up in all sorts of trouble. A great story with lots of surprises.
September 19, 2014
I really enjoyed reading A Real Basket Case by Beth Groundwater. It was a light, quick read that was laced with humor. I also enjoyed the fact that I could identify with where Claire finds herself in her middle-age - with an empty nest and often at loose ends.
I especially liked the twists and turns the story took. Unlike many other reviewers, I hadn't guessed "whodunit" early in the story. I truly appreciated the fact that a couple of the characters that I had truly disliked were making sincere efforts to redeem themselves by the book's end (her husband, Roger and her friend, Ellen). I look forward to reading To Hell in a Handbasket to see what happens next for Claire - a murder close by that will need solving, no doubt, but also the good life changes that Claire deserves!
I especially liked the twists and turns the story took. Unlike many other reviewers, I hadn't guessed "whodunit" early in the story. I truly appreciated the fact that a couple of the characters that I had truly disliked were making sincere efforts to redeem themselves by the book's end (her husband, Roger and her friend, Ellen). I look forward to reading To Hell in a Handbasket to see what happens next for Claire - a murder close by that will need solving, no doubt, but also the good life changes that Claire deserves!
June 7, 2008
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.
May 26, 2009
I became aware of this book through Good reads and I enjoy cozy mysteries in between my other reads.
I really liked the heroine in this book as well as somme of the minor characters. The story started out with a bang and kept the pace up right to the end. A very good debut novel and I hope that Beth's following books are as good.
I really liked the heroine in this book as well as somme of the minor characters. The story started out with a bang and kept the pace up right to the end. A very good debut novel and I hope that Beth's following books are as good.
July 19, 2009
Since I got this book from the library . I thought something real interest about Mystery case.. I really enjoyed reading her book. I am sure I will read more of her books near future.
January 13, 2009
I'm almost finished with this really enjoyable book. It's down to 5 suspects and I have no idea which one is guilty.
March 28, 2009
The Real Basket Case: By Beth Groundwater
Reviewed By Fran Lewis
What would possess a supposedly happily married woman to cheat on her husband of 26 years? What would possess her to listen to her best friend who tells her to have a fling with her aerobics instructor? Well, it is simple. When your husband of 26 years becomes more immersed in his job and has little or no time for you, things that are not supposed to happen can and do? In this masterfully written murder mystery, Beth Groundwater captures the attention of the reader from the first page in her novel The Real Basket Case.
When Claire Hanover’s life becomes dull and mundane and her gift basket business does not bring her the pleasure that once did, she decides to find something that does give her some sort of pleasure or outlet. Her husband of 26 years is never home at night and when he does arrive, he is too tired to even eat dinner or have a simple conversation. Claire, who is middle aged and needs to feel that her husband still finds her desirable. When she tries to make advances towards him, he pushes her aside and tells her he is tired or needs to get for work early in the morning. What does Claire do? She does what many women do, confides in her best friend, Ellen and from there things only get worse, but interesting.
Ellen suggests that she join her Wednesday morning aerobics class where she meets Enrique. Enrique shows some interest in her and when Ellen tells her he has had many affairs with some of the other women and he might be interested in her, she cannot believe it. However, flattered she falls into the same trap that other women in her position might fall into, she accepts a gift coupon from Ellen for a massage from Enrique, and from there all havoc breaks out and nothing will ever be the same for her, her husband or her so-called friends at the gym.
While enjoying her massage someone breaks into her home and shoots Enrique. Unfortunately, her husband, who never comes home early, receives a phone call that she needs him to come home due to some kind of an emergency. Picking up a gun that he finds on the floor when he comes into his basement, he goes up and shoots into thin air. Thinking he is the one that killed the instructor, Roger is arrested for his murder. This sets Claire on a mission to solve the case and clear his name. Roger, of course does not believe that this was an innocent massage and refuses to believe that she did not have an affair with this Don Juan of the gym.
Throughout the course of the book, Claire with the help of her so-called friends tries to clear his name, but Roger does not seem to want her help. As we learn more about the instructor we find out that he was into more than just aerobics and that many of his clients bought hard-core drugs from him were serviced by him in other ways too. Many of these women were scorned and upset when he either rejected them or dropped them for the next women on his list. These women were divorced, lonely and had money, which he gladly accepted as gifts, for lunch and more.
Claire decides to investigate on her own and becomes embroiled with Leon the head drug lord, his pal Travis who has now taken over for Enrique, their shared girlfriend Condoleza and a whole slew of friends that think nothing of backstabbing her. Claire determined to find out what happens meets with these people and even winds up in jail.
With the help of her friend and private investigator, Deb and finally the Police Detective who wants her out of his face forever, she manages to find the truth, but at what cost. Ellen, her best friend, Jill her second best friend, Brenda who goes to the gym but is a cocaine user, Patti, Karla and many other gossiping two-faced women provide not only spice to this well crafted murder mystery that keeps you in suspense until the very end.
Who did it and why? Will Roger ever realize that Claire is innocent? Will the Police finally investigate someone other than Roger? Will Claire ever deliver the gift baskets to her clients on time or ever? Love, Trust and Respect, Beth Groundwater states are the true basis of a good marriage or as she so aptly puts it the legs on a stool that keep it upright. When Trust is no longer there and the middle leg breaks off, Claire needs to find the glue to repair it. To find out the truth in this great mystery and to learn whether she and Roger repair their lives, you need to read this five star book. This reviewer cannot wait for the sequel. Keep writing them and I will definitely keep reading them.
Fran Lewis
January 16, 2016
Claire Hanover’s nest is empty, her kids are off on their own, and her husband is a workaholic. She has started her own part-time business creating gift baskets but it doesn’t fill her time as much as she would like. She feels neglected by her husband because she comes number two after his rise up the corporate ladder.
She follows the advice of her best friend Ellen to join an aerobics class to get back into shape and meet people. All the women in the class agree their instructor is dreamy and most flirt with him openly through each class. There are rumors that he has had affairs with most of his students but Claire puts up a wall right away letting him know she is married. That doesn’t make her immune from his charms and she still agrees to let Enrique to be her personal trainer and she lets him come to her house to give her a massage after a stressful workout.
The massage barely gets started when someone sneaks into her house and shoots Enrique dead right there in her master bedroom. The police arrest Claire’s husband for the murder very quickly. Claire is determined to clear her husband of the crime and save her marriage and she will do anything necessary to do just that.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
When I finished this book I sat up straight and said WOW!!! This is definitely not your traditional cozy mystery. This is a hold on to the edge of your seat wild ride mystery!!! I got about halfway through and I couldn’t put it down. It was a late night as I stayed up to finish it and then couldn’t get to sleep.
I do not want to reveal much because you will enjoy it much more just reading it yourself but the lengths this woman, Claire, goes to are astounding. All to save the man she loves. The places she goes, the danger she puts herself in, the people she deals with left me dazed. You want to reach into the pages and shake her and say “Are you crazy?” She starts the book as a woman lost and emerges as such a strong heroine.
This is another book I to shout about from the rooftops, YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!!!! The book is off my rating scale it is so good! Like mystery and suspense, strong women characters, along with the charm and a little humor found in a wonderful cozy, this book is perfect for you. It is like a cozy mystery on steroids!!!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
She follows the advice of her best friend Ellen to join an aerobics class to get back into shape and meet people. All the women in the class agree their instructor is dreamy and most flirt with him openly through each class. There are rumors that he has had affairs with most of his students but Claire puts up a wall right away letting him know she is married. That doesn’t make her immune from his charms and she still agrees to let Enrique to be her personal trainer and she lets him come to her house to give her a massage after a stressful workout.
The massage barely gets started when someone sneaks into her house and shoots Enrique dead right there in her master bedroom. The police arrest Claire’s husband for the murder very quickly. Claire is determined to clear her husband of the crime and save her marriage and she will do anything necessary to do just that.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
When I finished this book I sat up straight and said WOW!!! This is definitely not your traditional cozy mystery. This is a hold on to the edge of your seat wild ride mystery!!! I got about halfway through and I couldn’t put it down. It was a late night as I stayed up to finish it and then couldn’t get to sleep.
I do not want to reveal much because you will enjoy it much more just reading it yourself but the lengths this woman, Claire, goes to are astounding. All to save the man she loves. The places she goes, the danger she puts herself in, the people she deals with left me dazed. You want to reach into the pages and shake her and say “Are you crazy?” She starts the book as a woman lost and emerges as such a strong heroine.
This is another book I to shout about from the rooftops, YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!!!! The book is off my rating scale it is so good! Like mystery and suspense, strong women characters, along with the charm and a little humor found in a wonderful cozy, this book is perfect for you. It is like a cozy mystery on steroids!!!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
June 19, 2009
A Real Basket Case by Beth Groundwater is a really fun book, and just perfect to add to that gift basket for mother, sick friend, empty-nester, or whoever else you feel needs a bit of spice to cheer them up. Just be sure whoever reads it will be inspired to believe in themselves, in the future, and in the value of love and relationships.
Beth’s protagonist, Claire Hanover, is a middle-aged mother of grown-up children, valued confidante of friends whose marriages are breaking up, and loyal wife. But an exercise class run by gloriously handsome Enrique surely can’t be a problem, and all she agrees to is a massage. Depending on your own position in life, you’ll either be crying out “Go for it Claire,” or “Claire, don’t do it!” as one of her friends eggs her on, and the other decries the duplicity of all men.
But things go drastically wrong. Claire’s moment of pleasure becomes a trek through the seamy underbelly of Colorado Springs. Her husband is arrested for murder. Everyone thinks he’s guilty. His boss threatens to fire him. And when Claire manages to arrange his bail, he retires straight to a friend’s house because he doesn’t believe she loves him anymore.
By the way, did you know that works? Arranging bail and all that?
Meanwhile Claire delivers gift baskets to the realtor, and tries to avoid getting shot by the local drug lord. She’d have every justification for ending up a real basket case, but that’s not her aim, and true love, true grit, and true determination win through.
I love Claire. I love this story. And I’ll soon be reading the sequel, To Hell in a Handbasket. I can hardly wait.
Beth’s protagonist, Claire Hanover, is a middle-aged mother of grown-up children, valued confidante of friends whose marriages are breaking up, and loyal wife. But an exercise class run by gloriously handsome Enrique surely can’t be a problem, and all she agrees to is a massage. Depending on your own position in life, you’ll either be crying out “Go for it Claire,” or “Claire, don’t do it!” as one of her friends eggs her on, and the other decries the duplicity of all men.
But things go drastically wrong. Claire’s moment of pleasure becomes a trek through the seamy underbelly of Colorado Springs. Her husband is arrested for murder. Everyone thinks he’s guilty. His boss threatens to fire him. And when Claire manages to arrange his bail, he retires straight to a friend’s house because he doesn’t believe she loves him anymore.
By the way, did you know that works? Arranging bail and all that?
Meanwhile Claire delivers gift baskets to the realtor, and tries to avoid getting shot by the local drug lord. She’d have every justification for ending up a real basket case, but that’s not her aim, and true love, true grit, and true determination win through.
I love Claire. I love this story. And I’ll soon be reading the sequel, To Hell in a Handbasket. I can hardly wait.
September 4, 2008
Beth Groundwater's debut novel "A Real Basket Case" quickly develops into everyone's worst nightmare of being falsly accused of a crime; especially murder. Claire, a housewife who feels neglected and at loose ends now that her "nest" is empty is tempted by a smooth-talking aerobics instructor at her gym. Her so-called best friends goad her into accepting a coupon for a free massage in her own bedroom, but before she can even lay down her "lover" is shot and her husband is standing there holding the smoking gun. Though the "whodunnit" isn't hard for any one but Claire to figure out, it is still a well-crafted story as our heroine races the clock (and balances her gift basket business) to prove her husband is innocent of murder.
Ultimately Claire discovers that everyone views the tapestry that is life through their own personal filter. Everyone has their own loose ends to weave together using whatever tools are at hand. An "ethical" drug dealer, a randy fitness trainer, a jealous girlfriend, a police detective all thrown in with a few "desperate housewives" playing Nancy Drew this mystery gets wrapped up neatly with a perfect bow. Cheers!
Ultimately Claire discovers that everyone views the tapestry that is life through their own personal filter. Everyone has their own loose ends to weave together using whatever tools are at hand. An "ethical" drug dealer, a randy fitness trainer, a jealous girlfriend, a police detective all thrown in with a few "desperate housewives" playing Nancy Drew this mystery gets wrapped up neatly with a perfect bow. Cheers!
May 10, 2012
In this story, you are introduced to Claire Hanover. Claire is a typical middle-class, middle-aged housewife. Married to workaholic Roger, she finds herself lonely & bored now that their children are out of the house. She joins an exercise class with a couple of her friends...taught by the handsome Enrique. He soon flatters her with his attention, and egged on by her well-meaning friend, Ellen, she agrees to a home massage.
Next thing you know, Enrique is dead, and Claire's husband Roger is charged with the murder. Claire is the only one that is sure of her husband's innocence. Her determination is to prove it - and in doing so - save both him and her marriage.
I hadn't read anything by Beth Groundwater prior to this book, so I had no preconceived notions. I would describe this book as a semi-cozy mystery featuring an amateur sleuth. The story line captured my attention quickly, and kept me interested until the end. I thought I had figured out "whodunit" about halfway through, but found out at the end that I was wrong.
I will definitely be reading more by this author!
Next thing you know, Enrique is dead, and Claire's husband Roger is charged with the murder. Claire is the only one that is sure of her husband's innocence. Her determination is to prove it - and in doing so - save both him and her marriage.
I hadn't read anything by Beth Groundwater prior to this book, so I had no preconceived notions. I would describe this book as a semi-cozy mystery featuring an amateur sleuth. The story line captured my attention quickly, and kept me interested until the end. I thought I had figured out "whodunit" about halfway through, but found out at the end that I was wrong.
I will definitely be reading more by this author!
April 24, 2013
Beth Groundwater has a hit on her hands with the first in the Claire Hanover series! She writes a fast paced, entertaining and suspenseful cozy! Her characters are likeable and fun to read about. I am so looking forward to reading
the second book in the series. I have to agree with Maggie Sefton's blurb on the back of this book "A real winner! Don't miss it."
I am so glad that I requested Beth's books at my local public library, as it will be of benefit to the library, the readers,the writers and the publishers of books that we love. I appeal to all of you who love books, be sure to request books at your local library, especially if you find there are books that you would like to read and your library doesn't have them, plus it helps the author to reach a new audience. It's win-win situation for everyone involved!
the second book in the series. I have to agree with Maggie Sefton's blurb on the back of this book "A real winner! Don't miss it." I am so glad that I requested Beth's books at my local public library, as it will be of benefit to the library, the readers,the writers and the publishers of books that we love. I appeal to all of you who love books, be sure to request books at your local library, especially if you find there are books that you would like to read and your library doesn't have them, plus it helps the author to reach a new audience. It's win-win situation for everyone involved!
November 10, 2012
Claire Hanover, empty nester, feeling neglected by her workaholic husband, with a part-time job making gift baskets, has way too much time on her hands. Her best friend Ellen talks her into joining her aerobics class, taught by the hunky Enrique. All the women in the class flirt with him, and its rumored that he's had affairs with most of them. Claire makes it clear she's married, but when Ellen pays for a massage by Enrique for Claire, she agrees to that. He insists he has to do it at her house. During the massage someone shoots him with Claire under him, in the master bedroom. Before she can do much more than maneuver herself off the bed, into the corner, screaming, her husband rushes into the room with a gun. Her husband, Roger, is arrested for the murder. No matter what it takes, Claire is going to find the real murderer. To solve this murder takes her into some dangerous and shocking situations. I admired her tenacity in tracking down the murderer so that her husband could be cleared.
September 19, 2008
This is Beth Groundwater's first published mystery and an Agatha Award nominee. I became aware of it because Beth is a member of Goodreads and suggested I read it.
I suppose this novel fits into the mystery sub-genre of 'cozies', not usually my favorite type of mystery but I have read a number of them.
I enjoyed this book - there are some fun secondary characters: the drug lord Leon, his employees Travis and Condoleza, detective Wilson, the cool Brenda.
However, it was rather evident from the start that the main character would work out her dilemma and everyone would live happily ever after. I think the reason for this is that the reader is told about the emotions of the central characters as a way of explaining their actions, rather than being allowed to discern their emotions through their words and deeds. The words and deeds alone were not enough to portray the depth of emotion.
That being said, I would recommend this book and will watch for a sequel.
I suppose this novel fits into the mystery sub-genre of 'cozies', not usually my favorite type of mystery but I have read a number of them.
I enjoyed this book - there are some fun secondary characters: the drug lord Leon, his employees Travis and Condoleza, detective Wilson, the cool Brenda.
However, it was rather evident from the start that the main character would work out her dilemma and everyone would live happily ever after. I think the reason for this is that the reader is told about the emotions of the central characters as a way of explaining their actions, rather than being allowed to discern their emotions through their words and deeds. The words and deeds alone were not enough to portray the depth of emotion.
That being said, I would recommend this book and will watch for a sequel.
November 28, 2015
A Real Basket Case by Beth Groundwater is a fun cozy with a likable heroine-an empty nester coping with bitter friends, a workaholic husband and a hobby-cum-business of basket weaving that doesn't quite fill her life. When her gym/workout instructor is murdered while giving her a massage in her home and her husband is chief suspect, Claire Hanover has to come to terms with herself, her marriage while tracking down a murderer.
The plot is clever and the characters and their relationships engaging. Claire occasionally irritated me with her helpless innocence but on the whole I empathized with her situation and liked her and her choices.
I strongly recommend this read for those of us who love cozies!
The plot is clever and the characters and their relationships engaging. Claire occasionally irritated me with her helpless innocence but on the whole I empathized with her situation and liked her and her choices.
I strongly recommend this read for those of us who love cozies!
July 21, 2014
A Real Basket Case is actually the second book that I have read by this author and in this series, and I have to say that I did really enjoy this one as much as I did the other one. However this book's story is not exactly what I expected from a cozy with the murder victim is killed in the heroine's bedroom with her husband as murder suspect number one, but the story definitely works and grabs the reader's attention. Claire is well developed in the book, and I liked seeing how she pulled it together to try and clear her husband's name. I also liked the secondary characters in the book like Deb and Roger who really added to the story. The book is full of many twists and turns keeping the reader guessing until the end. Overall A Real Basket Case is a great read that I would definitely recommend.
June 1, 2010
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.
May 22, 2012
Really enjoyed this book! Claire found herself in a "Desperate Housewives"-like situation when she took advantage of a free massage from hunky fitness instructor Enrique; soon he's slumped forward on top of Claire, in her bed, shot to death, with her husband Roger holding the gun. Easy open and shut murder case? Hardly (in Claire's opinion)! Although the police seem to think they have their man, Claire knows Roger didn't do it and is determined to prove it. Claire gets some advice and encouragement from Deb, her P.I. friend. Then Claire finds herself in dangerous situations but still holding fast to the goal of exonerating her husband, and finding herself more resourceful than she thinks! A "couldn't put down" read, through and through!
April 14, 2009
What a good first book! The plot is fast-paced, the character intriguing and the murder very clever and unexpected. Claire Hanover has a small gift basket business but for the most part feels lonely and unhappy. Her husband is a workaholic with no time for her and her kids are grown and on their own. Her divorced friend Ellen urges Claire to have an affair and things go very badly as she toys with the idea and meets with the personal trainer from the gym for a massage. Mix in old friends, drugs and a meeting with the local dealer and enjoy the next few hours.
I'm looking forward to the next adventure!
I'm looking forward to the next adventure!
April 21, 2013
Glad I finally got to read this one. Good story line. Great twists. Really enjoyed watching Claire take risks that she would never take normally in order to save her husband and her marriage. Not sure how it is going to make sense for her to be involved in other investigations in the follow-ups, but looking forward to reading To Hell in a Handbasket and the new one due out in November. Brava! Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes cozy mysteries.
October 13, 2014
I have to admit, this book was more hardcore than the cozy I thought it would be based on the series name. Starts peacefully enough, with Claire bringing the trainer from the gym home with her to cash in on a massage from him. Until, BAM!, he is shot from the bedroom door and falls, dead, across her body. Seconds later her husband Roger comes home, smoking gun literally in his hand. Claire must investigate to find the real killer, because to the police this looks like an open and shut case, but Claire knows her husband is not a killer.
April 3, 2014
I was drawn to this book by its Colorado Springs setting. It's a town I once lived in and would live still if I had a chance. The book is a quick read and introduces a gutsy gift basket designer who finds herself in a situation that would make anyone a basket case. The plot is compelling, has interesting twists and turns, and provided me with a much-needed Colorado Springs fix. Now to dive into the rest of the series.
February 21, 2011
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.
January 30, 2011
I thought this was quite a fun and light read. Claire makes a lot of mistakes trying to help her husband and gets into some very bizarre and frightening situations but she is an endearing character. It makes it even more fun reading about a place where I live and know where Claire is. A very fun read and I look forward to more.
December 27, 2017
Yeesh! This was nominated for an Agatha award, unbelievable! I read this because I figured it would be quick read and thought the Colorado setting would be nice. Why do authors ever think reading about stupid women would be enjoyable? Every time the protagonist does something incredibly stupid, someone gives her credit for having guts--another stupid thing about this book.
December 20, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. The story telling kept going at a great pace and while I thought it was predictable at times, I loved that it was set in Colorado - it referenced places I knew, which is always fun in a book!
Great easy read for any mystery lover!
Great easy read for any mystery lover!
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