Rating: 
Summary: Rock music is one nasty business
Review: I chose the audio book version for this one, and Hiaasen's voice is no match for his pen. A better reader would have made a difference. Jimmy Stomarti, a.k.a. Jimmy Stoma of the Slut Puppies, a 39-year-old bad boy rock star who has been clean for nine years dies in a diving accident. Florida obit writer and fan Jack Tagger sets out to tell his story, first interviewing Jimmy's 22-year-old wife Cleo Rio who is more into her budding career than the role of a grieving widow. The aging owner of Jack's paper who sold out to a chain, the head of which demoted Jack to the obit page for embarrassing him in a meeting, insists that Jack be prepared to write the mother of all obituaries when he goes. (He's been at death's door for years and may out live them all.) Jack agrees only if he can spend a week investigating Jimmy's death which we all know will turn out to be a murder. Widow Cleo is getting it on with Jay Burns the keyboard guy and Lorieal the record producer, and they're all franticly looking for the track to Jimmy's unpublished comeback album. The action is implausible but funny (of course, it's Hiaasen), but the premise as to what happened and why is off the wall. I love Hiaasen, but this one only gets 4 stars, barely.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Hiaasen's Best, But Better Than Most Books by Others
Review: I have read all of Hiaasen's Novels. They are offbeat and often funny. "Basket Case" didn't have me lauging out loud as I read it, but it was still better than most of the books I've read lately. One time rock star, Jimmy Stoma has drowned while scuba diving in the Bahamas. Since no autopsy was performed and Jimmy's body was quickly creamated, obituary columnist and one time investegative reporter Jack Tagger suspects foul play. The widdow Stoma, other wise known as mildly successful pop singer Cleo Rio seems to be less than the grieving widow. However, Jimmy was seemingly worth more to her alive than dead, causing Tagger to think about giving up any investigation. But then things get strante. Soon, another member of Stoma's band, Jimmy and the Slut Puppies is found dead, and then another is wounded. Jack's apartment is broken into, and later his new girlfriend is kidnapped. Eventually, Jack is able to build a case for murder while working his way out of obituaries and back onto the front page. As always, Hiaasen's novel is about more than just a murder. This time he takes on the decline of newspapers at the hands of corporate mergers and the fleeing of readership to television and the internet. Anyone who has never read Hiaasen is in for a real treat. Those of us who are his long time fans and have awaited another novel, have had our patience rewarded.
Rating:
Summary: Hiaasen does it again, but a little differently
Review: I've read all of Carl Hiaasen's novels, and every one of them is a very entertaining read. This one is great, too, but a little different - it's more of a straight mystery than most of his, and it's not nearly as comic-book-ish and over the top as his last two (which I also enjoyed, though), "Sick Puppy" and "Lucky You". There IS humor in this one, too, though. How can you not be taken in by a story featuring the mysterious death of Jimmy Stoma, the infamous lead singer (and rhythm guitarist?) of the Slut Puppies, whose ex-wife is not much more than half his age and a certifiable golddigger, to be very, very polite. The narrator/main character's job as an obituary writer is quite interesting, too - he only labors there because of a little altercation with the zit-brained young zillionaire owner of the paper.
Rating: 
Summary: re-read "lucky you" instead
Review: Or Tourist Season, or Stormy Wheather, or Skin Tight. Hiassen's previous novels are comic gems. He wrote this one in his sleep. The protagonist is a walking cliche: an embittered "real" journalist whose dedication to the truth has naturally led to his professional downfall. Throughout the novel he beats the dead horse of his disillusionment with the newspaper business - instead of the crisp, wry social commentary I expect from Hiassen, this comes off more like whining. The "villain" is a totally uninteresting pop singer, the music biz context is unconvincing and -- more to the point - unfunny. The thrill is gone - I hope Hiassen recharges his batteries and brings back the raucous, joyful, wacked-out style we love so much. Dave Barry just doesn't cut it!
Rating:
Summary: Strange, sordid, hilarious!
Review: If the death of a has-been rock star, noticed only by the local obit writer, didn't strike me as a little strange, I would never have picked this up. I'm glad I did, though; the way it's written is a scream! The plot's detailed, the characters fleshed out pretty well, the construction solid, but most of all, it's FUNNY!
Rating:
Summary: Another Colorful Cast Of Characters
Review: Jack Tagger, a talented and devoted investigative reporter, has been demoted at the Union Register. As punishment for criticizing the downsizing and sale of the paper to Race Maggad, the CEO of a newspaper chain, Tagger is assigned to the obituary desk where he applies his talent to writing clever articles for the well-known and recently deceased of South Florida. Cleo Rio, grieving young wife and bimbo of Jimmy Stoma, ex-rock star, tells Tagger a suspicious story of how Jimmy drown in the Bahamas. Stoma's sister, Janet, an on-line exhibitionist, has suspicions of her own about Stoma's death, especially after discovering he has no autopsy stitches and the body is ordered to be cremated. Enter Jack Tagger, hired to investigate the death of the 60's rock star, who reminds Jack of his youth and a time when journalism was an honest and respected profession. Hiaasen masterfully sets the stage to criticize newspaper chains and offers his insights into the music industry while involving the reader in an entertaining mystery. Jack Tagger is quick-witted, well-armed and ready with sarcastic comments and retorts to any of the colorful cast of characters with whom he converses. The mystery of Jimmy Stoma's life with his band, the Slut Puppies, and his untimely death is complex and clever and challenges the reader to figure out the motive and the killer in between laughs. As usual, Hiaasen has created a wide variety of personalities who talk to each other in hilarious dialogue. He has written another winner. BASKET CASE is highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Disobeys Aristotle
Review: It starts off as a mystery. An obituary writer notices an attempt to cover up the fact that a dead businessman was a famous rock star. The identity of the killer and the motive are revealed about half-way through. Then there's an attractive female kidnapped plot to build up suspense and then a second a.f.k.p. Another plot is one of Hiaasen's crusading ones. He's against the decline of good old-fashioned journalism and this involves the takeover of a worthy newspaper by a heartless chain.
A lot of expertise about rock music.
I like Hiaasen best when he keeps his feet on the ground and stays closer to reality. "Striptease" remains the best for me. My problem with this one, and several other recent Hiaasens has been the way the plot veers off into fantastic unbelievability. Too many unlikely things happen in too many plots. Aristotle said (I think) that fiction should deal either with either impossible probabilities or improbable possibilities.
Rating: 
Summary: fun but few belly laughs
Review: I love Carl Hiaasen and have read most of his books. They are perfect when you need a pick me up -- something fun, but with some substance and punch as well. "Basket Case" is entertaining, but most of it's vitriol and scathing humor is focused on the corporatization of journalism, with dramatically devastating results in terms of quality and public service. As usual, Hiaasen makes some important points, and clearly his close up and personal experience are reflected in the plot. This is a good plane, pool, or beach book. The reader should be forewarned, however, that it lacks the same degree of righteous mockery (though not the mockery) of most of Hiaasen's other novels.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read for journalists
Review: If you've ever spent more than six months working in a daily newspaper's newsroom, you must read "Basket Case." Carl Hiaasen has crafted a wacky and wonderful story about the search for the truth about the death of a rock star, but beneath that excellent layer are the all-too-familiar newsroom quirks and frustrations that any journalist will identify with.
Rating:
Summary: Hiaasen Rocks and Rolls In This One!
Review: Carl Hiaasen's latest comedy crime novel introduces Jack Tagger; a former star investigative reporter banished to obit writer thanks to a slight confrontation with the paper's CEO at the stockholders' meeting of the giant newspaper conglomerate. Jack is sure that he can get back on the front page with the help of an obituary of some "famous stiff." And when former rocker Jimmy Stoma of Jimmy and Slut Puppies dies in a questionable skin-diving accident he thinks he might have his story. Especially when it looks like someone is trying to kill the remaining Slut Puppies. Hiaasen abandons his usual environmental pulpit as a subplot in this novel in order to take on the plight of newspapers that are being emasculated by profit hungry publishing conglomerates. Actually, this is a welcome change, and the issue actually plays an important part in the novel's plot. (I also was able to identify with these issues.) The characters are all well defined with the villains, while still being totally vile, vicious, and evil, this time coming across more as characters and less as caricatures. Because of (and not in spite of) his many quirks, you have to like Jack Tagger and his quest for his front page near impossible dream. By the way, along the way he finds love in the most unlikely of places. Hiaasen is back in top form with this one, and I recommend it highly!
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