A Real Basket Case
Encyclopedia
A Real Basket Case is a mystery
novel that was written by Beth Groundwater
. It was published by Five Star Publishing and released on March 21, 2007. It was later re-published in large print in January 2008. The novel follows the story of Claire Hanover who sets out to discover the identity of her husband's killer.
It was nominated for the Best First Novel Agatha Award in 2007. The sequel, To Hell in a Handbasket is scheduled to be published in 2009.
Author J.B. Thompson praised the novel, saying "Groundwater’s well-crafted characters comprise a nicely balanced cast, and she does a good job incorporating a blend of humor and relationship drama into a deftly twisted plot with the kind of surprise ending guaranteed to satisfy. Quick-paced and well written with clear and comfortable prose, A Real Basket Case is a perfect afternoon read for cozy fans," though he also criticized the main character Claire as fallible.
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
novel that was written by Beth Groundwater
Beth Groundwater
Beth Groundwater is an American author who has written three novels. Her first novel, A Real Basket Case, was nominated for the Best First Novel Agatha Award in 2007...
. It was published by Five Star Publishing and released on March 21, 2007. It was later re-published in large print in January 2008. The novel follows the story of Claire Hanover who sets out to discover the identity of her husband's killer.
It was nominated for the Best First Novel Agatha Award in 2007. The sequel, To Hell in a Handbasket is scheduled to be published in 2009.
Awards and recognition
Despite the fact that Beth Groundwater won the Princess of Rejection prize from the Sisters in Crime Guppies Chapter for having the second most rejections for her writings in the winter of 2005, A Real Basket Case was nominated for the Best First Novel Agatha Award in 2007.Literary criticism
The novel received favorable reviews in several major newspapers. Barbara Bibel from Booklist review commented that, "This will appeal to Desperate Housewives fans and those who like cozies with a bit of spice." Kirkus Reviews called A Real Basket Case "A tense, exciting debut."Author J.B. Thompson praised the novel, saying "Groundwater’s well-crafted characters comprise a nicely balanced cast, and she does a good job incorporating a blend of humor and relationship drama into a deftly twisted plot with the kind of surprise ending guaranteed to satisfy. Quick-paced and well written with clear and comfortable prose, A Real Basket Case is a perfect afternoon read for cozy fans," though he also criticized the main character Claire as fallible.