Basket Case

Carl Hiassen's novels, which are always funny, usually stem from some kind of anger. He's a long-time resident of South Florida, and there is enough venality and corruption for Hiassen to have written about ten very funny but very pissed off thrillers. I've read most of his books, and the latest for me is Basket Case.

The book differs from his recent works in that this time his wrath is not pointed at developers who are encroaching on Florida's wildlife. A long-time newspaperman, Hiassen instead vents on large corporations that buy up local papers and suck the soul out of them. His hero is Jack Tagger, a journalist who has been busted to the obituary page because he voiced his displeasure at the corporate henchman who has purchase the paper. Tagger comes across news that a rock star who has slipped into obscurity has died in a diving accident in the Bahamas. Tagger, who was a fan, persuades his editor to let him do a story. He interviews the musician's widow, who is a fame-hungry singer, and Tagger gets suspicious.

As with all of Hiassen's books, there are numerous oddball characters, including dumb villains. A romance develops between Tagger and his editor, who was formally his adversary. While this is a very sweet development, it doesn't entirely ring true. Still, this book is a very breezy, enjoyable read.