Washout: A Folly Beach Mystery

Folly Beach Mystery #3

by Bill Noel

A routine trip to the local hardware store propels Chris Landrum into a world of revenge, hate, and murder—hardly the peaceful outcome he had planned for his retirement on the small island of Folly Beach, South Carolina. Chris learned during his first year of retirement that friendships are more important than surf, sand, and the beauty of Charleston and South Carolina’s Low Country. When his friend, Larry, a retired cat-burglar-turned-hardware-store-owner, appears to be the target of a brutal murderer, Chris and his other friend, Charles, work on catching the killer before Larry becomes his latest victim. The police throw up their hands in defeat as bloody and macabre warnings begin appearing in greater numbers than suspects with few leads. What do the cryptic, chilling notes mean? What has Larry, a model citizen of Folly Beach, done to deserve the wrath of the killer? Chris seeks the help of some of his quirky friends—a charming, attractive waitress; a blustery, rude realtor; and an aging sentence-challenged hippie who owns a surf shop—to wade through the increasing number of suspects to help catch a killer and save the Washout of his friend. Will friendship cost Chris his life?

Genres: Mystery, Southern

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Patricia Gligor · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Washout" is the third Folly Beach mystery by Bill Noel and it's also the third Folly Beach mystery I've read. I'm officially hooked on the series!

[Judi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real nail biter!

The adventures of the Foley Beach residents didn't disappoint in this novel either. This was full of happiness, sadness, joking, romance and plenty of crime fighting. I enjoyed it very much.

[Sue Gulasky · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always I enjoyed the fast-paced story and the banter between characters. The only thing that takes away from the story is the lack of editing. As you are reading a strange word appears that causes you to stop and re-read the sentence or paragraph taking away the flow of the story. Story line is good and I thought I had it figured out except the wrong person.

[John A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Story

With each of his stories I feel like I know Folly better. A wonderful and colorful set of character add to Folly’S allure. Each mystery is unique and intriguing. The unfolding of the relationships add a whole layer of enjoyment.

[cliff Dunne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love his style

An engaging book with the usual quirky characters but some interesting twists keep you guessing. Can be a stand alone or part of the continuing story

[Karla Martinsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Read

I really enjoyed this story, the characters are quirky and folks you'd like meet. Mystery, yes, but lightly twisted to keep you reading.

[Nancy Mulvany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good mystery

[Karen Manuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book in a wonderful mystery series.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book and I will def be on the lookout for more of his books!

[Alexandra Brewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice summer beach read, especially while on vacation in Folly Beach! It is a bit slow of a storyline, but enjoyable.

[Nancy Librarian]

The books in this series are getting even better with practice!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy this series. Will be reading another

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Ted Blackwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

great read

I really enjoyed the book and all the quirky characters. I was surprised at “who done it.” I look forward to more of the authors books.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like his satirical humor. Lots of laughs in this Folly Beach murder mystery!

[Marilyn]

Have really liked this series so far. Love the quirky characters! But, the editing leaves something to be desired. Is nobody proofreading books any more? It's not just this book, I find it all the time. There were at least half a dozen errors in this book, typos, words left out or words put in that didn't belong.

[Mary Quire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Washout

Another one of the Folly Beach Mysteries under my belt and I can't say enough good things about it. This is definitely becoming my favorite cozy mystery series. The characters are well thought out and the plot is as intriguing as it is nail-biting. It's a fast and smooth read. The only thing which would have made it better for me is more Bob the realtor. That guy cracks me up.

[Jenny Hales · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoy this series. I can picture clearly the places mentioned in the book. It takes me back to my fall break trip to this cool island. The books are well written and have the right amount of humor to mystery balance. I have to tell ya, I liked Tammy more than Amber. Oh well, maybe she will grow on me. What kind of trouble with they find themselves in next?

[Dr. John A Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simply good read!

The beach them got my attention. The number of pages meant it was something I could read in a very short time while recovering from a shoulder surgery. I loved the characters, setting and the self deprecation and acerbic commentary that reminded me of DeMille. Now I have to go back and find the first in this series. Thanks for an enjoyable few hours!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third in the series. This book made for an enjoyable weekend read. As with the other two books, I feel as if I'm there at the beach with them. Thank you, Mr. Noel, for the wonderful characters you bring to life with your writing.

[Ginny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third or fourth book I've read in this series. I visited Folly Beach several years ago and saw the books for sale in a little shop. I bought the first one. They are an easy read but a really good mystery. The characters are quirky and likable.

[Grey853 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book simplistic, repetitive, and completely unbelievable.

[Mary Byrnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun read

I really enjoy the stories and characters in this series. They are a great light vacation read. Ready to start on the next one.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these books. It is great that the stories take place in a real place and there really is a dog cafe and holiday inn there. Makes me want to visit.

[Leon Schenk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Washout

Excellent series, nice story, nice settings, a good dose of wit, a nice mystery and unexpected ending! Top Marks! Searching for more!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed the book, didn't figure out who did it til it was handed to me...looking forward to
reading the next in the series.

[Mary Granger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun mystery by Bill Noel. Just love his characters and the Folly Beach community.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Fun Journey

Just enough laughs to cover the worries and tears over Larry and Charles. Bob went to Duke - really? Amber and Chris? Hope so