The Folly Beach Mystery Collection III — Bill Noel

Three more novels in the award-winning Folly Beach Mystery series by best-selling author Bill Noel are presented in one collection. NO JOKEFour aging comedians deliver anything but laughs when they descend upon Folly Beach, a small, laid-back barrier island near Charleston, South Carolina. Chris Landrum's introduction to the newcomers is when he averts disaster by escorting one of them out of the center of Folly's busiest street, a task made even more difficult since the jokester, wearing a long, wool coat over red swim trunks, and black patent leather shoes, is flailing a fishing rod at anything that moves, be it vehicle or human.RELICOn an early-morning walk through the nature preserve on the east end of Folly Beach on their way to photograph the iconic Morris Island Lighthouse, Chris Landrum and his friend Charles Fowler's peaceful morning takes an abrupt turn. They encounter a woman who tells them she got separated from her husband during a storm, then claims they'd been relic hunting. Her husband can't verify what he and his wife were doing. He's dead-murdered.With the horrific death on everyone's mind, Theo Stoll, another of Chris's friends learns his recently widowed daughter-in-law is moving to Folly saying she wants to be near her only living relative. But, what does the woman Theo has never met really want? A family connection or to con the wealthy retiree.Lies, contradictions, stories of ghosts, pirates, Civil War relics, and buried treasure, combine with no shortage of murder suspects to challenge Chris and his friends to solve the crime that's stumped the police. Not only solve it but solve it before more are killed.FAITHChristmas on South Carolina's Folly Beach is a time for festivities, families, friendship, fellowship, and reflection. When a fire ruled intentionally set leaves residents of five apartments homeless days before the holiday, retired bureaucrat Chris Landrum and his friend Charles Fowler take it upon themselves to not only make sure the displaced residents have somewhere to live but are determined to learn who was responsible for the massive conflagration.The burned-out residents include an aspiring novelist, two people who'd recently been accused of killing a bookie, and Police Chief Cindy LaMond's sister and nephew, family members Cindy's closest friends didn't know existed. Finding who set the fire is compounded when Chris discovers each resident knows one or more people who may've had reason to torch the building. And, who's to say one of the residents didn't set it.With more suspects than days until Christmas, can Chris and his cadre of quirky friends restore the Christmas spirit to the small barrier island?