Reviews
Praise for Bill Noel and his Folly Beach Mystery Series
Washout Five Stars (out of Five) “In Washout, Noel crafts an almost perfect mystery novel. The briskly paced chapters introduce a swift, engaging flow to the plot, and the characters have enough quirks to make them memorable, but not so many as to turn them into caricatures.
Washout takes readers further into Chris Landrum’s life with sprightly prose and a generous helping of good humor. Noel’s narrative skills ensure that readers will wish to linger on Folly Beach, enjoying its ambiance, even when they are not following Chris on amateur detective duty.
Noel has been honing his craft throughout the Folly Beach Mystery series, and Washout continues his tradition of well-edited, high-quality storytelling. Author Bill Noel comes strongly recommended by the publishing company, and it is easy to see why.” ForeWord CLARION Reviews
The Pier Five Stars (out of Five) “Noel writes with a fast-paced, easily read style, with plenty of humorous asides to characterize Chris’ bemused, sarcastic point of view. As Chris and his friends make connections and form plans based on intuition, intelligence, and the occasional stupid risk-taking, the plot runs believably for the unofficial gumshoes: The characters are neither smart enough to solve everything right away, nor stupid enough to walk right into the murderer’s schemes. With his smarts nicely calibrated at the average reader’s level, Chris provides a good-humored, engaging entry into the world of Folly Beach.
A well-written mystery novel and portrait of a small town, The Pier should appeal to readers who like a scenic whodunit with plenty of character development and local color.” ForeWord CLARION Reviews
The Pier “Bill Noel, himself a seasoned photographer, has followed his debut offering, Folly, with The Pier, another engaging Folly Beach Mystery. Armed with a gift for creating ultra-quirky yet believable characters, Noel shows how a healthy dose of cynicism—even among untrained, nonprofessional types—can lead to solving a murder mystery that the police had initially decided wasn’t even a homicide.” Kentucky Monthly
Folly “For those who enjoy reading local fiction, or just want a beach read with a bit of a twist, Folly should be right up you alley.” Grand Strand Magazine
The Pier “… better than most …at devising a well-crafted tale. Noel knows how much information to give his readers, how to make his characters realistic and interesting, and how to carry the plot along to a satisfying conclusion. And although there is a murder at the center of The Pier, he has a light enough touch to add bits of humor to the dialogue and narrative.” The Voice-Tribune
Folly “Bill Noel…fills the bill in Folly, an intriguing murder mystery set on Folly Beach. Try Folly if you’re a fan of the area or familiar with the strange characters and customs of small-town life.” The Sun News