At the center of THE MULLIGANS OF MT. JEFFERSON, Don Reid's third novel, is the friendship of Buddy, Harlan and Cal. These three friends grew up together, causing trouble, helping each other and earning the nickname of the Three Mulligans from a former golfer who gave them their first jobs. Reid interweaves their past with a current mystery: Someone broke into Harlan's house and shot him. Buddy, now a police officer, has to be both friend and detective to solve the case. Cal, now a preacher, is on hand to help Harlan through this difficult time.

Although this book is listed as Christian fiction, which I have to say is normally a genre I don't read much, it doesn't at all have the preachiness of many religious- oriented stories, so I was able to read and enjoy it for the most part as a mainstream fiction book about the trials and tribulations of some of Mt. Jefferson's residents. I also read O Little town, an earlier book that takes place in the same town, in which Buddy makes an appearance, in case this book served as a sequel, which it doesn't. Both stories easily stand on their own.

Reid's characters are easy to like, and none of them are black or white, but filled with gray areas and are the products of the choices they make. Faith, family and friendship seem to be important issues to Reid, also a country music star, and are evident in his fiction.

Reid uses short chapters and lots of dialogue and the story moves swiftly, carrying readers along in its wake. For someone who wants to read a good story about long-time friendships, and seeing how characters grow, love and change over time in a small town, THE MULLIGANS OF MT. JEFFERSON is a great choice.