The Rock Hole
Poisoned Pen Press
Reavis Z. Wortham
paperback $14.95
ebook $0.99
audio $3.49

The Rock Hole is one of those books in which Literature goes slumming and dresses up in genre drag.  Often the results, while they may be beloved by the critics, are only embarrassing.  But then an author comes along and shows the rest of the world how it’s done.  More on this in a bit.

Young Top Parker comes to live with his grandparents in rural Lamar County, Texas, in 1964.  Top’s grandfather Ned is the constable and farmer.  When he gets there, someone is mutilating animals.  Ned fears it’s only a rehearsal for killing a person, and he’s got reason to believe that person will be a child.  What he doesn’t realize is that the killer has Top in his sights. Continue reading →