The Rock Hole: Library Edition (Red River Mysteries)

Praise for The Rock Hole... "There's a lot of good stuff in this unpretentious gem. Don't miss it." -Kirkus Reviews starred review "Solid characters and a vivid depiction of a vanishing period make this a series to watch." -Publishers Weekly It's 1964: farmer and part-time Constable Ned Parker combines forces with John Washington, the almost mythical black deputy sheriff from nearby Paris, to track down a disturbed individual who is rapidly becoming a threat to the small Texas community of Center Springs. Summoned to a hot cornfield one morning to examine the remains of a tortured bird dog, Ned finds a dark presence in their quiet community. Ned is usually confident when it comes to handling moonshiners, drunks, and domestic disputes. But when the animal atrocities turn to murder, the investigation spins beyond his abilities. After a dizzying series of twists, eccentric characters, and dead ends, Judge O.C. Rains is forced to contact the FBI. Worse, sinister warnings that Ned's family has been targeted by the killer lead the old lawman to become judge and jury in order to end the murder spree in the Red River bottomlands. As a boy, award-winning writer Reavis Z. Wortham hunted and fished the river bottoms near Chicota, Texas, the inspiration for The Rock Hole. Wortham is humor editor and frequent contributor to Texas Fish and Game Magazine and author of Doreen's 24 HR Eat Gas Now Café, a collection of short stories. A retired educator of 35 years, he and wife live in Texas. The Rock Hole is his first novel. www.reaviszwortham.com