"The Rock Hole"

Reavis Z. Wortham recently retired from 35 years in public education, the past 25 in the Communications Department of the Garland ISD in Texas, and the final 4 as the Director. He is now a full-time freelance writer and novelist. His first book, Doreen’s 24 HR Eat Gas Now Café, was released in 1999.

He applied the Page 69 Test to his new novel, The Rock Hole, the first mystery in The Red River Series, and reported the following:

Page 69 of The Rock Hole, is the end of Chapter 8.

Grandpa shot him a look and then pulled a ‘toe sack to the side to reveal what was left of a dog. Everyone looked in silence for a moment. “You think a mama lion did this?”

“Nope. Not unless she’s learned to build a fire and skin her meat. Someone spent quite a while working on this poor thing.”

Uncle James and Grandpa exchanged glances. The men in the lot exploded in conversation and wondered aloud who could have done such a thing.

Pepper saw grandpa’s look and slithered off the cab. In an instant, Grandpa’s good mood evaporated.

Though extremely short, this quick glimpse into the story gives us a chilling insight into the horrible events that have occurred so far and a disturbing direction the story has just taken. Someone is mutilating animals and Grandpa (who is both a farmer and constable) knows that things are going to get worse before they get better. What he doesn’t know, is that the psychopath has targeted his own grandchildren, ten-year-old outgoing Pepper, and her same-age cousin, Top.

Learn more about the book and author at Reavis Z. Wortham's website.

Check out the complete list of books in the Page 69 Test Series.

--Marshal Zeringue