The Following review was contributed by: Molly Martin

Strange happenings are taking place in the Ozarks. Doc Barnes and his hound Lucky are missing, The Conner Brothers are strange beyond belief and frightening as heck to kids in the area, and Buzzard Thompson has sure enough killed his whole family with a shotgun. Fifteen year old Tommy Benson is determined to face down his fears …… by going camping with younger brother Dub down at Blue Hole. Blue Hole is where Tommy got bitten last year, 1949, by two cottonmouths when he and Pa and Uncle Ira were camping there. Dub is a real pain in the neck of a 12 year old brother. Tommy and Dub run into the Conner Brothers, manage to locate both Buzzard and Doc Barnes and find Lucky tied to belt of the drowned body of the corpse stuck down in Blue Hole before their frightening campout comes to an end.

Think Mark Twain and a whole lot of Southern humor a la Lewis Grizzard and you have The Blue Hole. Rolland Love has really captured the flavor of 'two not quite adult' brothers out for a campout and the scare of their lives. Reminds me of my own two kids at this age. The Blue Hole is a fast paced, page flipper of a read. Writer Love captures the interest of the reader right from the start, and while this book is listed as Young Adult, it is a 'not to be missed' by those who savored and continue to savor every moment with Tom and Huck and Grizzard's Catfish!

Writer Love fills his pages with engaging characters, absorbing situations and enough mystery and inexplicable to keep the reader engaged. Tommy's worry about finding family friend Doc Barnes is touching. Dub's stumble foot behavior is something every parent who has housed a twelve year old knows and loves. Writer Love has really captured the essence of both striplings as he weaves his tale of two youngsters who know they must rely upon themselves when they are confronted with fearful situations and frightening people. The boys' behavior, reactions and ultimate decisions are so very typical of kids this age.