As a boy, award-winning writer, Reavis Z. Wortham hunted and fished the river bottoms near Chicota, Texas, the inspiration for the fictional setting for The Rock Hole and The Red River Mystery Series. He was born in Paris, Texas, but lived in Dallas. "We grew up in the city and went to school there, but every Friday evening my parents put us in the car and made the 120-mile drive to Chicota, where we truly lived at my grandparents' place in the country until Sunday evening, when we came back to the city. Our real home was that little scratch farm in Lamar County."
Author Reavis Z. Wortham's first novel, The Rock Hole, is described by Kirkus Reviews as "an unpretentious gem written to the hilt and harrowing in its unpredictability." Kirkus also listed it as one of the "Top 12 Mysteries of 2011."
Burrows, the second Red River Mystery, received a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly, "Wortham's outstanding sequel to The Rock Hole (2011)... combines the gonzo sensibility of Joe R. Lansdale and the elegiac mood of To Kill a Mockingbird to strike just the right balance between childhood innocence and adult horror."
In a recent Starred Review by Kirkus Reviews says of Burrows, "As in Ned's debut (The Rock Hole, 2011), his grandchildren, Top and Pepper, are on hand to provide welcome humor and lend perspective to the acutely and unobtrusively observed small-town landscape. The result is that rare bird, a mystery with something for everyone.
Book three, THE RIGHT SIDE OF WRONG, was released in July, 2013, and is now gaining such reviews as:
"A sleeper that deserves wider attention." The New York Times
"Folksy neighbors, good old boys, and Bible-thumping grandmas all speak with a twang so thick it could only be cut with a chainsaw. Two preteen cousins, Top and Pepper, a tomboy, give new meaning to the term "reckless endangerment." Readers will want to see a lot more of the (mostly) law-abiding Parker clan." Publishers Weekly
"Wortham's third entry in his addictive Texas procedural set in the 1960s is a deceptively meandering tale of family and country life bookended by a dramatic opening and conclusion. C.J. Box fans would like this title." Starred Review, The Library Journal
He does for the Texas Sixties what The Last Picture Show did for the earlier decade. Blogcritics (http://blogcritics.org/book-review-the-right-side-of-wrong-by-reavis-z-wortham/)
For those readers who like their bad guys bad, and their good guys good, Wortham's latest will fill the ticket. ReviewingTheEvidence (http://www.reviewingtheevidence.com/review.html?id=9751)
Vengeance is Mine released in 2014. “Wortham is a masterful and entertaining storyteller. Set in East Texas in 1967, Vengeance is Mine is equal parts Joe R. Lansdale and Harper Lee, with a touch of Elmore Leonard.”
—Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Dark Places released in 2015. “Readers will cheer for and ache with the good folks, and secondary characters hold their own… The novel’s short chapters fit both the fast pace and the deftly spare actions and details… the rhythm of Wortham’s writing, transporting us back in time, soon takes hold and is well worth the reader’s efforts.”
—Historical Novel Society
It was listed by True West magazine as one of their Top 10 Modern Westerns for 2016.
Unraveled released in 2016. “The more I read of Reavis Wortham’s books, the more impressed I am by his abilities as a writer… His understanding of family feuds, how they start and how they hang on long past their expiration date, is vital to the story line. Wortham’s skill as a plotter is demonstrated as well. He’s very good at what he does, and his books are well worth reading.”
—Reviewing the Evidence
“This superbly drawn sixth entry in the series features captivating characters and an authentic Texas twang.”
—Library Journal
Reavis' new thriller series, Hawke's Prey, releases on June 27, 2017. “Wortham’s novel introduces readers to a dedicated and seasoned lawman whose complexity and humanity make him an ideal foil to the worst the world has to offer… The wonderfully distinct voice of Sonny himself, whose cordial descriptions and no-nonsense approach bring Ballard and its inhabitants to life… Wortham has crafted a winning hero with plenty of skills and staying power who is sure to earn the loyalty of readers who miss Elmore Leonard’s western lawmen.”
—RT Book Reviews
Pre-order yours today!.
Reavis also penned Doreen's 24 HR Eat Gas Now Café. More than 2,500 newspaper and magazine articles bear the byline of this award-winning Texas writer. The Rock Hole was a finalist in the prestigious Benjamin Franklin Award presented by the Independent Book Publishers Association, is a member of Mystery Writers of America, the Writers' League of Texas, International Association of Crime Writers (North American Branch), and International Thriller Writers.
He lives with his wife, Shana, in northeast Texas.
