THE ROCK
HOLE is the
first of Reavis Wortham’s
acclaimed series of Red River mysteries. It’s 1964 and farmer and part-time
Constable Ned Parker works in a little community in rural Texas near the
Oklahoma border. Normally he only has to deal with petty crime and moonshiners;
but a disturbed individual enters his patch. This felon moves from killing
animals to humans and earns the grisly nickname ‘The Skinner.’ To track down ‘The
Skinner’ Parker combines forces with John Washington, a black deputy sheriff.
African-American Police Officers were appointed to police departments in the U.S.A. from the late 1860s onwards.
On May 28 1867 CHARLES COURCELLE, a 'newly enfranchised citizen' was appointed to the board of police commissionaires in New Orleans. A few days later DUSSEAU PICOT and EMILE FARRAR were appointed as police officers. (My information is that they were the first African-American police officers in U.S. history - perhaps someone can verify this.) In 1868, also in New Orleans, OCTAVE REY became the first African-American police captain.
On April 12 1870 WILLIAM JOHNSON, of Jacksonville, Florida was the first recognized African-American police officer killed in the line of duty.
In 1875 BASS REEVES (1838-1910) was appointed as the first African-American deputy U.S. marshal. Reeves definitely deserves a blog all to himself. He operated in and around the lawless Oklahoma Territory in the last quarter of the 19th Century. He was credited with arresting more than 3,000 felons. He shot and killed 14 outlaws in self-defence. Reeves brought in some of the most dangerous criminals of the time but was never wounded, despite having his hat and belt shot off on separate occasions.
In 1916 GEORGIA ANN ROBINSON was the first African-American police officer to serve in the Los Angeles Police Department, and possibly in any U.S. police force.
In 1941 WILLIAM B. LINDSAY was the first known African-American state trooper, hired by the Illinois State Police.
Small Texas towns have featured in many movies, from ‘The Last Picture Show’ and ‘Hud’ (both based on novels by LARRY
McMURTRY)
MELVYN DOUGLAS and PAUL NEWMAN in 'Hud'
to ‘Home from the Hill’ and ‘The Chase.’
'The Chase' (MARLON BRANDO on right)
The interracial police aspect in THE
ROCK HOLE made me think of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT.
SIDNEY POITIER and ROD STEIGER in 'In the Heat of the Night'
Reviewers have compared Reavis’s nourish thriller with TO KILL A
MOCKINGBIRD. That may be because the story is partially narrated by Parker’s 10
year old grandson, Top (as well as its literary merit.) Whatever, to be
compared to TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, IMHO, is about the greatest praise any
author can receive!
GREGORY PECK and MARY BADHAM in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'
Other reviewers of THE ROCK HOLE:
‘An unusual combination of old time Texas humour and chilling thriller.’
‘Great mystery, Great start to this series!’
‘Lean and fast paced… I couldn't put it down.’
‘Very memorable.’
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