Holes in the Hills is a contemporary ghost story, constructed around the true story of the 1922 Cliftonville mine riot. Early on in the novel, Joe discovers the ghost of a miner named Nick while out on a hike near his newly-inherited house in Avella, Pennsylvania. Elements of Nick’s mysterious presence continue to come together throughout the novel, as Joe and his new friends try to determine who Nick is, why he’s there, and how to get him where he needs to go.

I appreciated the liberal use of historical detail in the story. As I read, I learned quite a bit about what the mining life was like, while being entertained. I also liked the light humor and the budding romance between Joe and Jessie, a local teacher whose job and reputation become threatened by her association with the new guy in town who “talks to ghosts” and isn’t afraid to admit it.

After I read the preview I find myself still thinking of the characters and the storyline.

Unforgettable!

what i like about this story is that you get so into the charactors that you feel bad if something happens to one (example: Harry Potter 6: when dumbledore dies i sat and cryed for a half an hour cause it felt like my friend had just died.) good job Joseph!

Thanks for the review on my books Joseph, most grateful. so glad you left a review on Carla and Jake, and you have tried out my Subliminal Hair Re-growth E-book. Thanks!


Any chance making your book into a movie? I could see it on the big screen. Can't wait-brilliant book

A good blend of speculative and historical fiction. The characters are well drawn and engaging. Feels visual and I would like to see the movie. I am from the area and appreciated the level of research. I very much recommend it.

A book to capture the imagination of an area known or unknown to many people. A ghost story, a romantic novel, and a tear jerker which brough back feelings of nostalgia from my childhood, and the memories of friends who were decendants of some of the characters in the story.
It made me want to walk the tracks into the hills, renew the past and know why I am where I am.
Thanks Joe for the wonderful lessons on where I came from.
I am looking forward to your next book.
Jeanne Dunkle Stump

As I had the great fortune to do some layout and design for Mr. Bogo on this book, I had the chance to read some of the story. It is truly a compelling read, with story that will transport you back to the time and place in which it occurs.

I'll be picking it up soon, and so should you.

I found this book to be a well scripted story based on actual events in a coal mining town during the 1920's. The story is told in present day by a guy,Joe,who encounters the restless ghost of a coal miner. The facts are cleverly woven into an intriguing tale which involves an antimated cast of characters who become so believable during the story that you wonder where the line between fact and fiction had been drawn.
I found myself experiencing every emotion found in a good book;humor,sadness,sorrow and happiness as the story unfolds. It has all the elements of a book that will be popular for years to come.
The author deserves much credit and praise for a book that I'm sure was a labor of love. Thanks, Jospeh Bogo for a job well done. Kathy McCracken

Five STARS!!! Damn, a ghost story within a ghost story---LOVED IT!!! (Sometimes even the living are haunted) You did a fine job in the story telling. Keep up the good work.
wendy turner

I read all of the snippets you posted. Damn, a ghost story within a ghost story---LOVED IT!!! (Sometimes even the living are haunted) You did a fine job in the story telling. Keep up the good work.
wendy turner

I love a good ghost story and this is one. I also like the writing style straight to the point no long drawn out descriptions that make you want to skim or fall asleep. I've always believed in an afterlife and this is a fascinating story and well written. Good work Joseph.
Regards Anne Rogers

As children, we all read books that stimulate both our mind and our perceptions. How many millions of children have been astonished by The Cat In The Hat? How about Oh, The Places You Will Go? It was the simplicity of language coupled with the concentration on dialogue that made these books classics in print.

Mr. Bogo has taken that same magic and interpolated it into the adult fiction genre. Gone are the mundane over-descriptive sentences that bore readers! Gone is the multi-prefix/multi-suffix sentences that leave readers with less information than they started! What you get here is a minimalist approach to writing that draws the reader in at ever level. Here you get intense dialogue with minimal scenic information. He gives the story, while you provide the scenery. Simple and effective, as all books strive to be.

I like this book. Although I read this for the review, I might purchase a copy because I loved the way it read. If you like to watch movies a lot or are a basic non-fiction reader (like me), you will be drawn into this book.

I found this book to be a delightful read. The idea of someone from the past interacting with someone in the present was well thought out and presented in a very unique manner. The characters all seemed to come to life during the course of the story and stirred definate feelings in me towards them, from wishing I could have sat with Joe and Jessie at the school board meetings to sitting down at Andy's kitchen table. All in all a wonderful story and I look forward to more works by Mr. Joseph Bogo.

This is a most unusual story, well told and with characters you would be glad to have as friends. You learn to care for them all and what happens to them, both the "new" ones and the "old." The author is obviously very familiar with the area and has done a tremendous amount of research into its history. He played fair in his account of the controversy between mine owners and union organizers, not making either side out to be villains. His short chapters make you think you have come to a good place to stop, but you are forced to keep reading because he skillfully leads you on--a real page turner.

This is a very readable account of a little-known incident in American labor history. More than that, it's a very good story, skillfully told.