Phil had a feeling the family meeting that afternoon was going to be about Dad. Cancer had robbed Dad of so much and he is now in a wheelchair. Phil never guessed however, that he and his two brothers would be apart over Christmas, and he alone would be with strangers. The only thing good about the situation is that Dad’s beloved dog Blue will go with him.

Dropped off at a farm under the watchful eye of Mount Whakapūnake, Phil and Blue are to stay with an acquaintance of his Mum’s for the next two weeks. He meets Chopper, the over-worked station manager of the farm – a staunch, gruff man who hardly speaks, quickly judging Phil by his glasses and his small stature at fifteen. Despite Blue’s prowess as a heading dog on the home farm, he doesn’t understand Chopper’s signals in the paddocks. Both relegated to home paddock clean-ups, Phil is already counting days to go home.

Things improve a little when he meets shepherd Tuku who tells him a little about the local Māori legends, and Emara, Chopper’s stepdaughter. Instead of being keen to leave, Phil is beginning to enjoy his time on the farm with Blue at his side.

Then Blue’s gone. Chasing a wily ram who had avoided the muster, Blue is doing her job well when the stubborn sheep bolts into some scrub. Blue follows and instantly, Phil knows something is wrong. He’s been warned about the Tomo (tor-mor) on the property – deep limestone holes that the horses feared and avoided, and were often full of water below.

Full of guilt and loss, Phil can’t stop thinking about Blue, hurt and scared, or even worse, at the bottom of the Tomo, let alone how he is going to tell Dad that his best mate is gone. Chopper writes Blue off, but Phil refuses. With no help from the adults around them, Phil is soon in as much danger as Blue. Has he made a terrible mistake?

Award winning NZ author Mary-anne Scott has based this story on a family tale kept alive with many retellings. Not only is it firmly grounded in a sheep station at the foot of Mount Whakapūnake on the East Coast of the North Island NZ, research has ensured authenticity and local Māori legend to be lightly woven through the narrative.

Phil is a likeable character and will resonate with readers as he encounters new experiences and people, and then the biggest challenge of his life. Tension builds steadily, building to a crescendo of danger, gripping me to the very end, wanting to know what will happen next. Totally believable action made me wince and fear for more than one life.

Perfect for class sets in schools.

Author – Mary-anne Scott

Age – 12+

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Read more reviews of Mary-anne Scott’s novels (Click on the covers)

(2021, OneTree House, Action, Farm, Animals, Dogs, Horses, Mustering, Sheep station, Maui, Maori legend, Brothers, Siblings, Cancer, Illness, Limestone holes, Courage, Guilt, Fear, Rescue, Danger, Gripping, Tension, Family, Growing up)