The Hole

A Story of Friendship, Imagination, and Growing Up

Mike just wants space—from school, from his friends, and from the quiet fear surrounding his home. Instead, he gets Tom: a brilliant, literal-minded boy who believes aliens abducted his mother and is determined to prove it. When the two discover a perfectly round, impossibly deep hole in the woods, Tom sees evidence. Mike sees trouble.

But when an accident leaves them trapped at the bottom, the mystery becomes something far more personal. Joined by Kate, sharp-witted and newly untethered from her own difficult summer, the three form an unlikely bond as they search for answers—both inside the hole and within themselves.

Blending warmth, humor, and emotional depth, The Hole is a coming-of-age story about friendship, loss, and the ways we cope with what we can’t explain. As Tom looks to the sky for meaning, Mike must confront the truth much closer to home: some emptiness isn’t meant to be solved, only shared. Thoughtful and quietly powerful, this novel explores how connection can light even the darkest spaces.

Discover The Hole and step into a story where mystery, imagination, and friendship meet.

Excerpt from the book

Tom was new to Slate Street, new to the town. He had moved with his father six months earlier. Mike had seen him from his bedroom window, assisting his father with the removals van, or doing as much as he could. No item was too big for this small kid, no item too cumbersome, or so it appeared. From refrigerators to washing machines, he sized up each challenge carefully and went in for the lift. At first, his father smiled at the absurdity of it all, but soon he genuinely worried that Tom would hurt himself. Stepping in, past the laughing removal men, Tom’s father gently guided his son to a box on the lawn.

‘The cutlery’s gotten into a terrible mess. Can you help me?’

Tom didn’t respond, a resolute nod was enough, and off he went. Mike looked out from the clutter of his bedroom as the small boy deliberately made perfect order of the contents of the box. He wondered if he maybe did bedrooms too.

As the afternoon passed, Mike’s eyes were drawn to the boy. His small stature suggested he was young, yet his clothes were more in keeping with an adult. Freshly pressed trousers and an immaculate white shirt, top button tightly fastened, were finished with polished black shoes that reflected the sun as he moved. It was hard to believe the boy had ever been outside.

Mike noticed that, for all the activity around him, Tom moved carefully and barely spoke at all. Calm and thoughtful, he ignored his surroundings and concentrated on the smallest detail at his fingertips. He’d come from another place, yet seemed to be from another world entirely.

The new town, Middleton, sat between two large cities in the middle of the state; though the middle of nowhere was the general view. Small and colourless, everyone recognised everyone, and everyone knew your business. Arrivals were more than just noticed; they were news. Mike’s dad would return from a haircut with a cheery, ‘So here’s the new hairline and tomorrow’s headline.’

Mike didn’t see too much of Tom’s dad or Tom. They remained within the four walls of the house, except for runs to the supermarket or the mall. Tom didn’t attend the same school as Mike, or any school, because he was taught at home. At least that’s what Mike’s dad, or ‘Pop’, said. Pop kept himself aware of what happened in town despite his vague way of talking.

‘The guy over the road, Carl, I think, is his name. Well, I’m told he works from his house, an accountant or something, and he home-schools the boy. Lucky guy. I would do anything to escape from the office.’ Pop smiled to himself as he spoke, realising that he wouldn’t sign up to home schooling. Mike grinned back at Pop but could think of nothing worse than being home all day, regardless of how much he hated school. He needed some space in his life. Especially now, Helen, his Mom, was ill.