The Masters of the House by Robert Barnard

From the back cover:

‘In the late winter of 1979, Leeds housewife Ellen Heenan dies in childbirth-abandoning a guilt-stricken husband to insanity’s grasp and leaving four young children to fend for themselves. Thirteen year old Matthew and Annie, age twelve, know what the authorities will do if they learn of Father’s debilitating madness. A close knit family will be speedily unravelled, its threads scattered carelessly to the winds. So deception is the only recourse – a facade of normalcy that must be carefully constructed to fool prying neighborhood eyes. And resourceful young Matthew and his sister have the situation well in hand – until a freshly slain corpse turns up beneath the kitchen window…’

The beginning of this book was a little, I don’t know the word, hokey, I guess. I didn’t think I would even finish it. I’m glad I did though! Turned out to be a pretty decent read. A little unbelievable behavior now and then from kids but a nice little puzzle and view into human nature. 

Peggy Ann