The Slate Hill Covenant (Darkdays publishing)
Review by Mari Lynne Rupp
Author: Bonnie Stewart
Although a well-written novel, this book was difficult to get through. The author pulls no punches and unflinchingly describes scenes of abuse and neglect, with the more serious crimes such as molestation and incest implied, but no less brutally.
The story follows a promiscuous mother of six who subsequently dies in childbirth, which her dysfunctional children cover up. The mother and grandfather had often threatened the children into behaving by using CPS or the "Authorities" as a punishment, promising even more misery and misuse. Naturally, this is what the children think of after their mother's demise, so they make a "covenant" to cover up her death and stay together. Unfortunately, this is less easily done when Ellabeth, the oldest child, does the cooking, cleaning and caretaking, rising the suspicion of a tired, useless Child Services worker after suddenly seeing the signs of neglect she's used to covering up for vanish. This prompts the children to murderous lengths to stay together, as one by one, they eliminate any grown-up with the authority to separate them.
Bonnie Stewart has given us a fantastic first effort, followed by "Ellabeth the Oldest", which follows Ellabeth in her quest to keep her siblings together after the second family tragedy.
8/10