In1939theinfluentialarchitectBertholdLubetkinabruptlylefthisthrivingcareerinLondonanddroppedoutofsight,movingwithhiswifetoadesolatefarminruralGloucestershire.LifeinthehousetheLubetkinsnamed“World’sEnd“wasfarfromidyllicfortheirthreechildren.LouiseKehoeandhersiblingslivedinanatmosphereofoppressiveisolation,whiletheirtyrannicalfather--attimescharmingandwittybutusuallyaterroristinaself-styledStalinisthell--badgeredandbelittledthemduringhisfitsofself-loathing.Evenhistrueidentityremainedanenigma.Thatsecretwasneverdivulgedduringherfather’slifetime,butLouise’squesttounearthitstragicorigins--herrelentlesspiecingtogetherofthecluesshefoundafterhisdeath--isaremarkablestory,writtenwithextraordinarygrace,style,andimagination,ofanidentityandaheritagelostandfound.
