ABANDONED. Classic book written pre 20th century; involves an ugly girl with a psycho brother. The brother poisons his mother so that she can die faster and he can take control of the farm

[Claire]

I don't recall the author but I need help finding a book I read over a decade ago. The story involves an ugly girl with a psycho brother. The brother poisons his mother so that she can die faster and he can take control of the farm. He goes on to abuse his sister until he gets married. He becomes successful until one day his farm gets burned and he goes crazy. At one point, his wife drowns herself with his child. Please help me anyone

[Gerd]

This would belong in the unsolved Folder, not books in General.

Do you remember where the book was set?
Male or female author?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Moved to Unsolved.

[Tammy]

Precious Bane by Mary Webb. The protagonist wasn't ugly; she had a cleft lip (the "bane" of the title). Fantastic book, set in Shropshire, England during the early 1800s, I reread it every couple of years. There was a Masterpiece Theater adaptation in the late 80s starring a young Clive Owen, which I also remember as being very good, although it hasn't been released to video or streaming, so I haven't seen it again since it first aired.

[Tammy]

Oh, I should have mentioned - it was written in the 1920s.

[El]

Precious Bane for Tammy's suggestion.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Claire, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

[Kris]

No response, moving to Abandoned folder.

Claire (OP) was last active on the site in June 2019.