SOLVED. YA/ Middle Grade Fantasy/ Paranormal book about a set of twins, a boy and a girl, who are separated at birth to live with one parent, the boy with their mother, the girl with their father. They worked as apprentice undertakers/with the dead. [s]

[Chloë]

A YA/middle grade fantasy/paranormal book about a set of twins, a boy and a girl, who are seperated at birth to live with one parent. The boy lived with their mother, the girl with their father. The parents had some sort of deal/connection with the god of death, or life, I can't remember. They were undertakers of some kind. I believe the main plot was the children learning to be apprentices for their parents, and going to public school for the first time at age 12-13. There was something going on in the town, either something to do with monsters/the dead, can't remember which. There's a big scene that happens on Halloween. The book ends with the twins reconcilling and working together? I vaugely remember the cover being sort of black with a goldish orange background with a house, kinda spooky but defiently not horror.

[Kris]

Chloë, around what year did you read this book?

Story's time period and location/ country?

[Sasha]

Could it be “The house in Popular Wood” by Kathryn Ormsbee?

[Kris]

Google Books preview of The House in Poplar Wood by K.E. Ormsbee - Sasha's suggestion:

https://books.google.com/books?id=MIN...

Kirkus Review:
- "Thirteen-year-old twins Felix and Lee live in the same house, but they are kept separate by the Agreement between the shades Death and Memory.
In the west side of Poplar House, where Lee lives with his mother and Memory, there is laughter and fresh baked pie. In the east side, where Felix lives with his father and Death, there is nothing but sadness and cold. Lee is tasked with storing memories in jars tied with colored ribbons. Felix must brew tonics for the sick and dying and collect the life candles that have been snuffed out by Death. A failed attempt at breaking the Agreement has left the boys hopeless. However, when a mysterious death sends Gretchen, a willful neighbor girl, to their door demanding answers of Death, they decide to work with her hoping she may have the key to their release. ..."

[Chloë]

Kris wrote: "Google Books preview of The House in Poplar Wood by K.E. Ormsbee - Sasha's suggestion:

https://books.google.com/books?id=MIN...

Kirkus R..."

Yes, that's it! Thank you so much!

[Chloë]

Sasha wrote: "Could it be “The house in Popular Wood” by Kathryn Ormsbee?"

Yep, that's it, thanks!