Rhona's Bike (The First Book in the Lobbs Bottom Series)

The first of the Lobbs Bottom novels: Set in 1955 in the small mining village of Lobbs Bottom.
Rhona is a ten-year-old, mentally retarded child with a pronounced lisp; she has a demanding nature, and lives in her own little world, which centres around her specially adapted tricycle, her bike, and her toy teddy bear, Barney. Frustration-driven temper tantrums are common and woe betides anyone who upsets her.
Rhona’s only real friend, Beryl, is twelve-years-old and her only reason for being Rhona’s friend is so that she can be near to Rhona’s fourteen-year-old brother, Darren for whom she holds an unrequited love.
When Rhona disappears, leaving her bike behind, her mother, Stella, with Beryl’s help, frantically sets off in search of Rhona, whilst her injured father, Degs, remains at home unable to do anything but wait.
A known paedophile lives in the village along with his witch-like wife and their forty-three year old son, who is actually their nephew, and has the mind of a six-year-old.
Darren, Rhona’s brother, eventually joins in with the search and proves he’s not just a pretty face after all.
Then,
When Rhona’s bike disappears, Darren has to...