Sue asked me the following:
“Hoping someone can help me. I’ve been searching for years for a book I read around 1969 or thereabouts. A woman goes in search of her sister, taking her cat with her. The cat likes a saucer of beer once in awhile. The woman develops pleurisy and has her ribs taped up. When she finally locates her sister, it turns out that the sister is *******. The woman might be a librarian (not sure) and she drives an old car (might be a Volkswagen, not sure).”
If you have any idea of who the author is, or the series, please post a comment.
Thank you!
PS>>> I had to look up “pleurisy” :” inflammation of the pleura, characterized by pain that is aggravated by deep breathing or coughing”
Which led me to have to look up “pleura” : “a delicate serous membrane investing each lung in mammals and folded back as a lining of the corresponding side of the thorax.”
I love this site: http://dictionary.reference.com/
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I substituted “*******” in Sue’s question. It stands for the ‘bad guy.’
Petie says
I am not familiar with the book but sounds like something I’d love to read … love those cat cozies!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Petie, a Cozy Mystery site reader just sent me a note saying that this question has been up on some other mystery boards.
Sue, I sure hope we can find the author for you…
linda says
I don’t know who this sleuth is but the late Dell Shannon had a series “The 87th precinct.” The head cop was Luis Mendoza. He had a string of cats. One would drink a small saucer of rye! Great series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, those were the days, right? Imagine a Cozy Mystery series written today with a rye-drinking (or beer-drinking) cat!
Maria (BearMountainBooks) says
I don’t know the answer either, but I think pleurisy is cured by antibiotics. Just to throw out a random, and not necessarily helpful fact…
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Maria, thank goodness it can be cured with antibiotics! When I read what pleurisy is, and took into account that the sleuth in this series has to have her ribs taped up, it sounded like it might not be curable. Thanks for the info.