Help me find this novel?

September 15, 2009 3:48 PM

Help me identify this novel of which the details have been lost?

Read a novel when I was much, much younger that I'm trying to find again. The (admittedly sketchy) details that I can summon are these:

- Novel may be entitled by a double-figure number, like '53, in burning letters on the cover I remember.

- Involves (presumably future) plague involving blood.

- Protagonist is male, has wife and (unborn?) child who are both killed at some point.

Realise this is fairly unlikely to yield results but hope springs eternal.

posted by malusmoriendumest to writing & language (10 comments total)

Could it possibly be Fever 1793?
posted by kylej at 3:55 PM on September 15

Doubtful, I'm afraid- I distinctly remember some sort of futuristic or contemporary setting.
posted by malusmoriendumest at 4:06 PM on September 15

The plot you describe sounds a whole lot like Second Angel by Philip Kerr.
posted by nestor_makhno at 4:26 PM on September 15

The White Plague?
posted by procrastination at 4:54 PM on September 15

The description rings bells; how long ago did you read it, and do you have any idea how old it was back then?
I recall reading something that sounds similar - something about rage or anger perhaps? - back 15-20 years ago that was probably published in the 60s or 70s... Google isn't helping just yet...!
posted by Chunder at 5:04 PM on September 15

Wasn't called Heat was it? That's popped into my head pretty clearly, but there's no hope in heck of being able to Google such a mundane word. If nobody comes up with an answer beforehand, I'll see if it's still at my parent's place next time I'm there.
posted by Chunder at 5:27 PM on September 15

Blood Music by Greg Bear?
posted by lumpenprole at 5:36 PM on September 15

'48 by James Herbert
posted by shoesfullofdust at 6:07 PM on September 15 [1 favorite]

Excellent- thanks a lot! It was really bugging me of late :)
posted by malusmoriendumest at 6:35 AM on September 17

Just today found out why I was getting muddled - I'd confused a couple of books by Arthur Herzog; IQ83 had the number on the cover and the plague element, and another of his books - Heat - had the firey letters on the cover. Ah well - glad someone else was able to help!
posted by Chunder at 12:03 PM on September 20