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For a time, Bill Bryson lived not a long way from us, In Kirkby Malham. He introduced us (in print) to the "Malhamdale Wave", which we have since seen many times - the raisiing of one finger on the steering wheel!

Hello, Elle!
I don't know much more than you about the Indianapolis.
Maybe you heard it mentioned in the film "Jaws"?
They had just delivered vital parts for the Hiroshima bomb, very hush-hush.
The captain was unfairly blamed by the Navy for not zig-zagging to avoid torpedoes.
And he killed himself many years later.
That's all I know.
The other book is by Deric Longden, and I think/hope it is a humorous one, something like Miss Peckwitt's.
He and his wife go to live in Huddersfield and have a lot of cats.
I do not know either of the authors, but at one time I did not know Bill Bryson!
I am with EE, and find them reasonable to deal with.
Hope your daughter gets a satisfactory resolution.

Hi Rusty
Is it "The cat who came in from the cold"? You have to remember that his wife has very impaired vision!

No, Chris,
That's another book.
This is "I'm A Stranger Here Myself".
Yes, I have read that he was married twice and one wife, as you say, was practically blind.
His other wife had something wrong with her, too, but I forget what.
This is an author I just happened across yesterday and thought I may try one of his books.

I have just discovered he is dead.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/books-obituaries/10160973/Deric-Longden.html

Hi, Rusty!
It is so many years since I saw "Jaws" - and read the book by Peter Benchley - that I actually remember very little detail!
You know far more than I do about the USS Indianapolis.
But I have heard of the author Deric Longden.
However, not in connection with the book that you are considering buying, but the one that Chris has mentioned..."The Cat who came in from the Cold".
I came across that some time ago in one of my browsings.....
I think my attention was drawn to it by the similarity of its title to "The Spy who came in from the Cold" by John le Carre.
A wonderful film , too, with Richard Burton in the title role.
Did you see the film...or read the book?

Hello, Elle!
I thought "Jaws" was a very good book.
I know just a little about the Indianapolis, but the Japanese commander of the submarine who sunk it, spoke up for the American captain at an inquiry.
He said he would have sunk the Indianapolis no matter what, even if it was zig-zagging.
There were no protection vessels with the ship, which made her an easier target, which looks like a blunder by the Navy, but I look forward to finding out more.
I do not think I have read any John le Carre books, or seen the film.
I suspect Deric's title is a play on le Carre's?
There seem to be a lot of cats in Deric Longden's books?

Hi, Rusty!
John le Carre was only a pen name, but I cannot remember the author's real name.
He wrote spy stories...I should think his most renowned books, apart from "The Spy Who came in from the Cold", are probably "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and "Smiley's People".
I have the books somewhere.....I haven't come across them yet during my clear out!
I don't know about Deric Longden's writing about cats...it is only the title of that one book that stuck in my mind!

Good morning, Elle!
Looks to be a dry start to the day here, but still dark out.
I recognise the names of le Carre's books but I have not read any.
There are cats on the front covers of several of Deric Longden's books.
I think I'll leave it just now until after the Indianapolis book.
I usually get myself some books for Christmas, maybe get it then.

Update, Elle!
I had a look at today's puzzle earlier, and I've done some of it.
And I was thinking "I really like this setter".
I put it away and then had a look on Twitter to discover a Tweet from Richard Rogan saying that today's setter had died and that today's puzzle was one of his last.
He also set for other papers as "Dac" and "Smokey".
I've enjoyed his puzzles and may he rest in peace.