The imageless, emerald green cover and 1970s-looking typeface would not give away the genre, nor would the title, Spadek, a Polish word, I gathered, judging from the blonde woman reader and the fact that I was riding the L train. Making matters more frustrating were her manicured fingers obscuring the author’s name. What was this book, and why was it resisting my sighting?!

Finally, I caught a break: a seat opened up next to the woman, and I managed to swipe it before an iPodded-out hipster. Playing it cool was not an option at this point (not that I’m capable). I dropped down and leaned in for an obvious glance at the oddly yellowed interior pages. Patricia Cabot, Patricia Cabot…an American writer, a Midwestern girl if there ever was one.

Patricia Cabot, better known as Meg Cabot (LJ has only reviewed Boy Meets Girl and Size 12 Is Not Fat), was born in Indiana in 1967, and before I could translate the book title, I went out on a limb and guessed I was dealing with a romance or chick lit. How couldn’t I with an author photo like this (Cabot pens the best-selling Princess Diary series for YAs)?

Spadek, as it turns out, boils down to “downfall” or “descent,” nouns all too common, perhaps, in the lives of beautiful, single foreign women of more chivalrous centuries. Of course, Cabot has never penned a book with a title involving either word, so it’s still hard to determine what I sighted. My best guess? A Little Scandal (St. Martin’s, 2000). Outside detective work welcome.