SOLVED. Children's Mystery. Cat detective type investigates and solves a theft of Egyptian style treasure. Spoiler ahead. [s]

[Alistair]

I read this book as a child so would have been late 1980's/early 1990's but I believe the book is even older. The main character was a cat (basically in place of a human) who is trying to solve the theft of some treasure, definitely an Egyptian theme to this treasure.

There are other characters involved, all talking animals and specifically a female servant who is a goose, SPOILER; it turns out the goose is the thief. There is an illustration of the goose at the end of the book (simple black line drawing) where she is found with the treasure, which includes an egyptian style head dress which she is wearing.

The actual book was a hard cover predominantly yellow in colour, the front cover illustration was almost a mock photo taken of the characters from behind, looking out over scenery. I believe one (maybe the cat) is sitting on a deckchair.

The reason I remember the end of the book so clearly is because I remember enjoying the story so much, that as a child I hoped I would forget the reveal so that one day I could read it again! Thirty years later that is the clearest memory I have of the book, typically!!

It is not a short or simple children's book, at least an inch thick and includes simple black line illustrations throughout.

[Ayshe]

A Summer in the South maybe? It appears the detective Eleanor Owl has cat assistant Mr. Paws.

[Alistair]

Oh my goodness you've cracked it!!! Thank you so much!!

And I was certainly on the right lines with the version of cover I had:

https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/bo...