Answer:
Fictional works are usually cataloged by author and title, not by subject or plot line, which makes identifying books by their plot or story line difficult.
Before you start your search it would help if you can identify everything you remember about the book, plot, character names, time period in which the book may have been published, genre, etc. All these can help in identifying the title and author of the book.
There are some resources online that can help with a search for a fictional work if all you have is a plot line. Also sometimes the best way to find these half remembered books is to post them on a listserv or discussion forum whereby someone who may have read the book recognizes the plot line.
