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jonathanpalfrey's review against another edition
5.0
I first read this book in the 1960s, not long after it was first published, and my copy of it dates from then; I've reread it periodically over the years; but it still seems fresh and exciting today.
Allingham had a long career as a writer of murder mysteries and adventures; she was a fine writer and a keen observer of character. As far as I know, this was her only attempt at writing science fiction, but she made a success of it, bringing with her the skills she'd honed over decades and also a bunch of her long-serving characters.
Naturally, it's an unusual book, unlike any other science fiction you may have read; I don't suppose she normally read the genre herself. It's the story of a revolutionary technological breakthrough, how it's achieved, and the characters and events surrounding the discovery. There are spies, counter-spies, policemen, intrigue, and a murder, but these turn out to be mere distractions from what's really going on. The murder could have been omitted without making much difference to the story; maybe she found it hard to write a novel without a murder in it.
The technological details given are quite implausible and rather quaint, but so persuasively described that you can almost believe; and the involvement of several precocious children in the discovery gives the story added charm and humour, without which it would be much drier.
The two main children are, incidentally, descended from characters that Allingham was writing about more than thirty years earlier. She liked to keep things in the family!
There's a dedication at the front: "To my technical advisers in gratitude for their astonishing new world and in the hope that I get this tale out before they do."
So she had help with this. But as far as I know we're no nearer this technology now than we were in the 1960s. Perhaps it's fantasy and will stay that way. Or perhaps not, who knows?
It seems odd to me that this book isn't highly rated by other readers. I suppose most of them are Margery Allingham fans who prefer her in non-sf mode; whereas I prefer her in sf or fantasy mode, and this qualifies, along with [b:Sweet Danger|383198|Sweet Danger (Albert Campion Mystery, #5)|Margery Allingham|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328016520l/383198._SY75_.jpg|3205559], which feels rather like fantasy, although it's more unlikely than genuinely fantastic.
A man named Peter Clew is mentioned as significant in the first chapter of this book, but doesn't appear again until he's mentioned in the penultimate chapter, so briefly that you could easily miss it. I never before wondered what his significance was; on wondering now, I realize that he was significant to the plot not for what he did, but for what he didn't do. I also realize that his surname was deliberately awarded to provide material for a pun.
Allingham had a long career as a writer of murder mysteries and adventures; she was a fine writer and a keen observer of character. As far as I know, this was her only attempt at writing science fiction, but she made a success of it, bringing with her the skills she'd honed over decades and also a bunch of her long-serving characters.
Naturally, it's an unusual book, unlike any other science fiction you may have read; I don't suppose she normally read the genre herself. It's the story of a revolutionary technological breakthrough, how it's achieved, and the characters and events surrounding the discovery. There are spies, counter-spies, policemen, intrigue, and a murder, but these turn out to be mere distractions from what's really going on. The murder could have been omitted without making much difference to the story; maybe she found it hard to write a novel without a murder in it.
The technological details given are quite implausible and rather quaint, but so persuasively described that you can almost believe; and the involvement of several precocious children in the discovery gives the story added charm and humour, without which it would be much drier.
The two main children are, incidentally, descended from characters that Allingham was writing about more than thirty years earlier. She liked to keep things in the family!
There's a dedication at the front: "To my technical advisers in gratitude for their astonishing new world and in the hope that I get this tale out before they do."
So she had help with this. But as far as I know we're no nearer this technology now than we were in the 1960s. Perhaps it's fantasy and will stay that way. Or perhaps not, who knows?
It seems odd to me that this book isn't highly rated by other readers. I suppose most of them are Margery Allingham fans who prefer her in non-sf mode; whereas I prefer her in sf or fantasy mode, and this qualifies, along with [b:Sweet Danger|383198|Sweet Danger (Albert Campion Mystery, #5)|Margery Allingham|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328016520l/383198._SY75_.jpg|3205559], which feels rather like fantasy, although it's more unlikely than genuinely fantastic.
A man named Peter Clew is mentioned as significant in the first chapter of this book, but doesn't appear again until he's mentioned in the penultimate chapter, so briefly that you could easily miss it. I never before wondered what his significance was; on wondering now, I realize that he was significant to the plot not for what he did, but for what he didn't do. I also realize that his surname was deliberately awarded to provide material for a pun.
cimorene1558's review against another edition
3.0
Not nearly as good as most of the rest of Margery Allingham (it's very late; the last or second-last one she finished or something--I've been told she didn't actually finish it, but unlike the others written/finished by her husband, I can find no evidence of that on my copy, so I think my informants may have been indulging in wishful thinking). Also strange as to plot; there's an almost sci-fi element, and she's purposefully writing about a much more modern world than she mostly did (fewer old-world villages and more technology and doomsday scenarios), and I think trying to show it as obviously as possible. There are many familiar characters from earlier books, including Canon Avril and others from Tiger in the Smoke, and it somewhat resembles Tiger in terms of writing style, but isn't nearly as good, and has some very confusing moments.
tracey_stewart's review against another edition
4.0
I was dubious about The Mind-Readers; I didn't remember much about it. I apparently read through the Allinghams years ago (ten?) and never since – I hadn't thought it to be so long. My impression of MR was of an improbable, not to say idiotic, premise, and a slight reluctance to read it. Happily, I was mostly wrong. It was an improbable premise – but it was handled very nicely. This was written in the 60's, which I happily missed entirely but for four short oblivious months - 1965 to be exact. The Space Race was on, science was exploding in every direction, science fiction was coming to the fore – it seems like if someone had said "I have invented a device that will allow me to read minds" it wouldn't have been so very surprising. There was an element of World Criminal Conspiracy, which is something I despise, but I found the characters to be enjoyable, the suspense involved in the kidnapping (or was it?) to be well managed, and overall the book to be a lark. Not one of the best – but not bad.
verityw's review against another edition
2.0
Very strange, hard to follow and out of keeping with most of the rest of the series. But then it is very late in the series - and I think the author is struggling with the character's age and the times in which he finds himself. A bit like some of the later Alleyn mysteries in that respect.
crowyhead's review against another edition
3.0
This is an odd Campion mystery. It's the last one written soley by Allingham (Cargo of Eagles was completed by her husband after her death), and in many ways it's almost more of a science fiction novel than a mystery, delving as it does into electronically-facilitated ESP. It still had Allingham's wonderful with and charm, but it made me kind of sad, because there's a sense throughout that Campion is rather out of his depth this time around.
frances_ab's review against another edition
2.0
I'm giving this one 2 stars mainly because I've really liked a lot of earlier Campion's, but this one was a bit of a mess plot-wise without much of a mystery. I think this was an attempt to add a scientific component to a mystery and the science ended up being completely out to lunch-I'd suggest giving this one a pass.
mirandaosmelak's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
katypicken's review against another edition
4.0
Written in Allingham's usual impeccable prose, but not as good as some of her earlier work, in my opinion.
katypicken's review
4.0
Written in Allingham's usual impeccable prose, but not as good as some of her earlier work, in my opinion.
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