Brain Twister

by Randall Garrett

"Brain Twister" by Randall Garrett and Laurence M. Janifer is a science fiction novel written in the early 1960s. The story follows FBI agent Kenneth J. Malone as he navigates a series of comedic and bizarre events surrounding a telepathic spy within a secret military project. With the aid of eccentric characters, including the telepathic Queen Elizabeth I, Malone faces the challenges of investigating an enemy who can read minds, adding a mix of humor and tension to the narrative. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Malone on a particularly rough morning after a vacation. He is quickly roped into an urgent case centered on a telepath infiltrating sensitive FBI operations. As he meets with his superior, Burris, the stakes rise with the revelation of the telepathic ability that could pose a significant threat to national security. The conversation escalates into humorous exchanges involving the unique nuances of mental powers and culminates in Malone’s quest to find a telepath, leading eventually to the discovery of a telepathic old lady claiming to be the legendary Queen Elizabeth I. This whimsical premise sets the stage for a quirky investigation into the nature of telepathy and the strange world of espionage.