Attack of the unsinkable rubber ducks
The quirky title of this book caught my eye, and then the blurb on the back cover sealed my curiosity. I was not to be disappointed. To say that this book is different would be an understatement.
Set in Scotland the tale revolves around the activities of an impressive psychic and along the way encompasses a university, politics, a newspaper reporter, forgery, a doctor, debating professors and even a (gentle) murder.
All mixed with some interesting philosophy and a good dose of mystery.
The story is based around an offer to set up a university department to study the paranormal. As a very rich businessman with a personal interest in the world of psychics has agreed to provide the funding the university readily agreed to the new department. The problem arose when the philanthropist insisted that the it be part of the University’s science suite. However the science professors totally rejected this arguing that it was not a scientific subject.
The story spins off in several directions, the university debate to the Scottish parliament and a suspicion of the psychic’s seeming amazing powers to a rigorous test.
Author Christopher Brookmyre is a prolific mystery writer and with this he is right up to his usual intriguing standard. The front cover carries the message ‘A hilarious and heartening tale’ which I feel is a bit misleading and, indeed, sells the books short. I didn’t find it hilarious, a wry smile here and there and yes it is heartening but so much more. Often philosophical it questioned many widely held beliefs along with the study of relationships between mothers and their grown children and, at the end, suspense. All wrapped together with mystery and suspense.
The story is narrated from the perspective of three of the main people involved. My only quibble is that the narration swaps from one to another without any indication who is speaking left, this reader at least, sometimes a bit perplexed.
It was on one hand a real page turner and on the other I was enjoying it so much that I was really sorry when I came to the last page.
Mike Beckett
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