
Kenneth J. Malone, a weary FBI agent, drags himself out of bed on a morning that feels ominously wrong. Staring into a rippled mirror, he finds his own reflection warped, his confidence shaken, and a lingering sense that something far stranger than a bad haircut is afoot. The narrative captures his cynical humor as he wrestles with the mundanity of post‑vacation life while hinting at a deeper, unseen menace.
Set against the backdrop of a 1970s Washington, D.C., the story blends dry bureaucratic banter with a creeping sense of unease. Malone’s routine—chasing counterfeit rings, polishing his pistol, and polishing his self‑image—quickly spirals into a puzzling mystery that promises more than the usual case file. Listeners can expect a clever mix of science‑fiction intrigue and witty, self‑deprecating commentary, all delivered in a brisk, engaging style that keeps the tension simmering without giving away the twists that lie ahead.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (231K characters)
Series
Psi-Power 1
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2007-08-16
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1927–1987
A lively, versatile voice in mid-20th-century science fiction and fantasy, he wrote everything from space adventure to clever mystery-fantasy crossovers. He is especially remembered for the Lord Darcy stories, which blend detective fiction with an alternate world shaped by magic.
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1933–2002
A prolific American science fiction writer, he published novels and stories for decades under his own name and several pseudonyms. He is especially remembered for lively, humorous work and for collaborations with Randall Garrett, including stories about the character John Buckner.
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