The Isotope Man by Charles Eric Maine

This thriller from Charles Eric Maine didn't rise to the same level as his impressive Calculated Risk, but it was entertaining. This originated as a thirty-minute television show, then a film in 1955, and was then published in 1957. It was the first of three novels starring Mike Delaney: Science Reporter. Expecting science fiction, I was a little disappointed that it's more of an espionage thriller.

American Mike Delaney is working in London for the popular photo journal View. When he comes across a photo of famous scientist Dr. Rayner being pulled from the Thames, he skips his next assignment to investigate. Having met Rayner in the past, he alerts the police—yet they are baffled to discover "Dr. Rayner" alive and working at a large atomic energy plant. Who is the man from the river? Why is he incoherent? Why can he not be x-rayed? And if the body is really Dr. Rayner, why is someone impersonating him? The real Dr. Rayner has been called The Isotope Man for his experiments with the Tungsten isotope K, and the plot revolves around the production of synthetic Tungsten metal. While it is mostly about chasing the bad guys around London, Maine does include cool science points with the real Dr. Rayner's long-time radioactivity exposure causing his brain to time-slip into the future! Delaney delves deeper into the mystery with photographer Jill Friday, finding a nest of South American spies and thugs, British scientists selling secrets, kidnapping, flying bullets, and explosive fires. Delaney seems to be one step ahead of the police, MI5, and the FBI, yet needs their help to fit the final pieces into the puzzle.

The first half is more 'reporter chasing a story and finding romance' than I was expecting, as I waited for the action to begin. It really started to roll halfway, with scene after scene of action, fighting, and a finale set during the experiment of a new atomic reactor that could blow sky-high. While not as exciting as Maine's other titles, this was an original story with a memorable finale. It had a charm, like watching a 1960s episode of The Avengers.

Charles Eric Maine is recommended.

1957/ Hardcover / 184 pages