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Dr. Thorndyke Mysteries #19
Mr Pottermack's Oversight
Mr Pottermack is a law abiding, settled, homebody who has nothing to hide until the appearance of the shadowy Lewison, a gambler and blackmailer with an incredible story. It appears that Pottermack is in fact a runaway prisoner, convicted of fraud and Lewison is about to spill the beans, unless he receives a large bribe in return for his silence. But Pottermack protests his innocence, and resolves to shut Lewison up once and for all. Will he do it? And if he does, will he get away with it?
280 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1930
36 people are currently reading
240 people want to read
About the author
R. Austin Freeman
609 books86 followersRichard Freeman was born in Soho, London on 11 April 1862, the son of Ann Maria (nee Dunn) and Richard Freeman, a tailor. He was originally named Richard, and later added the Austin to his name.
He became a medical trainee at Middlesex Hospital Medical College, and was accepted as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
He married Annie Elizabeth Edwards in 1887; they had two sons. After a few weeks of married life, the couple found themselves in Accra on the Gold Coast, where he was assistant surgeon. His time in Africa produced plenty of hard work, very little money and ill health, so much so that after seven years he was invalided out of the service in 1891. He wrote his first book, 'Travels and Life in Ashanti and Jaman', which was published in 1898. It was critically acclaimed but made very little money.
On his return to England he set up an eye/ear/nose/throat practice, but in due course his health forced him to give up medicine, although he did have occasional temporary posts, and in World War I he was in the ambulance corps.
He became a writer of detective stories, mostly featuring the medico-legal forensic investigator Dr Thorndyke. The first of the books in the series was 'The Red Thumb Mark' (1907). His first published crime novel was 'The Adventures of Romney Pringle' (1902) and was a collaborative effort published under the pseudonym Clifford Ashdown. Within a few years he was devoting his time to full-time writing.
With the publication of 'The Singing Bone' (1912) he invented the inverted detective story (a crime fiction in which the commission of the crime is described at the beginning, usually including the identity of the perpetrator, with the story then describing the detective's attempt to solve the mystery). Thereafter he used some of his early experiences as a colonial surgeon in his novels.
A large proportion of the Dr Thorndyke stories involve genuine, but often quite arcane, points of scientific knowledge, from areas such as tropical medicine, metallurgy and toxicology.
He died in Gravesend on 28 September 1943.
He became a medical trainee at Middlesex Hospital Medical College, and was accepted as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
He married Annie Elizabeth Edwards in 1887; they had two sons. After a few weeks of married life, the couple found themselves in Accra on the Gold Coast, where he was assistant surgeon. His time in Africa produced plenty of hard work, very little money and ill health, so much so that after seven years he was invalided out of the service in 1891. He wrote his first book, 'Travels and Life in Ashanti and Jaman', which was published in 1898. It was critically acclaimed but made very little money.
On his return to England he set up an eye/ear/nose/throat practice, but in due course his health forced him to give up medicine, although he did have occasional temporary posts, and in World War I he was in the ambulance corps.
He became a writer of detective stories, mostly featuring the medico-legal forensic investigator Dr Thorndyke. The first of the books in the series was 'The Red Thumb Mark' (1907). His first published crime novel was 'The Adventures of Romney Pringle' (1902) and was a collaborative effort published under the pseudonym Clifford Ashdown. Within a few years he was devoting his time to full-time writing.
With the publication of 'The Singing Bone' (1912) he invented the inverted detective story (a crime fiction in which the commission of the crime is described at the beginning, usually including the identity of the perpetrator, with the story then describing the detective's attempt to solve the mystery). Thereafter he used some of his early experiences as a colonial surgeon in his novels.
A large proportion of the Dr Thorndyke stories involve genuine, but often quite arcane, points of scientific knowledge, from areas such as tropical medicine, metallurgy and toxicology.
He died in Gravesend on 28 September 1943.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
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July 5, 2020A classic Golden Age detective novel of the "ludicrously elaborate and complex murder" variety, with the difference that this one is told from the perspective of the killer throughout, and endeavours to present his goings-on as perfectly reasonable in the circumstances. Mr Pottermack is highly sympathetic, and it's good fun to see it all happen from his side; the mystery for the reader is how the interfering twerp Thorndyke solved the crime, ie what Mr P's oversight was.
February 23, 2025
What a clever plot!! So charming as well. So lovely to know that even when terrible crimes are being committed, tea is still being served in the garden. Can’t wait to read more from this author, he’s magic at creating a bizarrely realistic and funny storyline.
March 11, 2023
When preparing his garden for the arrival of a new sundial, quiet, Mr Pottermack, a single man of late middle age who has a quiet and unremarkable existence, uncovers a previously unknown well. The same day, he receives yet another demand for money from a man who is blackmailing him, and it’s only a matter of time before one problem is used to solve the other..
Austin Freeman is new to me, and having greatly enjoyed this, I will certainly be seeking more out from him.
It’s a great example of what different stuff can be written under the vast umbrella of the crime genre. After all, the title itself gives the culprit away, and indicates that he was unsuccessful.
There’s another thing that Freeman does that few of his trade manage, to write in several complete implausibilities, and yet manage to thrill and compel his reader rather than put them off.
Freeman very much has his own style, of the Victorian age in its tone (first published in 1930), almost lecturing the reader in its pitch, yet there is no question of the narrative being dated.
He provides the reader with a huge amount of minutiae as Pottermack carefully prepares and executes his various schemes, though again, rather than scare the reader away, this is engrossing, humorous at times, and just adds to the portrayal of a fascinating character.
Here’s a clip..
Austin Freeman is new to me, and having greatly enjoyed this, I will certainly be seeking more out from him.
It’s a great example of what different stuff can be written under the vast umbrella of the crime genre. After all, the title itself gives the culprit away, and indicates that he was unsuccessful.
There’s another thing that Freeman does that few of his trade manage, to write in several complete implausibilities, and yet manage to thrill and compel his reader rather than put them off.
Freeman very much has his own style, of the Victorian age in its tone (first published in 1930), almost lecturing the reader in its pitch, yet there is no question of the narrative being dated.
He provides the reader with a huge amount of minutiae as Pottermack carefully prepares and executes his various schemes, though again, rather than scare the reader away, this is engrossing, humorous at times, and just adds to the portrayal of a fascinating character.
Here’s a clip..
We do not need to share his agonies. It was a loathly business. The dismembered parts had to be inducted separately into their garments, leaving the ‘assembling’ for a later stage, and the sheer physical difficulty of persuading those limp, flabby, unhelpful members into closer-fitting articles of clothing was at once an aggravation and a distract from the horror of the task.
February 28, 2017
Not one I'd recommend. Mr. Pottermack was less than one dimensional (and boring). The narrative was slow and plodding and filled (overstuffed) with tedious, unnecessary descriptions and explanations--often explanations of the descriptions?? An uninspired work that, perhaps, had a deadline to meet.
September 5, 2019
Dr. Thorndyke has a small (but important) role in this entry in the series. While I generally don't care for 'mysteries' which are told from the point of view of the culprit, this one surprised me and thanks to the role played by Dr. Thorndyke, I was pleased by the ending.
August 1, 2020
A bit of a slog to get through with its painstaking detail. It may have ramped up the tension, although I think this tedious method of telling the story just made me anxious to get on with it! But I was pleasantly surprised that this did not go at all the way I thought it would.
May 27, 2014
Absolutely brilliant. Freeman at his best, no worries about whodunnit, just psychology and forensics. A thoroughly good read showing Thorndyke at his most human.
April 19, 2017
I was presently surprised with this book. Freeman only narrates in the first person when the story is from the perspective of Jervis, Antsey, or that third guy whose name I can't remember. Whenever it's from Thorndyke's perspective or another character, it's in third person. This was no exception, and (unsurprisingly) Thorndyke was only in 3 or 4 chapters out of 18. Most of the book followed Mr. Pottermack and his life and the crime he was trying to cover up. He's a really good character and I quite enjoyed him and his ingenuity for the era. But considering Thordnyke's usual legal stance in cases, the ending quite surprised me and made me appreciate Thorndyke (and Freeman!) all the more.
August 16, 2013
This is the best of the old mysteries which I've read. The plot is very clever and it is well told with some good descriptions. The background is gradually revealed keeping the reader interested. Mr. Pottermack, wrongly convicted for forgery of checks, has escaped from jail, made his fortune in the US and come back to England to find his fiance. The only one who is cleverer than Mr. Pottermack is Freeman's detective, Dr. Thorndyke.
January 16, 2011
Delightful! I was worried about Mr. Pottermack for a while there but Dr. Thorndyke comes through.
November 3, 2022
Interesante como todas las historias del doctor Thorndyke.
Leído septiembre 2022
Valoración 9/10.
Leído septiembre 2022
Valoración 9/10.
December 5, 2024
Not a murder mystery but an inverted crime fiction. It took me a little time to get into it, but once I did i thoroughly enjoyed it.
July 30, 2024
This story we begin with seeing events through the eyes of the criminal/victim. So you know, in essence what really happened and happens. Then Thorndyke is shown information and his curiosity is piqued. He begins his personal investigation and he can see very clearly what has been happening. The beauty of this story is the dance between the criminal, Thorndyke and well- everyone else’s view of reality the police and various witnesses. I won’t say how it ends. While this is in the mystery genre area, it is also a story of humanity – and how the justice system works or sometimes doesn’t work.
June 24, 2016
This one took me a while to finish just because it was so unoriginal. Freeman simply remixed all his usual props. You get elements of all the previous Thorndyke cases: the reverse detective story formula, the blackmail-of-a-convict scheme, the role of a sequence of footprints, the Egyptian mummy that is mistaken for a murdered man, and – finally – the sickeningly naive and idealised romance.
Did Freeman run out of ideas?
Did Freeman run out of ideas?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2016
I liked this period piece. The only criticism I have is that the same information was repeated several times, albeit from different perspectives, but it could have done with some strict editing. The medical and forensic knowledge of the author makes the book especially interesting.
January 26, 2017
Surely I was supposed to like this better than I did. Surely there are those who liked it just fine. I got thru it, this book of coincidence done royal. Then, in Freeman's books, without coincidence there'd be no incidents at all. The usual fine writing.
July 22, 2018
Not my favorite installment in the series, as there really wasn't all that much to be surprised by, except perhaps for Thorndyke's final decision in the book.
May 16, 2019
A very enrertaining read told from the criminals pointbof view. Decent plot with strong characters.
February 11, 2020
Interesting story, but it lagged.
Want to read
February 16, 2020Synopsis: Mr. Pottermack is a law abiding citizen. Then a blackmailer shows up; is Pottermack a runaway prisoner? These falsehoods must stop.
August 15, 2024
Excellent story. A little long winded at the end with the summing up. But it was worth sticking with.
September 22, 2024
Fabulous book! Read in one day because it was so compelling and clever. Great!
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August 31, 2024From the blurb, this sounded like exactly the kind of odd English village mystery I love; the purchase of an Egyptian mummy was the clincher. What I'd not fully taken into account was that it's not a mystery in the classic sense, more the Columbo style; we know from the off who did it, and why, so the mystery resides in the oversight of the title – what was the detail Pottermack missed in his apparently perfect crime? In itself, this is fine; I like Columbo, and its heir Poker Face; I can even picture an Ealing adaptation of this book where, animated by appropriate performances, I'd be well into that too. But in the absence of that, all we have to carry us along is Freeman's narration, which is meticulous but clear (not unlike Wodehouse minus the jokes), if maybe prone to going on a bit about the very detailed specifics of every little thing. And yes, that is how Dr. Thorndyke operates, a proto-CSI master of close observation and the very frontier of forensic technology, 1930-style. But while he's hardly the first vintage sleuth a modern reader could be tempted to label neurodivergent, he is a particularly bloodless example of the genus, distinctly lacking in loveable quirks; I can't imagine I'll be tracking down the rest of his 28 appearances. His quarry, on the other hand, is a man who, wronged in his youth, has pieced together a lovely little life for himself, is just working himself up to asking out the woman with whom he's gently flirting over their shared interests in snails, and only as a final resort bumped off a piece of shit who had that (and, for preference, worse) coming. And even then, he's caught out as much by spectacular ill-fortune as any brilliance on Thorndyke's part. The sort of entirely justified 'crime', in other words, where some of my preferred Golden Age investigators, Mrs Bradley especially, would have been happy to connive at a cover-up. So, with no prior knowledge of Thorndyke, the other tension in the novel – and one it sustains to the very end – was, is he the just man who'll do likewise, or the legalist who blows the whistle?
Additionally: since well before this week's addition to the litany of terrible 2020s occurrences, looking at Mr Pottermack's Oversight has consistently given me an earworm of Mr Robinson's QUANGO, and never mind that it doesn't scan. And even now, when it's more important than ever to remember that every single song on the Life trilogy is better than anything Oasis ever released, that really wouldn't be my first choice.
Additionally: since well before this week's addition to the litany of terrible 2020s occurrences, looking at Mr Pottermack's Oversight has consistently given me an earworm of Mr Robinson's QUANGO, and never mind that it doesn't scan. And even now, when it's more important than ever to remember that every single song on the Life trilogy is better than anything Oasis ever released, that really wouldn't be my first choice.
October 5, 2024
First published in 1930 and republished in 2024 by British Library Publishing, Mr Pottermack’s Oversight is the 19th book in the Dr Thorndyke mysteries but it can be read as a standalone. I got a clear sense of Thorndyke and liked the character.
The story begins with a prologue which tells of a prisoner who manages to make his escape. The prison officers chasing him find a pile of clothes on the beach with no sign of a swimmer or anyone else.
"The elder warder gathered up the rest of the clothes and handed them to his junior. “Well,” he said, “we must take it that he’s gone to sea. All that we can do is to get the Customs people to give us a passage on their launch to make the round of all the vessels anchored about here. And if we don’t find him on any of them, we shall have to hand the case over to the police.”
Mostly told from Mr Pottermack’s point of view and described as an ‘inverted mystery’, this was a good read, if a little ludicrous in parts, although his thought processes and state of mind were really well done. Mr Pottermack is quite settled in his cottage, pottering in his garden and workshops, sharing his interests, and sometimes meals, with his good friend, Mrs Bellard. His latest project is the instillation of a sun dial he came across in mason’s yard. He felt it would be the perfect central point in his garden and would also cover up the old disused well. But when he finds himself at the mercy of a blackmailer, who he realises will never leave him be, he takes desperate and quite elaborate measures.
This is my first book by this author and although I enjoyed the main narrative, I felt the story became bogged down in places with unnecessarily intricate detail which I tended to skim over, especially that which concerned molluscs. But having been written such a long time ago allowances should perhaps be made.
I did feel sorry for Mr Pottermack but the lengths he went to were hard to credit when he should have left well alone after the first attempt, and as for the Egyptian mummy…well! I enjoyed following Dr Thorndyke’s interpretation of events and the story concluded very satisfactorily.
The story begins with a prologue which tells of a prisoner who manages to make his escape. The prison officers chasing him find a pile of clothes on the beach with no sign of a swimmer or anyone else.
"The elder warder gathered up the rest of the clothes and handed them to his junior. “Well,” he said, “we must take it that he’s gone to sea. All that we can do is to get the Customs people to give us a passage on their launch to make the round of all the vessels anchored about here. And if we don’t find him on any of them, we shall have to hand the case over to the police.”
Mostly told from Mr Pottermack’s point of view and described as an ‘inverted mystery’, this was a good read, if a little ludicrous in parts, although his thought processes and state of mind were really well done. Mr Pottermack is quite settled in his cottage, pottering in his garden and workshops, sharing his interests, and sometimes meals, with his good friend, Mrs Bellard. His latest project is the instillation of a sun dial he came across in mason’s yard. He felt it would be the perfect central point in his garden and would also cover up the old disused well. But when he finds himself at the mercy of a blackmailer, who he realises will never leave him be, he takes desperate and quite elaborate measures.
This is my first book by this author and although I enjoyed the main narrative, I felt the story became bogged down in places with unnecessarily intricate detail which I tended to skim over, especially that which concerned molluscs. But having been written such a long time ago allowances should perhaps be made.
I did feel sorry for Mr Pottermack but the lengths he went to were hard to credit when he should have left well alone after the first attempt, and as for the Egyptian mummy…well! I enjoyed following Dr Thorndyke’s interpretation of events and the story concluded very satisfactorily.
August 16, 2023
I have been on a binge of R Austin Freeman novels and short stories recently, mostly with good results, and I had delayed reading this 1930 entry in the Dr Thorndyke series as many reviewers seem to regard it as among his finer works.
It is indeed interesting from a number of points of view. An inverted detective novel, or rather a sequence of inter-related stories, it tells the tale of Marcus Pottermark and the crimes with which he is involved. There is an extensive backstory, a rather overdone love story and a wide range of criminal activities. Thorndyke’s role is not central, although it is crucial.
Clever as the construction is, there are many coincidences, some dubious behaviour from the good doctor and a lot of Freeman’s standard paraphernalia - gadgetry , footprints, an escaped convict who is blackmailed and an Egyptian mummy repurposed. Nor can RAF resist this observation, masquerading as a pop at the Bertillon system of criminal classification:-
“…we have to admit the regrettable fact that the British criminal inconsiderately persists in being a good deal like other people. Not that the criminal class is, even here, distinguished by personal beauty or fine physique. The criminal is a low-grade man; but he is not markedly different from other low-grade men. But the fugitive whose flight in the shelter of the sea wall we are watching did not conform even to the more generalized type. On the contrary, he was a definitely good-looking young man rather small and slight yet athletic and well-knit, with a face not only intelligent and refined but, despite his anxious and even terrified expression, suggestive of a courageous, resolute personality. Whatever had brought him to a convict prison, he was not of the rank and file of its inmates.”
With a comment such as this in mind, one does not find it much of a surprise that Thorndyke acts as he does at the end of the book. Now if Pottermack had been one of those unattractive and brutish working-class types from the East End of London…
3.75 stars.
It is indeed interesting from a number of points of view. An inverted detective novel, or rather a sequence of inter-related stories, it tells the tale of Marcus Pottermark and the crimes with which he is involved. There is an extensive backstory, a rather overdone love story and a wide range of criminal activities. Thorndyke’s role is not central, although it is crucial.
Clever as the construction is, there are many coincidences, some dubious behaviour from the good doctor and a lot of Freeman’s standard paraphernalia - gadgetry , footprints, an escaped convict who is blackmailed and an Egyptian mummy repurposed. Nor can RAF resist this observation, masquerading as a pop at the Bertillon system of criminal classification:-
“…we have to admit the regrettable fact that the British criminal inconsiderately persists in being a good deal like other people. Not that the criminal class is, even here, distinguished by personal beauty or fine physique. The criminal is a low-grade man; but he is not markedly different from other low-grade men. But the fugitive whose flight in the shelter of the sea wall we are watching did not conform even to the more generalized type. On the contrary, he was a definitely good-looking young man rather small and slight yet athletic and well-knit, with a face not only intelligent and refined but, despite his anxious and even terrified expression, suggestive of a courageous, resolute personality. Whatever had brought him to a convict prison, he was not of the rank and file of its inmates.”
With a comment such as this in mind, one does not find it much of a surprise that Thorndyke acts as he does at the end of the book. Now if Pottermack had been one of those unattractive and brutish working-class types from the East End of London…
3.75 stars.
May 3, 2025
To enjoy this book, the reader needs to overlook the fact that the events are highly implausible. The three main characters (apart from Thorndyke), after a previous connection some 15 years earlier, eventually end up living in the same small town; a co-incidence worthy of Thomas Hardy. It also has to be believed that it was possible to change one's appearance by simply growing a beard and wearing spectacles.
As other reviewers have said, Freeman goers into great (some might say unnecessary) detail about the actions taken by Pottermack to avoid detection. Personally, I carried on reading these descriptions out of curiosity to find out the end result; others may just give up and skip these.
Another aspect, which has also been mentioned is the language used, especially in the 'love scenes'; for example:-
"Dear friend," she said, "dearest Marcus, I would say yes, joyfully, thankfully, if only it were possible. I have given you my friendship, my most loving friendship, and that is all I have to give. It is impossible for me to be your wife."
To me, this could have been an extract from a Wilkie Collins novel, rather than one written in the late 1920s. To be fair to Freeman, it must be remembered that he was born in the mid-nineteenth century and he would have been in his late 60s when this book was written. He was therefore a Victorian with a style inherited from that age.
Having said all that, if these aspects can be tolerated, this is an enthralling story where Pottermack is a character deserving of sympathy and we are anxious to discover the nature of his 'oversight' and its result.
As other reviewers have said, Freeman goers into great (some might say unnecessary) detail about the actions taken by Pottermack to avoid detection. Personally, I carried on reading these descriptions out of curiosity to find out the end result; others may just give up and skip these.
Another aspect, which has also been mentioned is the language used, especially in the 'love scenes'; for example:-
"Dear friend," she said, "dearest Marcus, I would say yes, joyfully, thankfully, if only it were possible. I have given you my friendship, my most loving friendship, and that is all I have to give. It is impossible for me to be your wife."
To me, this could have been an extract from a Wilkie Collins novel, rather than one written in the late 1920s. To be fair to Freeman, it must be remembered that he was born in the mid-nineteenth century and he would have been in his late 60s when this book was written. He was therefore a Victorian with a style inherited from that age.
Having said all that, if these aspects can be tolerated, this is an enthralling story where Pottermack is a character deserving of sympathy and we are anxious to discover the nature of his 'oversight' and its result.
December 13, 2025
This was such a clever and quietly satisfying read. I really enjoyed how different it felt from a traditional detective story, especially getting so much of the narrative from Mr Pottermack himself. Watching everything unfold from the perspective of someone trying to stay one step ahead added a layer of tension that kept me engaged the whole way through.
The pacing felt steady and deliberate, very much in line with Golden Age mysteries, and I appreciated how much attention was paid to detail. There is something oddly charming about how methodical and ordinary Mr Pottermack appears while everything around him becomes increasingly complicated. It made the story feel both unsettling and darkly amusing at the same time.
I also liked the understated humor woven throughout. Even when the subject matter turns grim, there is a calm, almost polite tone that makes the contrast work rather than feel jarring. It is not a fast or flashy mystery, but it is thoughtful and well constructed, and the payoff feels earned.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and smart classic mystery that rewards patience. A solid four stars for its originality, atmosphere, and the way it quietly pulls you into its web.
The pacing felt steady and deliberate, very much in line with Golden Age mysteries, and I appreciated how much attention was paid to detail. There is something oddly charming about how methodical and ordinary Mr Pottermack appears while everything around him becomes increasingly complicated. It made the story feel both unsettling and darkly amusing at the same time.
I also liked the understated humor woven throughout. Even when the subject matter turns grim, there is a calm, almost polite tone that makes the contrast work rather than feel jarring. It is not a fast or flashy mystery, but it is thoughtful and well constructed, and the payoff feels earned.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and smart classic mystery that rewards patience. A solid four stars for its originality, atmosphere, and the way it quietly pulls you into its web.
June 18, 2025
Not exactly my favorite Dr. Thorndyke. And if you never read this series, do not start with this book: it could disappoint you and you would miss some very intriguing, highly entertaining stories. I'll call this a "cerebral" story. There are lots and lots of descriptions of methods, materials, reasons, reasonings, etc. Like another Thorndyke story I read years ago, this one has the doctor figuring the crime/criminal after it is all described to the reader. So, he will put together the facts, piece by piece. It is a very interesting story, but I confess that I skipped a few paragraphs at times... It has a somewhat surprising end, but one I was really rooting for. Recommend to the Thorndyke aficionados only. (Incidentally, two of Freeman's stories were included in "The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes" TV series: "A Message from the Deep Sea" where John Neville did an excellent performance of the doctor, and "The Moabite Cipher," starring by Barrie Ingham.)
June 8, 2021
This was my first read of a novel-length Dr Thorndyke mystery, and it was a very enjoyable read. Dr Thorndyke (a medical jurist) is a painstakingly scrupulous investigator, so this book is filled with very specific details of the crime and coverup. If you like fast-paced novels, this really isn’t for you. But the detail can draw you in, as you try to spot the holes.
Most of this book is told from the perspective of Mr Pottermack, who commits murder and attempts to cover his traces. Following his mental state alternating between panic and relief is fascinating. Freeman has written all of this very carefully.
As it was written 90 years ago, some of the scientific detail is dated, so you’ll be at a disadvantage in working out what Pottermack’s oversight might be. But that didn’t stop this being a very good read.
Most of this book is told from the perspective of Mr Pottermack, who commits murder and attempts to cover his traces. Following his mental state alternating between panic and relief is fascinating. Freeman has written all of this very carefully.
As it was written 90 years ago, some of the scientific detail is dated, so you’ll be at a disadvantage in working out what Pottermack’s oversight might be. But that didn’t stop this being a very good read.
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