Malone lives in a world where psionic powers such as telepathy and teleportation exist. He must cope with them as well as an FBI Director who leaves Malone continually confused about what situation he is being asked to handle and what he is expected to do about it. Malone is charged with investigating leaks in a secret government program. For assistance, he recruits a powerful psi from a mental institution who believes she is Queen Elizabeth I of England. The problem is, she may be right.
Brain Twister marries SF adventure with slapstick comedy for hilarious results.
A shorter version of this work appeared in Astounding Science Fiction in 1959 under the title That Sweet Little Old Lady. First published in the present form in August 1962 (Pyramid Books).
Nominated for Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1960.