Huysman's Pets

by Kate Wilhelm

Stanley Huysman, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist, had spent his later years on far-out experiments never much heeded by the scientific community. Only after Huysman’s death does his visionary genius become clear, when his widow, Irma, arranges for Drew Lancaster to write the scientist's biography. As Drew delves into Huysman’s notes, he discovers not only that the great scientist had actually been able to induce telepathy in his subjects by genetic manipulation, but also that Huysman’s assistant, Clyde Dohemy, has unscrupulously taken over the project in hopes of lucrative funding.
When Drew recruits his ex-wife, Irma, and a group of young people who knew about Huysman’s experiments to set a trap for Dohemy, they are drawn into a web of secrets involving Senate files, counterfeit money, gambling casinos, and the Secret Service.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery, Science Fiction Fantasy, Thriller

247 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Kate Wilhelm’s first short story, “The Pint-Sized Genie” was published in Fantastic Stories in 1956. Her first novel, MORE BITTER THAN DEATH, a mystery, was published in 1963. Over the span of her career, her writing has crossed over the genres of science fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy and magical realism, psychological suspense, mimetic, comic, and family sagas, a multimedia stage production, and radio plays. She returned to writing mysteries in 1990 with the acclaimed Charlie Meiklejohn and Constance Leidl Mysteries and the Barbara Holloway series of legal thrillers.

Wilhelm’s works have been adapted for television and movies in numerous countries; her novels and stories have been translated to more than a dozen languages. She has contributed to Quark, Orbit,  Magazine of Fantasy and ScienceFiction, Locus, Amazing Stories, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine,  Fantastic, Omni, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Redbook, and Cosmopolitan.

Kate Wilhelm is the widow of acclaimed science fiction author and editor, Damon Knight (1922-2002), with whom she founded the Clarion Writers’ Workshop and the Milford Writers’ Conference, described in her 2005 non-fiction work, STORYTELLER. They lectured together at universities across three continents; Kate has continued to offer interviews, talks, and monthly workshops.

Kate Wilhelm has received two Hugo awards, three Nebulas, as well as Jupiter, Locus, Spotted Owl, Prix Apollo, Kristen Lohman awards, among others. She was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2009, Kate was the recipient of one of the first Solstice Awards presented by the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) in recognition of her contributions to the field of science fiction. 

Kate’s highly popular Barbara Holloway mysteries, set in Eugene, Oregon, opened with Death Qualified in 1990. Mirror, Mirror, released in 2017, is the series’ 14th novel.

Reviews

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chilling! A new breed of humans that can know what the others know.

Well narrated by Anna Fields.

[Anna Hepworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A convoluted, twisty story of outlandish coincidences that explores the potential minefield of who funds human genetic engineering, and to what end.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a mess, but points for talking about mansplaining before there was a term for it.

[Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drew Lancaster, biographer and newly hatched divorcee, is asked to write the biography of prominent, Nobel prize winning scientist Stanley Huysman by his widow, Irma. All he knows of Huysman's work is that it had to do with twin studies and experiments on chimps. Now that right there is just irresistable. Mad scientist! Experiments on primates! Creepy twins! Drew accepts and starts poking around, distracted by a charming subplot where a Secret Service agent tries to nail him for aiding a counterfeiter. Also, he spends a lot of time trying to sleep with a cute researcher and actually sleeping with his ex-wife. Custody battle notwithstanding, the break-up seems to have been amicable, or at least the post-divorce lovemaking is.

There is also the winsome twelve year old daughter, who is probably the first fictional tween I can actually imagine hanging out with. During a road trip (that could be considered a kidnapping if you want to be particular), father and daughter come across a confused young lady who turns out to have a connection to the orphans' hospital where Huysman's work is still in progress. And when I say orphans' hospital, I mean bunker of evil.

Clues as to what Huysman was actually researching start piling up, and soon Drew, Huysman's widow, the cute researcher, the confused young lady, Drew's ex-wife, and the ex-wife's father's house maid's daughter are sleuthing in the midst of the evildoing.

The book is light on the science, and the plot isn't believable at all. Nor is it scary, or original, or particularly suspenseful. It is, however, very funny, well-written and engaging. I loved the 70's setting, and the delightful characters. This would have made a perfect seventies sci-fi movie for say, Chris Walken and Julie Christie.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Serge]

Do not read the summary, either in the library catalogue or on the book cover! As usual, they reveal too much of the plot. This is an excellent mystery and science fiction novel from one of the best stylists in the second of these genres. The action is fast paced, but at the same time raises serious questions about the nature of scientific research. At first I thought the ending was too naive. But after rereading the last few pages, everything fell into place, and it is chilling.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the prologue - good tension from then on. Enjoyed the brief but spot-on analysis of mansplaining (long before we had that word). The writing feels very much like it captured the vibe of the 80s without being stuck there. The ending echoes back to an earlier point in the novel - a question of doing what is needed but not necessarily what is right. Good ambiguity.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed many of Kate Wilhelms books and this is no exception. While it is set in the 80s, the story is applicable to the present, with political implications that are perhaps even more likely now. It takes a while to understand the connection between characters and back stories, but I found the plot engaging. The reader is left with big questions to ponder regarding “doing the right thing”.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you audible stories for allowing us to stream this for free during the pandemic.
This probably was a three and a half star. I found it to be an interesting enough story. A little bit scattered. But very well done overall. The real problem in my opinion was the ending. So it was kind of like say Stephen King's it. You've enjoyed or been scared of this character and the idea and everything about it throughout the story. but at least for me the disappointment came to find out in the end it was a spider. It's kind of a let down. So I feel that's what happened here is we had a story that came together in the end and just fizzled. The fuse didn't make it to the explosion and we all kind of just let our breath out. It's a story of some experiments done on kids that found they were linked perhaps when playing with DNA or genetics of some kind before inception or the time of inception or something. Then it gave these kids supernatural power to link up. So useful as a bodyguard or something, but not a real wartime great.

[Yvonne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Listened to 11 chapters, before giving up. A lot of back stories on characters that I have no idea how they connect to the main story, that has still not developed. Seemed like a good story from the synopsis, to bad.

[Tomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story with an ending that is not really an ending. So many unrelated stories tied together in a remarkable way. I just could not like Drew - his cavalier attitude throughout everything was rather distracting.

[Patricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just bad. I had no feeling for any of the characters. I had no real understanding of the motives or exactly what was going on. Do not recommend.

[Jen Garuti · Rating 2 out of 5]

It felt like we never got to the actual story.

[Ian Hamilton · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a mess…but i did finish it hoping to salvage something…alas.

[Daniel Polansky]

A journalist discovers strange secrets when investigating the experiments of a dead scientific genius. Not as good as 'Birds,' but not so terrible neither.

[Biana]

went too slow, might need a different mindset.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a thriller. Overall I liked it but found it lacking in some detail to really hook and set the storyline.

[Andreas · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the weaker books by Wilhelm, whose writing I usually greatly enjoy. This one here was pretty bland, I think, with a way too much constructed plot that was later on in the book explained as predetermined or whatever. Not really my cup of tea....

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a weird and intriguing little book! Not entirely satisfied with how it wrapped up in the final quarter of the book, but it definitely held my interest through a lot of seemingly-unconnected segues from and to the plot.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another of those quirky mixes of science fiction and mystery that makes Kate Wilhelm remain on my list of authors to go back to... again, and again.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a fun read but I was left feeling like there was so much left unexplained.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice development of characters and convergence of plot

[Jannell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Almost a 3, but disappointing for this author.

[Tac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging interesting story w characters that were likable and believable. Interesting premise of genetic engineering and its ramifications.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book from Kate Wilhelm, although I read about her when I was in HS and going through older sci-fi. I enjoyed it.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed many of Wilhelm's mysteries. This is a science fiction mystery/thriller. Interesting premise. Credible characters and dialogue. Complex weaving of story threads.

[Dayo Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liked the story and the characters. Very easy going writing and good predictions about use of computers and Gene tech.

[Maxine · Rating 3 out of 5]

FWIW, I listened to the audio-book version, from Blackstone Audio. The narration was very good.

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying Kate Wilhelm's sci-fi imagination and the interesting and complex characters she creates.