Tangle Hold

"Tangle Hold" by F. L. Wallace is a science fiction novel written in the early 1950s. The story follows Thadeus Jadiver, a consulting engineer who finds himself in a precarious situation after an accident that leaves him in a hospital with synthetic skin and a terrifying realization that he may have been the target of a murder attempt. As he navigates the complexities of his recovery and grapples with a mysterious circuit embedded in his body, the plot unfolds into a tense narrative of survival, deception, and intrigue on the planet Venus. The opening of the story thrusts readers into a disorienting scene where Jadiver awakens in a hospital, struggling to recall the events that led to his critical condition. Through conversations with a police doctor and reflections on his past, we learn that he has undergone a procedure that replaced his skin with a synthetic material. As Jadiver's memories gradually return, he suspects foul play involving a tampered autobath—a robotic cleaning device. The narrative captures his growing paranoia and desire to uncover the truth behind the accident while keeping ahead of the authorities who may see him as a valuable pawn in their own investigations. The tone is infused with mystery and tension, promising a thrilling journey as Jadiver seeks to escape the danger surrounding him. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

F. L. Wallace, sometimes credited as Floyd Wallace, was a noted science fiction and mystery writer. He was born in Rock Island, Illinois, in 1915, and died in Tustin, California, in 2004. Wallace spent most of his life in California as a writer and mechanical engineer after attending the University of Iowa. He also attended UCLA.