"Devil You Don't Know" is a 1978

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

short story by American writer

Dean Ing Dean Charles Ing (June 17, 1931 – July 21, 2020) was an American author, who usually wrote in the science fiction and techno-thriller genres. His novel ''The Ransom of Black Stealth One'' (1989) was a ''New York Times'' bestseller. He wrote ...

. It was first published in ''

Analog Science Fiction ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William C ...

''.

Plot summary

Val Clarke looks profoundly retarded, but is actually of normal intelligence, and so she infiltrates

psychiatric hospital Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociative ...

s in order to expose their abuses with her hidden transmitter and remote partner Christopher Maffei. However, the situation at the latest hospital is far stranger than anyone could have imagined.

Reception

"Devil You Don't Know" was a finalist for the 1978

Nebula Award for Best Novelette The Nebula Award for Best Novelette is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) to a science fiction or fantasy Novella#Versus novelette, novelette. A work of fiction is defined by the organization as a novele ...

,Devil You Don't Know
at

Science Fiction Writers of America The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, doing business as Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, commonly known as SFWA ( or ) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization of professional science fiction and fantasy writers. While ...

; retrieved June 19, 2018 and the 1979

Hugo Award for Best Novelette The Hugo Award for Best Novelette is one of the Hugo Awards given each year for science fiction or fantasy stories published or translated into English during the previous calendar year. The novelette award is available for works of fiction of ...

.1979 Hugo Awards
at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved June 19, 2018 The

Science Fiction Research Association The Science Fiction Research Association (SFRA), founded in 1970, is the oldest, non-profit professional organization committed to encouraging, facilitating, and rewarding the study of science fiction and fantasy literature, film, and other media. ...

noted its merits in terms of "sensitivity to diversity in looks (and) lifestyle".A Brief User's Guide to ''Visions of Wonder''
by Joe Sanders, in ''SFRA Review'' #250 (January/February 2001); retrieved June 19, 2018

References

{{reflist Science fiction short stories Works originally published in Analog Science Fiction and Fact Works set in psychiatric hospitals