‘The Mind Trap' presents a treat for nostalgia buffs. Running to just over an hour and a quarter, it is an original ‘Doctor Who' short story featuring the Second Doctor, as played by Patrick Troughton in the late 1960s. He is accompanied in this adventure by his companions Jamie and Zoe, though Jamie is sidelined with a virus. This allows Zoe to take the lead in assisting the Doctor.
With all of the ingredients of a traditional ‘Doctor Who' story, ‘The Mind Trap' feels authentic, and the artwork by Lee Johnson ably conveys the illusion. Author John Peel is well-known in the ‘Doctor Who' world for his original novels from the 1990s onwards. His story is brought to life by David Troughton, who does a wonderful impression of his old man! A highly respected actor in his own right, David Troughton is the perfect choice to narrate this audiobook.
‘The Mind Trap' finds TARDIS landing on a lonely satellite. On closer inspection of their seemingly deserted surroundings, the crew eventually learn that it is a one-man prison. They meet the prisoner, Markan, who has been exiled from his people with only a robot for company. Uncovering Markan’s tragic past, but learning that all is not what their new acquaintance claims, the Doctor and Zoe must deal with a new enemy who is determined to seize the TARDIS and make good his escape.
‘The Mind Trap' is an enjoyable if straightforward story. It is strongly reminiscent of themes developed in classic adventures including ‘The Mind Robber' (the Doctor's keenness to explore outside the ship, and the villain's mental invasion of the Doctor's mind) and, more pertinently, ‘The Three Doctors'. Markan feels like a reinterpretation of Omega, the exiled Time Lord. As such, it doesn't score highly on originality, and nor are there any unexpected twists and turns in the plot. However, this doesn't markedly distinguish ‘The Mind Trap' from much of the ‘Doctor Who' output of Patrick Troughton's era, which was often formulaic.
The humming sound effect of the TARDIS interior, a background echo on the satellite and echoing footsteps are effective ways of creating atmosphere that hold you in the world of the story. Overall, the production values are excellent.
The thrill with ‘The Mind Trap' is hearing David Troughton's brilliant recreation of the world of his father's ‘Doctor Who' era. That's enough to recommend the audiobook to fans of the classic series. In the final analysis, ‘The Mind Trap' is a riff on much-loved ‘Doctor Who' adventures, but doesn't bring enough originality to stand out from the crowd.
Author: John Peel Narrator: David Troughton Duration: 78 minutes Published by: Penguin Random House Audio for BBC Audio Publication date: 8th January 2026 Buy ‘Doctor Who: The Mind Trap'
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