On a mountain above the village of Brückendorf, a boy lives with his parents in a remote house. His father is a locksmith, renowned far and wide for his craft. People often climb the mountain to present their requests. It is said that the keys possess magical powers, and the boy never sees his father's customers a second time. But then he witnesses a gruesome act and must flee down to the village. The people there are already waiting for him and want to know what has happened. Breathless, with bloody hands and trembling with fear, the boy tells them that his mother has stabbed his father. But he is not sure. Perhaps it was the father who killed the mother. Once again, China Miéville explores the boundaries of fantastic literature. "This Census-Taker" is a virtuously told, atmospherically rich book.