Telepaths in a dystopian future

[hhath]

I have been trying to remember the title of a book I read back in the 80's.

It was set in a near future dystopia where telepaths exist and are persecuted by the government. I remember one of the main characters is a female professional or Olympic swimmer. When the government agents come to get her, they trick her into revealing herself by projecting a mental image/sound of someone pounding on her door, without actually touching it. Her answering it confirms her abilities.

The book was published sometime in the 80's as a mass market paperback original. I believe this was its first publication. It is not Slan or The Chrysalids.

The cover image was of several people standing around wearing the white jumpsuits/coveralls that for some reason everyone thought we would wear in the future.

 

[iansales]

Sounds like it could be A Man of Double Deed by Leonard Daventry, though that was published earlier than the 1980s.

 

[austin_cambridge]

I don't think it's A Man of Double Deed. The main character in that book is Claus Coman and I don't think either of the women in his life are Olympic swimmers. One has an office job and the other is a homemaker.

Also, telepaths are treated with suspicion but the government doesn't seem to hate them as much as they hate anyone who smokes...which is illegal.

 

[CassFrank]

Most likely Sideshow by W R Thompson (1988). Plot involves telepaths and one character is a swimmer who almost made the “‘96” Olympics. And the cover is a complete match,