James Pattinson bowled with pace and aggression to pick up four wickets and put Middlesex behind the eight ball following crucial contributions from Luke Fletcher on the second day at Lord’s, with Notts holding a lead of 226.
Stuart Broad also picked up three wickets before the visitors concluded the day 6/0.
Australian overseas Pattinson dismissed a trio of former internationals in Sam Robson, Mark Stoneman and Peter Handscombe, as well as Luke Hollman, before Broad wrapped up the tail to bowl the hosts out for 195.
Notts chose not to encorce the follow on late in the day after they had made 415 in the first innings, a total set with help from a quick-fire Fletcher fifty.
He followed his batting exploits by running out Josh De Caires with a direct hit, swooping in from mid-wicket, cueing exuberant celebrations from the 33-year-old.
His contribution with the bat was a necessary one, too, after Nottinghamshire lost four wickets for 23 runs in the morning, looking to add to their overnight score of 329.
Mullaney - who well set on 92 - was adjudged lbw with the first delivery of the day from Toby Roland-Jones, one which tailed into the right hander as he attempted to whip the ball through mid-wicket.
It sent the former England bowler on something of a rampage as he nipped one through the defenses of Tom Moores, who departed for 36, and repeated the feat to dismiss Liam Patterson-White (14) six overs later.
Pattinson’s 28-ball vigil returned seven runs before Roland-Jones picked up his fourth and final wicket of the innings, caught behind by John Simpson.
The pairing of Fletcher and Stuart Broad promised, and delivered, momentum-swinging fireworks, however, the latter driving Martin Andersson aerially through cover to signal his intent.
Fletcher then picked up the mantle, swatting leg-spinner Luke Hollman for 22 from 10 deliveries, in a display of clean hitting down the ground.
A booming slog-sweep for six preceded a tuck off his hip for a single and his half-century, before he was caught behind on the stroke of lunch having faced just 51 deliveries, Broad, meanwhile, was unbeaten on 11.
The momentum stayed with notts for the opening hour with the ball, if not through wickets then economy, as Robson and Stoneman were starved of loose deliveries.
The former’s demise came with the introduction of Pattinson, who brought one back up the hill to leave a shouldering-arms Robson red-faced and departing for nine.
Five overs later, Fletcher produced fielding mastery to leave De Caires (5) short, after Stoneman had called the 20-year-old through for a quick single, the splaying of stumps sparking a procession towards the Members’ Stand from the fast-bowler and his teammates.
Notts had to wait until after tea to get their next reward - albeit only two balls - and it catalysed something of a flurry for the Green and Golds.
Pattinson first breached the defenses of Stoneman (31), beating the left-hander for pace, before trapping his compatriot and Victoria captain Handscome lbw two shy of his half-century.
Two overs later, Liam Patterson-White joined the wicket taking act, Max Holden caught on the crease and hit in front for an assertive 21, with Fletcher the second of the seamers to collect a wicket when he struck Simpson’s front pad with an in-swinging delivery.
And as the evening sun set in, there was time for Notts to clean up the remaining four wickets.
Pattinson got his fourth - the fourth in a row to be given out lbw - when Luke Hollman (15) was struck in adjacent on the back pad, then Roland-Jones fell to the short-ball, Broad claiming his first scalps thanks to a low catch at fine-leg by Ben Slater.
The Englishman followed up with the wickets of Andersson, dismissed in the same fashion for a well made 30, and Murtagh, bowled, before Luke Fletcher, in as nightwatchman, saw off the final over of the day.