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Search - The Alienist
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The Alienist Author: |
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Book Information
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Other Versions of this Book: Audio Cassette, Audio Cassette (Abridged), Hardcover, Paperback, Paperback
Book Description:
The year is 1896, the place, New York City. On a cold March night New York Times reporter John Schuyler Moore is summoned to the East River by his friend and former Harvard classmate Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a psychologist, or "alienist." On the unfinished Williamsburg Bridge, they view the horribly mutilated body of an adolescent boy, a prostitute from one of Manhattan's infamous brothels.
The newly appointed police commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt, in a highly unorthodox move, enlists the two men in the murder investigation, counting on the reserved Kreizler's intellect and Moore's knowledge of New York's vast criminal underworld. They are joined by Sara Howard, a brave and determined woman who works as a secretary in the police department. Laboring in secret (for alienists, and the emerging discipline of psychology, are viewed by the public with skepticism at best), the unlikely team embarks on what is a revolutionary effort in criminology-- amassing a psychological profile of the man they're looking for based on the details of his crimes. Their dangerous quest takes them into the tortured past and twisted mind of a murderer who has killed before. and will kill again before the hunt is over.
Fast-paced and gripping, infused with a historian's exactitude, The Alienist conjures up the Gilded Age and its untarnished underside: verminous tenements and opulent mansions, corrupt cops and flamboyant gangsters, shining opera houses and seamy gin mills. Here is a New York during an age when questioning society's belief that all killers are born, not made, could have unexpected and mortal consequences.
The newly appointed police commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt, in a highly unorthodox move, enlists the two men in the murder investigation, counting on the reserved Kreizler's intellect and Moore's knowledge of New York's vast criminal underworld. They are joined by Sara Howard, a brave and determined woman who works as a secretary in the police department. Laboring in secret (for alienists, and the emerging discipline of psychology, are viewed by the public with skepticism at best), the unlikely team embarks on what is a revolutionary effort in criminology-- amassing a psychological profile of the man they're looking for based on the details of his crimes. Their dangerous quest takes them into the tortured past and twisted mind of a murderer who has killed before. and will kill again before the hunt is over.
Fast-paced and gripping, infused with a historian's exactitude, The Alienist conjures up the Gilded Age and its untarnished underside: verminous tenements and opulent mansions, corrupt cops and flamboyant gangsters, shining opera houses and seamy gin mills. Here is a New York during an age when questioning society's belief that all killers are born, not made, could have unexpected and mortal consequences.
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Top Member Book Reviews
Krista K. (
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
honestly, one of the best books i've read in a long time. there are times where there is a lot of techincal medical jargon, but you make your way through it just to see what will happen next. many a night has been spent with a room full of friends trying to figure out who would play what character if they ever decided to make it into a movie. if you are interested in forensic pathology, this is definitely a book for you. you should also invest in angel of darkness as well. it's a continuation of the same characters in a different case, but just as engaging as the alienist.
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
I love historical fiction and felt that Caleb Carr did a great job of transporting me to 19th century New York City, particularly the idea that this type of psychological analysis of a killer was breakthrough detective work of the period. Suspenseful read and many interesting and sympathetic characters.
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
I read The Alienist with my face-to-face bookclub this month and was immediately excited for a couple of reasons. First, we needed a change, having focused on "issue" books primarily, and second, I love serial killer mysteries. There's nothing like a great thriller to keep you company on a rainy afternoon. And this was no exception.
It's Spring, 1896, and the New York City police department is faced with a dilemma. Someone is murdering and mutilating young male prostitutes. Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt brings together Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a controversial profiler (aka alienist), John Moore, the police beat reporter for the Times, and an assorted cast of trustworthy detectives and friends to take the case. Can this team of unexpected investigators find the murderer before he strikes again?? Guess you'll have to buy the book to find out...
Overall, I enjoyed Carr's vivid description of turn of the century NYC and his ability to write in response to the time period's needs. I don't think he missed a single detail. The ending was slightly anti-climactic though I would not hesitate to recommend the book to anyone interested in this type of novel. I'm on my way to find The Angel of Darkness for more adventures with this funny, endearing group of characters.
AMAZON.COM READER'S REVIEW
Amy B. (
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
The Alienist is a 19th century murder mystery set in New York...it's CSI meets Sherlock Holmes.
A serial killer is loose in the underbelly of the city, and a very unlikely group of people band together in an attempt to solve the murders. It's a story about cutting-edge criminal technology: fingerprinting, character profiling, handwriting analysis, creative detective work, and the stealth required to pull off such an investigation without the real authorities catching on.
I found this book to be exactly what I am looking for: 19th century authenticity; a Holmes-like main character with competent and likeable sidekicks, an intelligent investigation, plenty of action, and an overall great plot.
I find this book to be an absolute must-read and I highly recommend it.
Julie S. (
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
I absolutely LOVED this book. Carr has a gift for detail. Because he is an historian by training, his research into the late 19th and early 20th centuries added a great deal to the appeal of this book. Terrifying and left you feeling as though you were in 1900 New York as this serial kill ran loose. Character development was great and you grew to love this misfit cast of very intelligent sleuths.
Andy R. (
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Laszlo Kreizler is an American version of Sherlock Holmes who, in the setting of New York City of the late 1800's, attempts to solve the murders of children. Kreizler and his cohorts use methods unheard of at the time as they endanger their careers and lives to find the culprit.
I found the characters engaging and the plot gripping. I couldn't wait to see who the killer was. I enjoy stories with a group of well defined characters -- but not too many so that I lose track -- and Carr succeeds in creating that.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very well-written book. Full of mystery, the haunting sites and sounds of a day gone by, and a clever hero who clutches the reader and takes them on a wild ride into one of the strangest crimes to haunt New York City in history.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I really enjoyed this book. The focus on the method of solving the crime really caught my interest. Well written. Fascinating until the very end!
Paul B. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is *NOT* about aliens. This is CSI in the 19th century. A great period piece with great character development. Great minds swimming against the accepted norms of the time.
Jo Anne C. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a well written book but with a gimmick. It is set in late nineteenth/early twentieth-century New York and Teddy Roosevelt (not yet president) is one of the main characters. This in itself was a draw for me, but I do not know enough about New York history, politics or geography to follow the plot. Unlike other historical novels where I have been unfamiliar with the landscape, this book did little to ease me into the environment so that I got comfortable with my surroundings enough to learn and get interested in the history surrounding the plot. I put it down less than a third of the way through and went on to more desirable reading.
To each his own. If you know New York and its history, you'll probably like the book.
Read All Book Reviews of "The Alienist"
Please Rate these Book Reviews
I know this book is fiction, but there is also a lot of history too... I found myself looking up things on the computer and everything I looked up was dead on... wow, I wish my history teachers had of been that cleaver, I may of learned more!!! As you may of guessed, I loved the book and can't wait to read the next.... It actually took me a while to read this book, not because I thought badly of any part of it, but because I found myself needing to read every word, and as I said, looked stuff up.... Great book, give it a try!!!!
Patty P. (This is a terrific, atmospheric, book on the detective work involved in hunting down an insane killer who can pass for normal while he selects his innocent victims. Caleb Carr writes with such skill and empathy that you forget it's fiction! Don't let the length deter you - that just means there's more to enjoy! A tight-knit group of friends all follow a psychologist Dr. Laszlo Kreizler (psychologists were known in those days as an "alienist" since people with mental problems were "alienated" by society.) It's practically a Patricia Cornwell book in early-New York clothing. This is just a wonderful, intriguing story which will leave you well satisfied that this was a good way to spend your time.
I love mysteries and this one was great. I really like the use way "new" investigative techniques were introduced in this book. Set in 1896, the era is similar to Holmes. But the use of a psychologist instead of a detective is an interesting perspective to bring to the arena of crime fighting.
Robbie M. (Honestly, one of the most interesting books I've read. Very evocative of the times, and a glimpse into the beginnings of forensic medicine. See also Carr's two follow-ups.
excellent . Loved the era and Carr makes you smell the dirt and feel the feelings so vividly .I hated to see it end
Ceylan G. (Read All Book Reviews of "The Alienist"
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