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The Alienist (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler #1)

4.01 of 5 stars 4.01 · rating details · 53,591 ratings · 2,486 reviews

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 infa...more

Paperback, 498 pages

Published October 24th 2006 by Random House (first published 1994)

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Jul 18, 2011 Stephen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: award-nominee-bram-stoker, ebooks, historical-horror, sherlockian, house-like, horror

This book was FIZZING which, according to my 19th Century Art of Manliness glossary, means excellent, top notch. Well, fizzing it was. Through most of this book, I had it rated at 5.0 stars as I was absolutely captivated by the writing, the characters and the plot and loved how they were all deftly tethered to a great depiction of late 19th Century everyday life.

I would describe this as a psychological thriller and detective mystery set in the 1890's and blending a Sherlock Holmes type investig...more This book was FIZZING which, according to my 19th Century Art of Manliness glossary, means excellent, top notch. Well, fizzing it was. Through most of this book, I had it rated at 5.0 stars as I was absolutely captivated by the writing, the characters and the plot and loved how they were all deftly tethered to a great depiction of late 19th Century everyday life.

I would describe this as a psychological thriller and detective mystery set in the 1890's and blending a Sherlock Holmes type investigator (i.e., Dr. Lazlo Kreizler) and a Hannibal Lector/Jeffrey Dahmer like serial killer straight of today. For me, what set it over the top good was the healthy dose of historical fiction thrown in for interesting background. It just gave the book a unique, interesting feel as it had the darkness and grit of a present day "hunt the serial killer" story but with the customs, constraints and daily rituals of 19th Century New York life.

In addition, to the excellent job the author did in establishing a sense of place, I also really liked the way Carr incorporated into the narrative several "real life" murderers that were contemporaries of the killer in this novel. This added a sense of authenticity that upped the creepy on the rest of the plot. For example, the book refers to Dr. H.H. Holmes whose murders were depicted in The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America and Jesse Pomeroy who was depicted in Fiend: The Shocking True Story Of Americas Youngest Serial Killer).

The main character, Dr. Kreizler, was excellent abel focused a great vehicle to carry the plot forward. The pacing was good and mytstery solving aspects of this novel (i.e., the piecing together of clues and discussions of what they mean) about as good as it gets. There is real talent in this work and I was greatly impressed by the read.

My one gripe is that I thought the ending, while in keeping with the tone of the rest of the book, was a little flat. I was hoping for a better payoff and ended up with a slight case of literary "blue brains" when I didn't get the release I was hoping for. Thus I lowered my overall rating to 4.5 stars because nobody likes "blue brains."

Still I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this to fans of the genre or just someone looking for a great story. I will definitely be checking out the sequel.

Nominee: Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel. (less)

52 likes · like · see review

May 12, 2008 Lain rated it 5 of 5 stars

I tend not to like historical fiction, but this one blew me away. I challenge any thriller-and-suspense lover to try this book and not get hooked by the end of the first chapter. Fabulous.

26 likes · like · see review

Feb 10, 2013 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: hf-19th-century-america, historical-mystery, bookmooch, american-fiction, mtbr-challenge-2013, read-2013, suspense-thriller

Just arrived from Canada through BM.

Besides the historical facts about New York City by the end of 19th century, I liked the plot and the introduction of some important tools for an investigative work, like the fingerprint examination and the last impression in the iris of the eyes of corpses, which was proposed by Jules Verne. Of course, this last technique is a simple matter of conjecture.

It is interesting to see Theodore Roosevelt as a Police commissioner before he became the President of the...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jul 21, 2007 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun historical fiction novel. I enjoyed learning about life in New York during the late 1800. If you have watched Gangs of New York you will love the references to the various gangs and activities of the Five Points area of New York. In addition, if you are a fan of crime drama, such as CSI, you will enjoy reading about the development and constroversy surronding many modern crime dectecting techniques. It is just a great suspense, mystery novel that is stylistically like many novels...more

7 likes · like · see review

Nov 29, 2011 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-fiction

This is a book I've meant to read for a while. It was finally bumped up from its spot down the bottom of my TBR pile thanks to this month's group read for the Mystery, Crime and Thriller Group.

Set in New York City in 1896, the novel tells the story of a team set up to investigate a series of murders, mostly of young male prostitutes. The investigation team is the brainchild of Theodore Roosevelt, NYC Police Commissioner in his pre-White House days, who is dedicated to cleaning up corruption in t...more
This is a book I've meant to read for a while. It was finally bumped up from its spot down the bottom of my TBR pile thanks to this month's group read for the Mystery, Crime and Thriller Group.

Set in New York City in 1896, the novel tells the story of a team set up to investigate a series of murders, mostly of young male prostitutes. The investigation team is the brainchild of Theodore Roosevelt, NYC Police Commissioner in his pre-White House days, who is dedicated to cleaning up corruption in the city's police department and to solving a series of crimes that powerful forces would prefer to leave unsolved. The team is headed by psychiatrist Dr Laszlo Kreizler and includes a couple of eccentric police detectives, a journalist (who serves as the narrator) and a young woman who works as Roosevelt's secretary and wants to be a police officer.

What appealed to me most about the book is the historical and geographical setting. Carr makes 1896 NYC live and breathe. The book is packed with descriptions of and information about the locations in which the characters find themselves. In addition, real life identities are woven into the narrative. I had lots of fun reading while checking out people and places using Wikipedia and Google Maps.

What I liked rather less are the anachronisms. This aspect of the novel is most evident in the attitudes of the central good-guy characters. To a person they demonstrate remarkably progressive attitudes towards issues of gender, race, class and sexual orientation. The characters seem to belong more to the 1990s than to the 1890s. Another issue I have with the novel is that it has the feel of a contemporary psychological profiler / serial killer story plonked down into a historical setting. I appreciate that this has more to do with my failure to read the book earlier than it has with the book itself. When it was first published in 1994, that sub-genre of crime fiction wasn't as ubiquitous as it has since become.

Readers should know that the novel contains some graphic scenes, as is to be expected in a serial murder story. Given what can be found in other novels of the same type, these scenes are not extreme. However, the fact that the victims are children and young people heightens their impact.

Overall, I'm glad I finally got around to reading this one. The narrative held my interest and I loved the setting. However, I don't find myself enthusiastic about reading the sequel. I suspect that this will be a once only read, although I would love to read more about NYC in the 1890s.

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Jan 30, 2008 LdDurham rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-fiction

I really liked this book. At first, I was a bit disoriented, and really, I blame my own sloppy brain for that. It’s been over a decade that I actually read literature instead of trashy romance novels and/or Internet fan fiction. So when I first started this one, I was in awe of its many syllabic words. I nearly put it down, deciding that my brain had flared out like a star many years ago and had permanently rotted away. But, no! I was able to catch on and looked forward to reading more and more....more I really liked this book. At first, I was a bit disoriented, and really, I blame my own sloppy brain for that. It’s been over a decade that I actually read literature instead of trashy romance novels and/or Internet fan fiction. So when I first started this one, I was in awe of its many syllabic words. I nearly put it down, deciding that my brain had flared out like a star many years ago and had permanently rotted away. But, no! I was able to catch on and looked forward to reading more and more. On a sad note, it was the first piece of fiction I’ve read that did not have any sex in it. I know. I’m awful.

The story takes place in the early part of 1896 in New York City. The author was phenomenal in bringing the reader right into the city. I’ve never been to NYC and yet, this novel made it real for me. Not only that, but the small details were amazing. So not only did I feel as if I was in NYC, but I was in turn of the century NYC. Really impressive. The author peppered the text with side stories and information, from describing “the yellow brewery” as the upper crust society called the new and upstart Metropolitan Opera House, to the story of Dr. Holmes, the mass-murderer, and his unrepentant death. The author shows us Sing-Sing prison and little New Paltz. We also see the inner workings of the NYPD at the time and how it was trying to be reformed from a violent group of men who took pay from all the criminals into a working and solid force of crime solving and prevention.

Onto the plot:
The story is told in the first-person narrative by a New York Times journalist, John Moore. Moore is a good sort of man and knows his way around the city very well. He is friends with incredibly influential people, one of whom is the president of the Board of Commissioners of the NYPD, Theodore Roosevelt. Yes, the twenty-sixth president. Another friend of his is Dr. Lazlo Kreizler. Dr. Kreizler is one of the new and reviled psychiatrists, other wise known as Alienists (since people with mental disorders were thought to be alienated from society) and is the reason behind the title of the book.

The thick of the novel is a murder investigation. Someone is killing and mutilating young boys in the skin trade. But the really interesting part is that the investigation is done with amazing “new” technology such as finger printing, which was still not considered evidence for a courtroom, and handwriting analysis. And, of course, the entire investigation hinges on something that they didn’t even think to have a name for: Criminal Profiling. The entire story is engrossing as the killer is put together piece by piece, from a mysterious entity to a real live person with a history and motive. And all this before we ever get a glimpse of him.

But we don’t just learn of the killer’s life and tribulations, but also of the team of investigators: Moore and Kreizler, along with Sarah, one of the first women hired by the NYPD (as a secretary, but still one of the first) and of the Isaacson brothers, policemen who have trained in many new and untried fields. We also dabble in the lives of notable historical figures. I am sure I missed a few who made cameos as I read, but they all flow so seamlessly into and out of the story that you never think that the author is deliberately shoving them in there to give the story any heft or weight to it.

The only thing that I would complain about was that two pertinent facts of the killer were slow to jump to the investigators’ minds at two separate times. I was mentally screaming, “Wait, wait! Don’t you remember XXX? That’s why!” But for the story I could see why they conveniently forgot. It was a small annoyance compared to the rest of this very intricately weaved mystery.

All and all, this was an extremely well written tale and I can see why it’s one of those books everyone has or should read. I’m really glad I tried it out.(less)

21 likes · like · see review

Feb 29, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Interesting book. I read it some years ago during a "read anything you can get your hands on period". This was one of the good ones.

John Moore tells the story from a first person point of view. The book opens as he is having dinner with the well known Alienist or Psychiatrist, Laszlo Kreizler. The novel is told as a reminiscence of past events. In their talk (along with other dinner guests) the discussion settles on their pursuit of a serial killer.

All in all an (as I said before) interesting...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 22, 2010 Jasper Soloff rated it 5 of 5 stars

When first picking up this school assigned novel I must admit I had great feeling of apprehension. 512 pages of a school assigned novel wasn’t exactly how I wanted to spend my summer. Though two chapters in I was completely hooked and all worries of length completely vanished. It is still a mystery to me how a book so long can feel so manageable. This powerful novel about a murder investigation not only provides drama and anticipation but also the complicated characters and friendships I always...more

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Nov 04, 2011 Elizabeth Williams rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

...

...

The Alienist is a chilling novel that can truly draw in any reader who has a strong interest for gruesome crime scenes, intense scenarios, and a fast paced feel that lures in readers at each turn of the page. We are immediately placed into a story of the "alienated", those with strong mental illness who are then rejected and looked down upon in society because of their differences. After twisted killings of countless children, Moore and Dr. Lazlo Kriezler work hand in hand, devoting countless hours to discover and analyze the savage amusement of this killer. As each murder scene unfolds directly in front of the reader, we begin to play a large role in the story line itself, almost going through and piecing together facts of the crime scene alongside Moore and Kriezler.

...

As someone who is nearly addicted to shows like Criminal Minds and CSI, this book gave me an opportunity to enjoy unlawful acts in a whole new light. Although this book is far more graphic than originally expected, it strongly plays upon our desire to piece together different clues to come up with a solution to a specific problem. Even though, as a whole I thoroughly enjoyed this books contorted and unforeseen events, the very beginning of this 19th century novel was difficult to get into. It started off slow-paced and quite boring, but once we are brought into a detective like role, the book is most defiantly a good read and well worth the time it takes to get through the book. An element of this book that I found to be very helpful in understanding the entire work was that it provided detailed explanation and analysis as the killer of these young prostitute like boys is revealed to the reader. This book is not one where the detectives come to an out of the blue conclusion with little to no explanation of how they got there. I enjoyed the clear, concise and detailed walk through from the moment of the murder to the discovery of the murderer himself. Although this book is pretty gory and gruesome, these aspects is what made the book so difficult to put down.

...

Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I don't think its a book for all audiences. It defiantly has intense imagery that may be overwhelming to younger readers. If your a person that is into bone- chilling mysteries, and morbid plot twists then Caleb Carrs, The Alienist, is a book to consider adding to list of books to read.
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Mar 26, 2012 Colleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: whodunit, historical-fiction, group-read

I found out after I finished the book that Caleb Carr started off by writing historical non-fiction and that he even first pitched this book as non-fiction, afraid that his editor and publisher wouldn't accept a work of fiction from a non-fiction writer.

I mention this because I feel that his background in non-fiction shows through in the writing style - including the descriptions of the city and places in the city itself which I felt were more textbook than evocative. (Granted, judging by the re...more

10 likes · like · see review

Jul 05, 2011 Hayes rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, read-prior-to-2009

I first read this 16 years ago and can honestly say that I didn't remember anything about it, aside from the cameo role that Theodore Roosevelt plays. I didn't remember how violent it was, or how icky. It was pretty good, and nothing more. Far too many anachronisms for my taste. The whole investigative set up reminded me of this:

6 likes · like · see review

May 07, 2011 Zulfiya rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was one of those numerous reads when you like the book being fully aware of its weaknesses. I read this book in the aftermath of the discussion of Drood. I was advised to read the novel to see how good a historical mystery book could be by some readers who were not fully satisfied by Drood. Now having the reading experience of both those big novels under my belt I personally believe that Drood is a much better novel than The Alienist. It is all a matter of subjective interpretation, bu...more This book was one of those numerous reads when you like the book being fully aware of its weaknesses. I read this book in the aftermath of the discussion of Drood. I was advised to read the novel to see how good a historical mystery book could be by some readers who were not fully satisfied by Drood. Now having the reading experience of both those big novels under my belt I personally believe that Drood is a much better novel than The Alienist. It is all a matter of subjective interpretation, but Drood appeals to a more high-brow reading audience, whileThe Alienist is more of an 'omnivore', mainstream book. Anyway, the book by Carr is still an entertaining read, and I believe it actually deserves 3.5 stars.
The setting of the novel is New York, last years of the 19th century. That locality alongside the genre allows us to see the fascinating and gruesome subculture and 'sublayers' of New York, its numerous tenebrous criminal dens, grottoes and even whole blocks of life which are usually ignored and blotted out by the well-established middle class.
Being a historical novel set in the late nineteenth century any author would feel obliged to dilute his/her discourse with some words and phrases which are easily recognized for their linguistically obsolete nature. Carr does a wonderful job adding successfully to his narrative a delightful and appropriate mixture of archaic words and phrases as well as a healthy amount of professional terms and jargons. This careful linguistic research gives a certain professional credit to his characters. Most of his descriptions of criminal sites are gritty, graphic, and painfully realistic. I would say that accurate and apt wording is possibly one of the strongest sides in the novel.
The introduction/engagement into the detective plot line is exciting, but hardly plausible; and as any big historical mystery novel it starts slowly but gradually becomes more engrossing. As soon as the plot starts unfolding, the events happen at a steady speed but with recurring irritating historical explanations. The structural presentation of the novel could be best described using the following metaphor: the steadily-paced train of narration stops for a historical lecture at some railway stations. These lectures are historically exact, but occasionally and inevitably boring and pesky (Carr is after all a historian). The ending of the novel is too crowded, and the forces impeding and interfering with the investigation as well as their objectives are not clearly defined and are given somewhat vague roles. At the same time this novel is a wonderful insight into the world of psychiatry and medical criminology. The topic of dark, abusive and excruciating past is deftly intertwined into the book.
The most enigmatic and believable character is definitely Laszlo Kreisler who is not only a true savant, but also a compassionate figure due to his background. Moore, the narrator, is a Watsonesque figure, while Sarah Howard is too brusque, grotesque, and masculine in her aspirations for equality. On the other hand, some historical figures are just figures, and their names are more realistic than their characters. Sometimes I had an impression that their only function was a name-dropping to achieve the historical authenticity.
Overall, the novel is a pleasant book with an interesting excursus into the dark criminal past of New York and the psyche of the serial killer. (less)

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Apr 30, 2012 Tessa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was really torn on what to rate this book. A three or a four star? It is amazingly detailed and historically accurate. The auxiliary characters such a Roosevelt and Ny crime kingpin Kelley had much more depth than many other famous figures interjected in most historical fictions.
And having graduated with a degree in criminal justice, much of the work they cite is, to this day, a foundation for any serious study of criminology. However, some of the main characters were just not that... Endearin...more

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May 14, 2012 John Montagne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Carr is absolutely superb at capturing the era - to the point where it can easily be classed as historical fiction, and his pacing is perfect along with interesting characters... One of the aspects of the book that make it so wonderful is that it holds a subtle blur and fade technique amongst genres. It is considered a murder/mystery and there were times when I re-read a paragraph if I thought there was a clue, yet at other times I was hurriedly turning the pages as I do in a rousing adventure t...more

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Dec 10, 2008 Tara Lynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: booklist-for-2008, personal-favorites

I personally label this story as one of my top picks for best historical crime (fiction) novel ever. Caleb Carr has an eye for detail and character building that really envelops you in the story.

It's also an interesting study of the culture of New York at the turn of the century, and a great look at the beginnings of a new scientific approach to criminal justice.

I was horribly disappointed to find out that Carr had only done one more novel involving the characters from the Alienist, and I reco...more

6 likes · like · see review

Sep 01, 2011 Kristel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011, historical-fiction, crime-fiction, intellectual-thriller, favorites, borrowed

A couple of pages before finishing The Alienist, I declared that it is the most complete mystery I have ever read. Months after finishing this book, I still don't think that was hyperbole. Using the milieu of New York City in the middle of the Gilded Age, historian-turned-novelist Caleb Carr pits the emerging phenomenon of the serial killer against the pioneers of what would become criminal profiling in this fascinating example of a historical thriller.

At the center of the story is Dr. Laszlo Kr...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Laurel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is my second time reading The Alienist, and I'm struck by a few things. The first, is that while I had forgotten a few of the details I KNEW how the story would end. And yet, I found myself racing through the pages to see what would happen next! The second, despite the author's statement that the book is about Kreizler and the serial killer, it is told through the eyes of the secondary characters. This strengthens the story significantly in my mind as they are intelligent but relatable peop...more

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Oct 20, 2008 Lynn rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people interested in the history of pop psychology

This is a mystery novel set in 1896 New York. Although the protagonists are upper class, it explores the gritty underworld (organized crime, violent immigrant neighborhoods, cross-dressing boy whores) of New York in search of a serial killer of children. Some of the detailed descriptions of the city and the time period are pretty interesting and detailed enough that I think a fair amount of research was done.

An Alienist is what psychiatrists were often called at the time. One lead member of the...more

5 likes · like · see review

Jan 24, 2008 Kira Fisher rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ireadyou

i have been going through a historical mystery phase, and this book certainly fit that niche.
unfortunately, i also wanted a book that was well-written, and this did NOT fit the niche for that.
everyone seems to love it, so i am nervous ranting too much about it, but it just seemed so hokey. the characters are such an obvious, contrived band of lovable misfits. the dialog can be interesting, but it can also drag.
i read the follow-up, 'The Angel of Darkness,'and it was ll the bad of this one with e...more

8 likes · like · see review

Mar 31, 2008 Capitu rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008, mystery

After hearing so many great reviews, I was disappointed by this book. It gives the reader an overload on information on the architecture of New York in the late 1900’s, and on the theatrical scene of the time, which would be all right if as much care had been put on the characters themselves. The characters felt as if they were modern people transported back in time. As much as I appreciate the feminists undertones and struggles of Sara, the wanna-be-first-female-police-officer, respectable sing...more

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Oct 12, 2007 Jessica rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: someone with different tastes

Shelves: here-is-new-york

Bleagh.

I thought this book was gonna be soooooooo awesome, and I was just gonna love it sooooo much. Everyone loved this book, remember?? Plus it is about one of my favorite periods in American history, and parts of it take place in my beloved Bellevue Hospital (the old one that's a shelter now -- the best example ever of "transinsitutionalization")!

Alas, the harder they come, the harder they fall. Maybe I didn't stick it out long enough -- do I ever? -- but I just couldn't stand the writing sty...more

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Jun 18, 2007 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I took this book as my only reading for my summer abroad program in France.I loaned it to someone who bent the spine. I hate that. They bought me a new copy. I still have it. I loved this book. I've read it twice since then. It is gory and mysterious and makes me think of all the usual suspects: Sherlock Holmes, Murder in the Rue Morgue, Wilkie Collins...
I loved the characters and the setting of old New York City. I especially love the setting of the climax, the old reservoir where the NYPL now...more

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Mar 08, 2009 William rated it 5 of 5 stars

As a lover of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Childs' New York City murder mysteries (sewer creatures, mole people, monsters in the Museum of Natural History, etc.), Caleb Carr's book offers a perfect register for unsolved crime in late-19th century Manhattan, with a tenor and humor that makes every word worth reading. Including Teddy Roosevelt as Police Commissioner and, not unlike the TV show 'Life on Mars,' some interesting openings for females on the force.

And as a Brooklynite, I keep hoping we...more

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Jan 27, 2009 Andy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 20th-century-blues

Not bad serial killer novel that takes place around the turn of the 20th Century. It goes on 200 pages too long, but otherwise, it's a kool read. If you liked Carter Beats The Devil you'll probably like this.

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 02, 2013 Joann rated it 5 of 5 stars

The exciting news that Caleb Carr is, indeed, planning to complete this trilogy led me to embark on reading this for probably the sixth or seventh time. I bought a hard copy to circulate amongst my students and a Nook book for myself, because every time I loan my copy of this book to anyone, I never get it back!

1 like · like · see review

Mar 05, 2009 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2007, historical-fiction, fiction, serial-killer, favorites

fucking awesome. mmmmmm, serial killer.
it took place in 189X nyc, and chronicled one of the first investigations of a serial killer. yes, yes, it was fiction, but whatever. it was really interesting to realize that the stuff we see on csi and nypd blue and what not was not always common thinking and that a lot of forensics and criminology and psychology was considered “whacko”. quite frequently i caught myself thinking, duh, of course you’d do that, only to realize that the type of thinking the...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Dalton Lynne rated it 2 of 5 stars

If I had to sum up The Alienist with one word it would be this: plodding. The description of the book on Goodreads calls it 'fast-paced'. False advertising right there! Fast-paced it most certainly was not. LOL

The book was a bit of a disappointment in various ways.

One, I didn't feel much of an emotional connection with the main characters. I don't know why ... whether it was the author's writing style, the time period, or what. But I just wasn't drawn in to their world or their personalities. I...more

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Apr 20, 2010 Joyce Lagow rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

In 1896, Theodore Roosevelt is New York City Police commissioner, battling corruption in the police department. John Schuyler Moore, a Knickerbocker aristocrat, is a police reporter for the New York Times. Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, Hungarian born but American raised and educated, is an "alienist", as those physicians who made a study of mental illness in those days were called. One of Kreizler's specialties is the study of the criminal mind in an effort to determine what insanity really is. These thr...more In 1896, Theodore Roosevelt is New York City Police commissioner, battling corruption in the police department. John Schuyler Moore, a Knickerbocker aristocrat, is a police reporter for the New York Times. Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, Hungarian born but American raised and educated, is an "alienist", as those physicians who made a study of mental illness in those days were called. One of Kreizler's specialties is the study of the criminal mind in an effort to determine what insanity really is. These three are an unlikley set of friends, whose friendship began years ago at Harvard.[return][return]A series of murders of boy prostitutes has caught the attention of Kreizler, whose other specialty is disturbed children. He calls on his friend Moore for help in determining the identity of the killer; inevitably, of course, Roosevelt, in his professional capacity, becomes involved. "Official New York"--high society--the upper classes who determine what reality is for New York--refuses to acknowledge the thriving trade in boy prostitution while, of course, many indulge in the vice; societal attitudes of the time prevented even ardent reformers like Jacob Riis, one of many well-known personages of the times (Lincoln Stephens is another) who have minor roles in the story, from even believing that such trade even exists. This attitude makes an official investigation into the murders more difficult; instead, the murderer is portrayed as preying upon the children of the immigrant community, stirring up social unrest.[return][return]The investigation, therefore, has to be clandestine. As a result, into the orginal team of 3 are brought Sarah Howard, Roosevelt's secretary--the first woman employed by the NY Police Department and whose burning ambition is to become a detective--and the Isaacson brothers, detectives, the vanguard of the brand-new discipline of forensic science. Together, this team sets out to find the serial murderer.[return][return]The story is narrated by Moore. The style is educated upper-class Eastern Seaboard American of that era, and works beautifully. Because the principal investigators are members of that class, we also get a view of such institutions as the Metropolitan Opera of the time, and Delmonico's; there is a memorable description of one particular meal.[return][return]Carr does a superb job of developing the hunt for the killer through what would be termed 80+ years later by the FBI, "profiling". Through Lucius and Marcus Isaacson, we get a lively discussion--and therefore great view--of the then brand-new techniques of fingerprinting, anthropometrics, and retinal impression. We also get a good synopsis, thanks to Kreizler, of the intense intellectual argument that raged at that time over free will (William James) and behavioral determinism (championed by Kreizler). The latter theory was so repugnant with the nominally Christian upper class that Kreizler, although from that stratum of society, was nearly universally shunned.[return][return]The evocation of the seamiest areas of NW York--5 Points, the Tenderloin--and its bosses as well as police corruption that permitted the vice trades--is excellent, with the description of the roaring 'dives' that pandered to every taste in vice. The horrors of the life of the immigrant communities in the slums of Neew York is graphically portrayed.[return][return]The plot--the unfolding of the profile and then identification of the killer--is superbly done.[return][return]Excellent writing, fascinating characters, superb plotting, and the truly vivid evocation of the era make this a terrific read. Highly recommended.(less)

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Jan 27, 2009 Dubin rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that everybody read during a six month period a few years back. So I just got around to it, and man, what a disappointment. I enjoy historical fiction. I think books like From Hell and Billy Bathgate and the like are a lot of fun and make me smarter as well.

The Alienist has a perfectly passable mystery, but it's full of barely sketched characters and the writing is just so pedestrian that I was never drawn in. It's written in the first person, so I found myself wonder...more

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Jan 25, 2009 Bonnie Jeanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

The story is initially fascinating. Love how psychology is described as such a young and really quite threatening science! And the details of old NYC are also wonderful. I've been to NYC many times, so I am able to image the sites as they might have been just before the turn of the 20th century, when this story takes place.

My complaint is that the author takes too much effort to be "politically correct" when talking about the ethnic cleansing of Native Americans. He has the character make sure...more

3 likes · like · see review

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About Caleb Carr

Caleb Carr is an American novelist and military historian. The son of Lucien Carr, a former UPI editor and a key Beat generation figure, he was born in Manhattan and lived for much of his life on the Lower East Side. He attended Kenyon College and New York University, earning a B.A. in military and diplomatic history. He is a contributing editor of MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History an...more

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“The defenders of decent society and the disciples of degeneracy are often the same people.” — 13 people liked it

“Imagine, [Kriezler] said, that you enter a large, somewhat crumbling hall that echoes with the sounds of people mumbling and talking repetitively to themselves. All around you these people fall into prostrate positions, some of them weeping. Where are you? Sara’s answer was immediate: in an asylum. Perhaps, Kreizler answered, but you could also be in a church. In the one place the behavior would be considered mad; in the other, not only sane, but as respectable as any human activity can be.” — 7 people liked it

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The Alienist (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler #1)

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