Caleb Carr – The Alienist - Review

In 19th century America, before the widespread, and some regard, dramatic entrance of Sigmund Freud's Psychoanalysis, those individuals who studied mental illness were often referred to as “Alienists.” Those suffering from ailments of the mind were said to be “alienated” from mainstream society. The advent of William James' voluminous work, “The Principles of Psychology,” was often used as a reference for these American Alienists, including other notable European investigators of the troubled mind. Caleb Carr has written this interesting “thriller” using the above said, as his central theme.

Doctor Lazlo Kreizler is the main protagonist, an eminent alienist, whose notions on the root causes of those afflicted with mental disease are at best, controversial during this early time period.

Our narrator, (John Moore) is a crime reporter for the New York Times. As an old friend of doctor Kreizler, both having graduated in the same class at Harvard University, he aids the Kreizler on an investigation into the grizzly murders of boy prostitutes that are plaguing the city. Enter Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, however, during this in the narrative, is the incumbent Chief of Police of the city; relentlessly engaged in ridding corruption that is rampant throughout the Force. Doctor Kreizler, John Moore and Chief Roosevelt, are old University friends...investing into the new science of killer profiling, pushing forward in a grand effort to apprehend this brutal serial killer of young boy prostitutes.

For this reader, the first 450 pages of this novel moved along nicely, though, the last 150 pages dragged, desiring the writer to wrap it up and get to the point! The work could well have been 200 pages less than its 600+ bulk. The novel is over-written, with too many added scenes that really, wasn't required for the overall tale.

That said, I loved this novel, as the characters are fascinating and real; the story, too, a satisfactory presentation of the birth of criminal profiling into police investigations, and lastly, the novel's charm...