The Alienist

By: Caleb Carr

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 20 hrs

Publisher's summary

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.

©1994 Caleb Carr (P)2012 Simon & Schuster Audio

awesome book!

I highly recommend this book. I watched the miniseries and I enjoyed the book much more, it was of course, more in depth.

couldn't put it down

I couldn't put the audio book down, my house got suuuuuuper clean. I also purchased the first season of the TNT show based off this book, so I am excited to watch that and see how it holds up.

First class novel

Among the best suspense mysteries you will ever read or listen to. Put in high on you reading list.

Killer on the loose in 1896 New York City

It took a while for me to get involved with the story but when I did it really took off and was worth sticking with it. Teddy Roosevelt enlists an Alienist to put together an unconventional team of investigators to solve a seemingly unsolvable series of horrible murders. Employing new techniques and approaches, the team puts together a profile of the killer and the hunt is on. From the glamorous side of NYC to the underbelly of the great city the team trudges through stories of past horrors contributing to todays gruesomeness.
George Guidall provides the listener with his standard excellent work. Providing an outstanding listen that is fast paced and quite enjoyable

Fantastic!

A wonderful blend of crime drama thriller with a cool analytical psychology-centered side. The story emphasizes the skeptical reaction of the public to criminal profiling based on psychological speculation and is thorough in the process while never growing dull.

Gripping

One the best audio books to which I’ve listened . Compelling characters, great story, fast moving.

As a mystery that paints a historical picture...

The alienist is exceptional, even for those who are not familiar with turn-of-the-century New York but as a mystery, Detective Novel, Who done it, thriller, whatever, merely so so. Again the canvas on which Carr paints his story is terrific - The characters are well drawn and the background luminous. But there’s nothing edge of the seat about the story and worse, the morality of the ending – almost lecturing - was a disappointment. Entertaining enough, but so is a rerun Of the Godfather III. Nothing fresh. Nothing new

Loved every second of this tale!

Simply my favorite narrator and story to date. Characters were very engaging as was the performance. By thunder it was amazing!

Amazing book, needs younger narrator

Let me explain. Although great, the narrators Voice needs to match ages of main characters, to at least some degree. Nonetheless the book is amazing and the narrator has a voice for audible books.

Enjoyable but wordy

This was a great book that really made you feel like you were in the late 1800's New York. Enjoyed the characters and the plot which for the most part moved fast enough. However, that being said I could find my mind wondering when the setting was being described. Overall I recommend this book and love George Guidall.