The Angel of Darkness

By: Caleb Carr

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 25 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's Summary

In The Angel Of Darkness, Caleb Carr brings back the vivid world of his bestselling The Alienist but with a twist: this story is told by the former street urchin Stevie Taggert, whose rough life has given him wisdom beyond his years. Thus New York City, and the groundbreaking alienist Dr. Kreizler himself, are seen anew.

It is June 1897. A year has passed since Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a pioneer in forensic psychiatry, tracked down the brutal serial killer John Beecham with the help of a team of trusted companions and a revolutionary application of the principles of his discipline. Kreizler and his friends - high-living crime reporter Schuyler Moore; indomitable, derringer-toting Sara Howard; the brilliant (and bickering) detective brothers Marcus and Lucius Isaacson; powerful and compassionate Cyrus Montrose; and Stevie Taggert, the boy Kreizler saved from a life of street crime - have returned to their former pursuits and tried to forget the horror of the Beecham case.

But when the distraught wife of a Spanish diplomat begs Sara's aid, the team reunites to help her find her kidnapped infant daughter. It is a case fraught with danger, since Spain and the United States are on the verge of war. Their investigation leads the team to a shocking suspect: a woman who appears to the world to be a heroic nurse and a loving mother, but who may in reality be a ruthless murderer of children.

Fast-paced and chilling, The Angel Of Darkness is another tour de force from Caleb Carr, a novel of modern evil in old New York.

©1997 Caleb Carr (P)2012 Simon & Schuster Audio

Very Entertaining Read

Have you listened to any of George Guidall’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Been listening to his performances for years. He's like the gold standard of book readers, one of the very best. If I'm considering buying a book, the fact that Guidall is the reader can seal the deal for me.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Pretty much. It was hard to put down.

Any additional comments?

Really liked both of the "Alienist" books. Bought this second one immediately after reading the first. I think this one was even better. The characters were more developed and it was more character - driven, less gruesome. I so hope that Caleb Carr continues this as a series. It's a fascinating time period and I love the cast of characters. It's a pity that the first book never made it to the big screen.

14 of 14 people found this review helpful

Good follow up to the Alienist

Very well done historical mystery, not as good as the Alienist, so start there but if you want more after reading Alienist look no further.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

This is 1 reason I'm a fan of historical fiction.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book, and it's predecessor, to anyone who enjoys well written, thought provoking historical fiction. Although obviously not alive during the time in which this novel is set I felt when listening to this book that I was there, smelling the rain on the cobblestones and the smoke wafting over from the window where Stevie Taggert sat smoking yet another cigarette. The narration and writing were of a quality that at times inspired me to imagine I could hear the background noises in the streets as the characters progressed from one scene to the next. The dialogue and story were both so well done I couldn't read quickly enough and felt almost as though it was me sneaking into a cellar or hiding from an unruly mob. If you haven't yet listend to this novel I recommend you do so now, you won't regret it

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot was well written and cohesive. The characters were all very unique and the narrator did an exceptional job giving each one a well defined personality and manner of speech. The narration was key to keeping the level of suspense consistent and relateable; this in combination with the Author's story telling ability makes this a book I will likely read and/or listen to again just for the enjoyment of it.

Which scene was your favorite?

Any of the scenes involving the brothers Isaacson made me smile. Their sibling rivalry coupled with the fact that they could set it aside to get the work done added to the realism of the novel for me. I have an older sister with whom I do not always agree but when the going gets tough that's all put aside, just as it was for Marcus and Lucius Isaacson. Very 'human' characters. P.S. Heath, Mum still loves me more :)

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

It wasn't so much a single moment which moved me the most while listening to this novel; Dr. Kreizler's coming to terms with the suicide of the young boy in his care at the institute during the opening chapters of this book developed into an ongoing issue throughout the story and somehow became as big a part of the plot as the abduction of little Anna. It was impossible for me to listen to this book and not be affected by the pain and inner struggles the doctor goes through despite his attempts to keep it hidden from the other characters

Any additional comments?

I had read The Alienist many years ago and enjoyed the story very much despite believing it was a stand-alone novel; I was exceptionally pleased to find the characters making a second appearance in The Angel of Darkness and hope there will be another in this series sooner than later.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Wow....for a second time.

Any additional comments?

I read this book in high school. I was so moved at the time, that the plot and villan inspired my senior paper. When I saw it on Audible 14 years later, I decided to see if I still felt the same way. Wow. Yes, I couldn't "put it down"...again. Between the depth of each character, the action, and the juxtaposition of all the situations, it is one you seriously can't pass up.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

You'll listen to this audiobook at work.

What did you love best about The Angel of Darkness?

Everything

What does George Guidall bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I've never experienced an author articulate the humor of a story like George Guidall. The man is simply spectacular.

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Birth Forensics+Super Court Scene Clarence Darrow

While many fabulous, intellectually satisfying books in this genre were written prior to the "if it doesn't fit, you must acquit" TV trial debacle which first exposed the use of DNA evidence or lack thereof as an emerging critical factor necessary to prove or disprove a vicious murder to our collective minds, this book is especially interesting as it takes place on the cusp of the efforts to allow science into the courtroom. We see the same beloved, quirky and flawed group from the previous book, The Alienist, attempt to use "new science gimmicks" such as fingerprint evidence, create tests and procedures to provide clear scientific proof that bullets were fired from the same gun and ponder blood evidence even before science could identify blood types and if blood was from a human. Then for the Coup de Gras of courtroom scenes that make Grisham seem a piker...enters the young Clarence Darrow many years prior to his Scopes trial fame. Wow. You just have to read this as I doubt you'd suspect/guess how it unfolds and just how amazingly unique Darrow's persona and approach was in a courtroom. I think many readers will fully enter and experience a great turn of the last century period piece; a slice of life in New York, where investigators sparred with corrupt police, good police, real life characters such as Teddy Roosevelt when he was the Secretary of War, mob bosses, a very intense, truly evil manipulating villainess...just a really great varied cast of characters. There is a lot of talk about the political situation with Spain I didn't care about so I ignored it. Please note that I did not read The Alienist before this book. This book has a lot of discussion (spoilers) about how the events from the earlier book impacted characters and events in this book so while you do not need to read the first book you may want to do so, but I'm not sure. For instance, even though I first read later books by Jo Nesbo, I went back to the beginning primarily to learn more about Harry.

11 of 13 people found this review helpful

The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr

I love this book, my second favorite book of all time. Second only to my favorite book, The Alienist, which happens to also be written by Caleb Carr. Definitely worth reading, but you must first read The Alienist, which is something like a prequel to The Angel of Darkness. Both contain an intriguing story line about mysterious crimes solved by a collection of characters that come together to solve them, each told by a different character's perspective. The narrator makes each character come to life in both novels.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Excellent

Very good. Carr continues to deliver. Like all his books, listener must pay attention to details to fully enjoy. Cannot wait for next (?) installment.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Excellent series that I want more of...

What's going on here is very interesting. It seems Caleb Carr is writing each book in this series from a different one of the character's perspective. The first book was from the perspective of journalist John Schuyler Moore and the second from point of view of young Stevie, one of the many street kids that Dr. Laslo Kreizler has saved through is institute. There are strong hints in this, the second book of the series that the next book will be written in the words of Sarah Howard.

These books fit all the criteria that I look for - long, entertaining, great reader, and solid historical fiction. Both books feature Teddy Roosevelt as a character and lots of character development and detailed historical setting. I really like these books. If you like mysteries, court room dramas, investigation adventure books, and historical fiction these books are for you.

7 of 9 people found this review helpful

An enjoyable book

I listened to the abridged version of this book and enjoyed it so much that I decided to get the unabridged. It's a good story and is the type of book that I tend to look for. It's set in 1897, and is a refreshing step back in time when detecting was difficult and proving a crime even more so.
Read the book description to get an idea of the story. There are so many characters, that it's difficult for me to pick a favorite one. They're all important to the story.
Caleb Carr's characters are well developed and that is a big reason why I like this book. A flaw in my character maybe, but I have to like the main characters otherwise I find it difficult to spend time with them as the story is told. The main characters have idiosyncracies and flaws, but likable all the same.
The story is, at times, a bit plodding, as Carr takes you through the process of developing proof and collecting evidence which was difficult at best during that time. You eventually find that Carr's development of the story builds up to interesting events in the book, so stick with it if it gets a bit ponderous at times.
George Guidall is an excellent narrator, and I've listened to many books he's narrated. I listened to the abridged version of this book first, narrated by Boyd Gaines, and found that I preferred Gaines' version. Gaines did the accents and tones of the characters which made their personalities stand out a bit more. He is hard to top for this book.
If Carr ever writes another book like this one or The Alienist, I'd get it without hesitation. Highly recommend.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

A hidden gem?

I selected this based on the narrator (becoming a George Guidall fan).
Loved it.
I listen to the first book Alienist and liked it so it was not difficult to give this ago. As a woman the author seems to understand the paradox women can find themselves in and for me encapsulated some of the views of society re women well. That aside it's a great story with twists and turns that kept me gripped.

Try it!

Proper immersive, one for the archives.

What made the experience of listening to The Angel of Darkness the most enjoyable?

Cool story, great mix of characters, it is hard to pick a favourite. Well narrated by George Guidall, I really enjoyed it, I cannot knock any part of it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Angel of Darkness?

Between, when Stevie lost Kat, very sad :-( and when Roosevelt does Dingdong, like a boss :-)

Have you listened to any of George Guidall’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No but I would after listening to this one.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I thought it was quite immersive throughout.

Any additional comments?

I recommend.

A delve into the dark side of the mind

If you could sum up The Angel of Darkness in three words, what would they be?

Gripping, dark, immersive,deep

What other book might you compare The Angel of Darkness to, and why?

London - Rutherford. Like London, Angel of Darkness sublimely immerses you in its chosen city.Dune - Herbert. Like Herbert does in Dune, Carr manages to make you think about the motivations of individuals and groups.

What does George Guidall bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Narration in line with the era the book is set. Great characterisation and an easy listening style.

Any additional comments?

A great book - only with Caleb Carr's other book was available as an unabridged title.