This modern classic is a near perfect specimen of a rare literary breed '“ a historical mystery told so well it could be mistaken for fact. With a history book’s exactitude, _The Alienist_ features the unpolished, early years of two of the greatest and most contradictory characters in American History: Teddy Roosevelt and New York City. Police commissioner Teddy, together with an Alienist '“ an early word for psychiatrist '“ attempt to hunt down a serial killer targeting 'œboy' prostitutes. The hunt is a Holmesian fusion of face-paced thriller and intellectual criminal investigation, which takes place in the raw and gruesome underbelly of New York in 1896. Enjoy.