A serial killer is the object of a serious psychological study in the novel The Alienist by Caleb Carr. The alienist in the nineteenth century was an expert in mental pathology. In this story, set in ... the idea becomes an important factor in discovering the killer. The novel is historical in its setting, and is remarkably well constructed and written. Mr. Carr has rendered us a service in helping us to understand that the perversity of our generation is not new. Furthermore, the novel strongly suggests that ...
