Jeanne G. (IlliniAlum83) - , reviewed on 1/22/2010 + 181 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

Enjoyable though Looooong (over 700 pages) story of historical crime fighting in late 1800's NYC. Team led by a psychologist (alienist) works to solve a kidnapping that soon leads them to the discovery that a serial killer of children is on the loose. An interesting look at how psychology was viewed by law enforcement, the courts, etc in the early days of the science. Introduces "forensics" as a way to help solve crime, though the courts did not consider it to prove "beyond reasonable doubt".
Though it bogged down in the middle, the last 3rd of the story had me reading faster to see if justice would be served.

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