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Any thoughts on The Alienist and The Angel of Darkess by Caleb Carr?

Any thoughts on The Alienist and The Angel of Darkess by Caleb Carr?

Cathie #review

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154 Answers

Susie

Loved them both, enjoyed the television series also.

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Dean

I liked both books. Wished he would have continued with those characters. I still have his latest book just have not read it yet.

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Juli

Really enjoyed them both! Great historical fiction!

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Mary

Loved them too!

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Bruce

Loved The Alienist, found the Angel of Dark ness derivative. Check out Surrender, New York.

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Maggie

I found surrender at a library used book sale shortly after it came out. I couldn’t believe my luck. $2 for a $30 hardcover!!! Score!!!

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Shona

Love lived loved loved Alienist

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Ann

I loved The Alienist. I have not read the other one.

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Nichole

So good! Loved them ❤️

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Carlos

I loved The Alienist. Haven’t read the Angel of Darkness

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Andrea

Loved it when I first read it years ago. Tried to reread in anticipation of the tv series, it just did not hold my interest this time around. Tried the tv show also, obviously a quality presentation but I was bored with it and quit it.

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Sara

Loved them!

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Caren

I really liked The Alienist. I wasn’t as impressed with the other. I need to go back and read them again. It’s been a long time.

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Tracy

Loved them!

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Jen

I enjoyed his books.

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Stephanie

I love these books!

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Maurice

I read them some years ago and really enjoyed them.

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Sue

Loved them both.

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Laura

Loved The Alienist

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Betty

Love…have read twice!

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Kelly

Loved them! I have Surrender but it’s deep in the tbr pile

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CathieQuestion author

I need to check that one.

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Mary

I liked Alienist but not the sequel.

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CathieQuestion author

I also didn’t think it was as compelling, but still enjoyed.

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Beth

I slogged through both. Meh.

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Tammy

Read The Alienist, really enjoyed it. Loved the tv series too. Haven’t read Angel of Darkness…needs to go on the list!

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Mandy

Loved The Alienist, have even read it a couple of times. Wanted to revisit it before the TV a series had started. Angels of Darkness was ok, I enjoyed the Alienist more.

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Linda

I loved The Alienist and am looking forward to the next book.

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Vickie

Following …. I just bought The Alienist.

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Chavala

I LOVED the Alienist

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Eliza

Enjoyed the alienist when it first came out. Haven’t read the second one

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Elyse

I really liked them both.

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Cindy

Watched the show. Waiting for a second season fingers crossed. I have the books on my list.

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Karen

Alienist still favorite mystery; read it twice. Also enjoyed Angel of Darkness.

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Michelle

The Alienist book was very good. Just started watching the show 🙂

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Vicki

Loved The Alienist, but had more trouble with Angel of Darkness. Surrender New York is in the waiting pile.

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Bruce

That was exactly my reaction to those 2. Liked Surrender New York. There are similarities to The Alienist as it is about abused and murdered children and venal, self serving politicians and police. Kreizler is referenced throughout the book. Good read (or listen for me).

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Karen

Read both after seeing the Show. Loved both of them. Thought it was interesting that the narrator changed in …Angel.

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Barbara

LOVED the Alienist, Angel of Darkness was okay. The rest of his books not so much. 🙁

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Kimberly

The Alienist was good

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Karol

Loved the alienist I haven’t read the 2nd book yet.

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Sharon

Read both books, loved them both. The Alienist television series on TNT was wonderful! It totally captured that murky, fascinating world!

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Debra

LOVED The Alienist. Then I got The Angel of Darkness and just couldn’t get into it. I will try again; it was probably just that I started it at the wrong time.

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Vicki

Agree on the TNT show. Excellent acting.

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Margaret

Enjoyed both and have been hoping for more from him in that series

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Stephanie

Absolutely loved the Alienist. Haven’t read the Angel of Darkness yet.

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Dianna

My favorite books of all time! The ones I always recommend to people.

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Ellen

I didn’t know there was a show! Will check it out!

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Diane

I loved the Alienist, couldn’t put it down. There was a short lived series on TV a while ago.

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Mary-Ellen

I liked the Alienist

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Bobbi

The Alienist was possibly the most depressing book I have ever read. Graphic murders of children….

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Maggie

The Alienist was ok. The mystery writing is good, but the TV series is far too gory.

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Faith

My favorite ? book

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Sandra

Wonderful books…much better than the tv series, as usual. Worth your time if you like historical mystery..it gets pretty graphic though

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Jennifer

Liked the Alienist.

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Melissa

I live those books. They touch upon a budding science, provide a review into the an interesting time period and have very well developed characters.

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LuAnn

Loved The Alienist.

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Stacey

Agree he is good read

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Chris

Read both years ago and reread the Alienist when the TNT series came out. Both good reads!

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Pat

The Alienist was a real page turner! ?

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Heather

Loved the Alienist! Haven’t read the other yet

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Megan

Loved The Alienist, liked Angel of Darkness. Lazlo is one of my favorite flawed heros.

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Marie

I mentioned earlier that one of my definitions of a great book is one that I have to read, even though I don’t want to. In other words, the writing is so good, I have to read it. Even though The Alienist was more gruesome than I would like, by far, it was so atmospheric that I could not resist. Did you know that Caleb Carr is the son of Lucian Carr, one of the infamous Beat poets?

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Laura

Love both books!! The Alienist is my favorite book, never get tired of reading it!

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Julie

Great reads

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Dianna

I picked up a book at my local library’s book sale recently and it turns out to be basically a third book in The Alienist series. I didn’t know it even existed! Sorry if it’s been mentioned already. Here’s pics of the cover and description.

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Dianna
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Dianna
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Dianna
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Nicole

@Dianna , thanks I’ll have to get this. Loved the other two.

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Andrew

My only complaint about the third book is that it’s not historical.

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Judith

Read the Alienist years ago, liked it though it was a bit bloody for my liking. Still a very good story.

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Ricki

Loved them both!

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Mary

I did not realize the Alienist was a series. I read it years ago & now there is a TV series that follows the book pretty much. I need to re-read it. Another one to add to my TBR list.

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Judith

There are two books so far and a third due to be published this September.

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Kristen

The series was very well done…but disturbing like the book.

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Barbara

Liked them and liked the series on TV, but they are quite gritty.

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Leslie

Loved them, especially the history of that part of NY. Very dark, though.

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Bea

Compelling

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Kristen

Great books.

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Carolyn

I enjoyed The Alienist. Angel of Darkness still waits on the shelf.?

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Crystal

Same

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Amber

I haven’t read Angel of Darkness, but the Alienist is so loved in my house we had to buy another copy

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Angela

Loved The Alienist. DNF’d Angel of Darkness. May try it again later but wasn’t for me.

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Vicki

Agree. Plus, missed NYC. Missed the city as character.

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Angela

@Vicki maybe that was it. I know I got two or three chapters in and gave up.

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Karen

Both good

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Becky

Loved The Alienist but didn’t love Angel of Darkness so much.

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Cathy

Yes. Good. Read them.

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Tracy

The Alienist is a must read.

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Lynne

Loved The Alienist. I felt like I was in that time period, in New York. Enjoyed the historical parts. Pretty gruesome descriptions at times but all in all interesting, suspensful and well written.

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Sherri

I enjoyed the Alienist. Haven’t read further

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Jackie

Good books.

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Emma

Loved The Alienist.

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Kathleen

I loved this series, Couldn’t put it down.

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Angela

I love both of these books – for the atmospheric and the history

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Grace

Loved the Alienist, book and series.

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Chrissy

Loved the Alienist and the early forensics to find a killer.

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Barbara

Loved the Alienist. Haven’t read the others, but apparently they should be on my list!

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Molly

Both are good.

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Lynn

????

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Erin

Loved!

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Vicki

Started Surrender, New York today.

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Karen

My review of The Alienist:
Carr writes a wonderful story of a serial killer in the late 1800’s and the group of people that band together to stop him. The book introducees the infancy of psychological forensics, with the addition of physical forensics (crime scene and morgue), and fingerprinting. I was kept enthralled through the whole book.

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Valerie

Loved The Alienist so much. Was disappointed by Angel of Darkness.

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Vicki

Me too.

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Marcy

Loved the Alienist! Have not read the other one.

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Cecilia

Loved the Alienist. Working on ‘Angel’ now. I have even googled real places and people fron the books just to get a better feel for NYC during that time. I think I have a ‘problem. Lol

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Angela

I do so wish he would write another historical. I guess he tried a scifi but I could not get into it

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Laurie

Very good.

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Angela

Speaking replacing the ugh 50 shades, how about The Historian or The

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Chris

The Historian was wonderful! Great choice.

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Angela

The Swan Thieves

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Allison

Loved the first one!

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Angela

Can’t say I like Swan more, as much however, picked me up and spun me around – more cerebral

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Karen

True crime fans and those old enough to remember the news stories will recognize the perpetrators in the 2nd book Angel of Darkness.

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Angela

Wow, share plaease – I am out here in the wild lands of Arizona

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Karen

The Diane Downs case is clearly referenced. Read Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule if you don’t know her, or see the excellent TV movie from 1989.

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Barbara

Loved the Alienist

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Diane

I loved the Alienist – ignored my family until I finished it

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Angela

I read it in the bathroom at work – lucky I didn’t get fired – excessive potty breaks

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Diane

My Mom worked for AT & T and she used to sit on a toilet and nap for 15 minutes. lol

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Dawn

Some favorites!!!

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Maria

Excellent!!! Loved the history of New York throughout the books!

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Angela

Me too, Italian by descent, never spent more than five minutes in New York but my grandparents lived in those tenemants

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Allyson

Disturbing but wonderful

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Sandra

The Alienist was a terrific disturbing read that splendidly captured old New York. I cannot remember the sequel.

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Erin

Angel of Darkness

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Sandra

@Erin sorry Erin what I meant is that i do not remember anything about Angel of Darkness. I am sure I tried to read it because I really liked The Alienist.

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Erin

Oh I see. I don’t remember it as well but remember it took place upstate New York and I believe they were trying to find the same killer.

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Sandra

@Erin may take a look I am from upstate ny

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Heather

I love these books; I have re-read them. I always hoped he would continue the series.

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Terri

The Alienist was good

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Gerry

I liked them very much, especially the views of the roles of women in that time.

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Jane

Read both. Excellent books but somewhat disturbing.

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Laurice

Loved both

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Vivienne

Loved The Alienist, not so much The Angel of Darkness. Have to reread them one day.

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Christina

Fascinating stories with historical detail and a good look at the dawning of forensic science.

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Laura

As a native New Yorker, I loved the history of The Alienist. Very macabre.

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Carol

Loved the Alienist the best

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Patrice

Loved The Alienist.

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Diane

Loved both, the premise, characters.

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Diane

Watched the TV series too

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Jillian

Excellent! Loved the Alienist a bit more than Angel. But still very good. Reading about a female serial killer at that time was very interesting.

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Sandra

shoulda said spoiler alert!

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Angela

Read them both. Both good.

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Murray

Haven’t read them did I like like his Sherlock Holmes novel The Italian Secretary.

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Heidi

Loved The Alienist. Caleb Carr has an interesting history himself.

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Laura

I liked the 2nd one best. Read the Alienist afterwards. Didnt really get into the tv series.

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Angela

Didn’t like the TV series either – it looked like the prime plot was a tour of dark rooms

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Prudence

I liked them both, but The Angel of Darkness a little more than The Alienist. I didn’t like the TV series at all.

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Cynthia

Liked both of them, wanted more from the author

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Deborah

I loved them both. will not do the TV series only because I have my own thoughts as to the books. Sometimes the shows are just not that good.

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Wendy

Love these books!

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