The Angel of Darkness (Paperback)

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Amazon.co.uk Review
Portraying New York City circa 1897 as a time bomb of political corruption and violence, Caleb Carr returns to familiar territory in The Angel of Darkness, the sequel to his international bestseller, The Alienist. Also a stand-alone novel, The Angel of Darkness brings together the same cast of characters from The Alienist but the relating of their recent psychological investigation has shifted from John Moore to 13-year-old Stevie Taggert. Abandoned by his drug addict mother, raised on the streets and in love with a teenage prostitute, Stevie's narration brings to the novel a tender combination of streetwise nonchalance and a tentative optimism that has been fostered by Dr Laszlo Kriezler's care. But even Stevie isn't prepared for the case of Libby Hatch--a dangerous caretaker who leaves in her wake a trail of dead children and who has kidnapped the child of a Spanish diplomat. Racing against the clock of Libby's psychosis and a legal system that has blinkered itself to such atrocities, the group struggle to find the key that will reveal Libby's murderous nature. A fascinating exploration of the very modern theme of motherhood and its role in society, The Angel of Darkness is a taut, page-turning thriller set against a gloomy Dickensian backdrop of crime and depravation. --Shannon Bingham

Review
At the outset of this big sprawling book, the narrator, Stevie Taggert, claims not to have the 'quick tongue or slick wit' necessary for storytelling. Like much else in Carr's murky tale, this statement cannot be taken on trust. Taggert relates a chilling account of how his mentor, the renowned psychiatrist Dr Laszlo Kreizler (who first appeared in The Alienist), follows the trail of a serial child murderer through the steaming streets of New York during the summer of 1897 as the country simmers on the brink of war with Spain. (Kirkus UK)

An absorbing if overlong sequel to Carr's popular 1994 thriller, The Alienist. As in that novel, the figures of "alienist" (i.e., psychologist) Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, investigative journalist John Schuyler Moore, and Kreizler's assistant Stevie "Stevepipe" Taggert (who tells the story) figure prominently in the investigation of a peculiarly dastardly crime. The year is 1897, and Cart's plot is initiated by the kidnapping of a Spanish diplomat's baby - then thickens, quite pleasurably, as suspicion falls on Elspeth Hunter, a malevolent nurse who is actually Libby Hatch, a malevolent gang moll and the suspected murderess of her own children. The pursuit, capture, and attempted conviction of Libby involve such notable historical figures as painter Albert Pinkham Ryder, women's-rights crusader Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Libby's defense attorney Clarence Darrow (who dominates a fascinating extended courtroom scene), and (back also from The Alienist) New York City Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt, who commandeers the US Navy to aid in the story's climactic pursuit. Carr overloads his tale with digressive comments on ever-worsening political relations between the US and Cuba (though one can argue such passages' relevance to the novel's initial mystery), and disastrously slows down the otherwise absorbing courtroom scenes by including needless detailed summaries of cases of child murder offered as precedents. But these are minor blemishes. Carr has learned to plot since The Alienist, and this novel usually moves at a satisfyingly rapid pace. The ambiance is convincingly thick and period-flavorful, the murderous details satisfyingly gruesome, and even the somewhat shaky central ethical question - whether "a woman's murdering her own kids . . . could actually be looked at as her trying to gain control over her life and her world" - is quite convincingly presented. As for the nefarious Libby - presented, with perfect appropriateness, only as others see and hear her - she rivals Lydia Gwilt of Wilkie Collins's Armadale as the pluperfect villainess, and the centerpiece of an enormously entertaining and satisfying reading experience. (Kirkus Reviews)

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15 Reviews 5 star:  (6) 4 star:  (5) 3 star:  (2) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review 3.9 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   16 of 16 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars ***A Crime Committed...In More Ways Than One***, 18 Jul 2003 By  S. J. Smith - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)       This review is from: The Angel of Darkness (Paperback) Caleb Carr's sequel to the fantastic 'Alienist' is cut from the same cloth as, say...The Godfather part-2...in that it's in many ways superior to it's predecessor. Angel of Darkness stands alone in terms of story, it's not a continuation, but the characters created so richly in the first book are written with much more evolution here. Forensic science may not appeal to a great demographic, it's not a big turn on for me generally, but when it's set in a time and environment that looked upon on it as almost devilish...it tends to become a whole lot more compelling. So, the good Dr. Kreizler returns when his considerable pyschological skills are once more required to hunt down a serial killer who seems to have a destructive notion of motherhood. Kreizler's team is re-assembled, sporting fabulous characters that pull you effortlessly into late 19th century New York. The hunt is on. The team works incognito from their usual crime related professions and has to avoid detection by the local police force who are already involved in the case, this only makes their task harder. Moore...the cynical edged journalist and Kreizler's oldest friend. The Isaac brothers...almost comic relief if not for their amazing knowledge of forensic science and revolutionary approach to crime fighting. And, Teddy Roosevelt, who constantly acts as a public shield for Kreizler's oft critisised methods. Roosevelts inclusion initially feels awkward to the reader but quickly lends the writing an amazing level of believability. And how to prosecute a killer discovered, caught and brought to justice utilising experimental science widely seen as inadmissable to a court of law? How the world has changed. Now you can't prosecute a criminal without it. Carr's depth of writing, both location and character, is woven so beautifully it's almost a despair to close the book as your eyelids cry out for sleep. A true Dickens of the modern age with a natural flair for crafting a time we'll never revisit. Rich beyond compare. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   3 of 3 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but ultimately flawed, 19 Aug 2001 By  Big D - See all my reviews Let me say straight away that this is an excellent read. However, it does have its flaws. Personally, I found the use of "what" (you'll see what I mean if you read it) intensely irritating. And unfortunately it does use some of the same plot devices as The Alienist. Readers may well have a sense of deja vu about the whole thing. However, Mr Carr shows a fine sense of plot, narrative and characterisation sadly missing from so many of his contemporaries. Solidly recommended for those going on holiday and with regular commuting journeys - though the latter may end up missing their stop, or wishing they had! Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly engaging., 27 April 2004 By A Customer This review is from: The Angel of Darkness (Mass Market Paperback) Picked this up from a charity store, quite by chance, and found the storythoroughly entertaining. A carefully crafted plot and fantastic attentionto period detail, left me only wanting to find out more about Caleb Carr,and read the other books he's written. Certainly an author I'll be lookingout for in the future. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 15 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews 3.0 out of 5 stars Not up to The Alienist I agree that Stevie being the narrator with the constant use of "what" rather than "that" and the use of "off of" did grate somewhat especially as he was educated by the Doctor... Read more Published 3 months ago by Mr. R. Thornton 2.0 out of 5 stars The Angel of Darkness Interesting characters but this book is far too long. The author could easily have told the story in half the time. Read more Published on 23 Feb 2007 by Rich 5.0 out of 5 stars One to read A superb book by a wonderful writer. The follow up to the Alienist. It is another case for the psychiatrist hero that absorbs the reader in the world of New York in 1897. Read more Published on 10 Feb 2006 by Ja Nicolson 5.0 out of 5 stars A Book You Don't Want to End This is terrific read. A novel of old New York peopled with characters we come to love during the course of their investigation into the kidnapping of a womans child. Read more Published on 13 Jan 2003 3.0 out of 5 stars A great story let down by the narrative style. I thought that this was much better than "The Alienist", which I found both plodding and silly. Read more Published on 6 April 2001 by Mrs. K. A. Wheatley 4.0 out of 5 stars A truely troubling thriller! After the Alienist it would be hard for any author to produce a work of equal magnificence, and yet Carr succeeds. Read more Published on 20 Feb 2001 by ryandiamond 4.0 out of 5 stars The new master of crime writing I read the Alienist which was one of the best books I have ever read. This is a great read. The plot is not as well developed as the Alienist but I loved reading the book as it... Read more Published on 20 April 2000 by Ms. Lesa Smith 5.0 out of 5 stars I think this is a great book for anyone who is into thrillers This is a book for a long, windy night spent by the fire on your own. I really enjoyed it. & so we fellow thriller readers!!!!!!! Published on 20 Jan 2000 4.0 out of 5 stars A enjoyable sequel.. Although not as good as the Alienist (which I heartily recommend). Angel of Darkness is very well written thriller. Read more Published on 13 Jan 2000 5.0 out of 5 stars Powerfully descriptive, with beautifully drawn characters. A follow up to "The Alienist" which proved just as compelling reading - it is unputdownable. Read more Published on 12 Sep 1999 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 15 customer reviews...

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