Caleb Carr is a military historian turned novelist. In The Alienist, he employs his specialty to paint a stark picture of the underside of New York City, circa 1896.
An “alienist” was the popular term used for people in the then-budding discipline of psychology. Carr’s main character uses his skills to develop what we now call a “profile” to find a serial killer, stalking the male bordellos of lower Manhattan.
Carr populates his novel with prominent people from the history of NYC in the late 19th century. Central to the story is Theodore Roosevelt, in his role as Police Commissioner. You’ll also meet folks like author Jacob Riis and J. P. Morgan.
This is a police procedural which uncovers the complex social history of NYC in an era of rapid social change via immigration, the rise of a super-wealthy class, and class conflict. Carr also pushes the social envelop by making a woman police employee a central character.
For a strong taste of life in New York in this era, read The Alienist.