The Alienist and Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr

I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books. The Alienist is so well-researched and vivid you truly get lost in London and can almost smell Bedlam as Kreizler, the pioneer of mental health, helps to solve truly heinous crimes. The ecclectic group of characters (not the least of whom include Teddy Roosevelt) is a perfect set up for a classic mystery in Victorian London--with a serial killer kind of twist, of course.

The sequel is equally well-done, this time narrated by young Stevie. Carr does a phenomenal job showing how London's East End has forced him to be a man while still showing that he is, ultimately, a child. The bittersweet relationship he has with a young prostitute is a nice side story to main mystery plot.

The Italian Secretary by Caleb Carr

I'm ridiculously pedantic when it comes to Sherlock Holmes, for obvious reasons. I never much like pastiches, either. My theory is, why can't we just leave a good thing alone? 


That being said, this is an excellent Holmes and Watson pastiche. Carr has a good feel for Doyle's narrative style and (this may be what sold me on the book) we get to see much more of Mycroft, who makes all too short of an appearance in the original Holmes collection. Importantly, Carr seems just as true to Watson as he is to Holmes--he is portrayed as the intelligent, staunchly loyal medical man that he is. 


The book also incorporates a lot of action (those who yearn for Victorian train travel and political espionage will not be disappointed) and, although a good read, this is when the reader is most reminded that it is indeed a pastiche. However, the book is no less enjoyable for that.