Karen Fields

I read "The Alienist" years ago and I can still remember its impact: The excellent writing, intriguing characters, well plotted storyline and, especially, the somber atmosphere of New York City in 1896. The film series captures it all. Newly appointed Police Chief Theodore Roosevelt has vowed to clean up the corrupt NYC police department. The women's suffrage movement is just beginning. More blacks are becoming educated. The tenements are teeming with unrest. More immigrants are arriving. Class struggle is everywhere. The rich are beginning to feel the pressure and prominent, wealthy men are willing to take drastic steps to maintain their status and power.