The Alienist is a psychological thriller set in 1896 New York City. The story follows a criminal psychologist, or "alienist," Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, as he teams up with a newspaper illustrator, John Moore, and a headstrong police secretary, Sara Howard, to investigate a series of gruesome murders of young male prostitutes.
The trio delves into the city's seedy underbelly, using the emerging field of psychology to profile the killer and track him down. As they uncover more clues, they realize that the murders may be connected to a powerful and influential figure in New York society.
As they race against time to catch the killer before he strikes again, the team must navigate through corruption, secrets, and danger in order to bring the perpetrator to justice.