The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld (2006, Unabridged, Compact Disc)

NARRATED BY KIRBY HEYBORNE Unabridged


In 1909, Dr. Sigmund Freud arrives in the U.S. to lecture at Clark University in Massachusetts. At about the same time in NYC, someone is brutally killing young women. The next day, Nora Acton barely escapes with her life, but does recall anything. Dr. Stratham Younger, turns to Dr. Freud for help. Freud delves into the crimes by sexual predators. He finds is a list of suspects who enjoy using whips, knives,& chains. An interesting historical mystery with the subject of psychoanalysis. Readers will appreciate that in the book it shows that Freud is not perfect, but does have his flaws.

Rubenfeld’s ingenious historical mystery looks at deviant behavior through the eyes of a dogged detective and the pioneers of modern psychoanalysis. It is 1909, and the brutal murder of a beautiful young woman becomes a NYPD matter. Shortly thereafter, another beauty is identically accosted. She survives, but her voice and memory do not, and she cannot assist in the investigation. The highly controversial Sigmund Freud has arrived in the City with some of his acolytes, scheduled to go on to Massachusetts for a series of university lectures. He cannot treat the victim’s hysteria himself because of his other commitments, but he turns the patient over to a young American disciple, with whom he will consult. Adapting clinical discussions and case studies from the actual writings of Freud, Jung, and others, and incorporating some very real Manhattan scandals of the era, Rubenfeld skillfully weaves fact and fiction into an entirely original and stimulating whodunit. The dialogue and ideas are sophisticated, however, and at least some familiarity with Freudian psychology is advisable. Kirby Heyborne's narration gets off to a slow start, but his convincing European accents soon make the characters come alive and his performance an over all success.