The Interpretation of Murder    by Jed Rubenfeld Order:  USA  Can Henry Holt, 2006 (2006) Hardcover, CD Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Barbara Lingens A young society woman is murdered, and in the next few days, there is an attempt on another young woman's life. The harried coroner and detective then discover that the murdered woman's body has disappeared! Meanwhile, Sigmund Freud has arrived in New York, on his way to an honorary doctorate at Clark University. He has brought along Carl Jung and Sándor Ferenczi, both eminent European scientists. Abraham Brill, a young Hungarian-American who is translating Freud's works, takes along a fellow American psychoanalyst, Stratham Younger, to meet Freud. It is through him that all the disparate elements of the story are brought together. We learn much about the buildings of Manhattan, high and low society and the controversy that Freud's theories brought to the medical establishment in the U.S. and abroad. We also learn about Freud and his peers, listening to their discussions and disagreements. Amazingly, this all comes together in a fast-paced work that is really spellbinding. Readers not knowledgeable about the subjects of psychoanalysis and Shakespeare's Hamlet will have some difficulty following the arguments on philosophy, but even a cursory knowledge will make for interesting reading. This is clearly a mystery for intellectuals, a more modern An Instance of the Fingerpost. One difficulty I had with the book was the changing point of view. The story is big and complex, and while Younger's perspective personalizes it, there are too many parts that have to be dealt with omnisciently. At times the writing seemed a bit labored in the first person. But this definitely does not keep the reader from the edge of his seat, trying to follow the intricate plot twists. This is a cracking good mystery! Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews