Butcher by Joyce Carol Oates ( paperback)

Butcher is a historical thriller by acclaimed author Joyce Carol Oates, published by Fourth Estate in May 2024. Set within the confines of a 19th-century New Jersey asylum, the novel explores the dark legacy of Dr. Silas Weir, a controversial figure credited with founding gyno-psychiatry. Through the perspective of Weir's son, readers encounter a chilling account of unethical medical experimentation targeting vulnerable women and the doctor's disturbing fixation on an indentured servant. This meticulously researched work examines themes of power, exploitation, and institutional corruption, offering a penetrating look at a troubling chapter in medical history and the lives of those victimized by unchecked authority.