La storia di un pazzo

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Twenty years after the closure of Western State Hospital, Francis Petrel, once committed for his erratic behavior, now lives a solitary life in a cheap apartment, medicated to silence the voices in his head. A reunion at the former institution stirs dark memories of the events leading to its demise. In 1979, Francis, then twenty-one, enters the overcrowded Massachusetts mental hospital, surrounded by fellow patients and a staff that ranges from well-meaning to jaded. He forms bonds with a diverse group of inmates, including a would-be Napoleon and a wise ex-firefighter. However, the atmosphere shifts dramatically when a young nurse is found sexually assaulted and murdered after lights-out. While police suspect an inmate, whispers of a white-shrouded “angel” circulate among patients. A mysterious prosecuting attorney arrives with her own chilling theory, linking the murder to a series of unsolved sex killings. As Francis grapples with his haunting past, he feels compelled to recount the nightmare of those days, despite the case remaining unsolved. Yet, the resurfacing of the killer brings a chilling urgency to his unfinished story. This narrative journey through Francis’s troubled mind keeps readers uncertain and captivated by its suspenseful twists.