The Poughkeepsie Express: The Calamity of Madness

by Thomas Lutz

In the chilling autumn of 1929, Dr. Charles Wermuth boards a New York Central train, his griefstricken mind haunted by his sister’s unexplained death within a state institution. Now, overseeing the transfer of twelve severely ill mental patients to the notorious Hudson River State Hospital, he feels a premonition—a whisper of something sinister lurking in the shadows, mirroring his sister's final, frantic warnings. The journey quickly devolves into a nightmare when a patient is brutally murdered. While Officer Dick Murphy is quick to blame another patient, Dr. Wermuth suspects a more calculated hand at play. His sister’s desperate letters about "shadows within the staff" echo in his mind, forcing him to choose between professional duty and a personal quest for truth. As the train rumbles toward the gothic spires of Poughkeepsie, a ticking clock of impending arrival, Dr. Wermuth races to uncover the killer and a deeper conspiracy. But the line between sanity and madness blurs, fueled by grief and the unsettling whispers of those who seem to see more than they let on. Is his own mind beginning to unravel, or is he finally seeing the truth? Upon arrival at Hudson River State Hospital, with its labyrinthine tunnels and shadowed histories, the train murder proves to be just the first tremor of a more insidious horror. As more patients exhibit strange symptoms and “accidents” begin to occur, Dr. Wermuth realizes the institution itself is a character in this macabre drama, its dark secrets inextricably linked to his sister’s death. Trapped within its walls, navigating a shifting landscape of manipulation and gaslighting, Dr. Wermuth must discern reality from terrifying illusions. Can he uncover the truth before he loses his career, his freedom, and ultimately, his own mind to the very madness he seeks to understand?

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 26, 2026

Reviews

[Katherine Perrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

his book grabbed me from the first page and did not let go.

It is set in 1929 on a train bound for Poughkeepsie. Dr. Charles Wermuth is escorting twelve mental patients to Hudson River State Hospital. He is grieving his sister who died under mysterious circumstances. Then a patient is murdered. And the nightmare begins. What I loved most is the atmosphere. It is dark and tense and you can feel the cold autumn air and the claustrophobia of the train. The author builds suspense beautifully.

The mystery kept me guessing. I thought I knew who did it more than once. I was wrong every time. The twists are earned and they hit hard.
Dr. Wermuth is a great protagonist. He is grieving and determined and you are never quite sure if he is seeing things clearly. That tension drives the whole book.

[Heather Peterson · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the history of the area since I live there, but the writing style is not great. Tends to repeat facts a lot, described the Police Officers uniform fit at least twice with the same words. He also mentioned Asbestos covering the pipes and it being yellowed with age, would not know what Asbestos is in that time period and it certainly would not be yellowed with age yet. A decent story overall but needs better editing. He did do a lot of research though about the facility and he mentioned some facts that I thought were fictionalized until I looked them up and they were true. Kudos for that!

[kristina · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star

This sounded like an interesting read. Gave up reading on page 90something. Too much repitition, missing words -- not going anywhere..