The Waterworks by E. L. Doctorow

Set in the post-Civil War era of 1870s New York City, the narrative unfolds through the eyes of a newspaper editor, McIlvaine, who becomes embroiled in a mysterious investigation when a freelance writer, Martin Pemberton, claims to have seen his supposedly deceased father alive in a passing carriage. As McIlvaine delves deeper into the enigma, he uncovers a sinister conspiracy involving the city's elite, a secretive doctor, and a hidden facility where the boundaries between life and death are blurred. The story weaves a rich tapestry of historical intrigue, moral ambiguity, and the relentless pursuit of truth amidst the backdrop of a rapidly modernizing metropolis.