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Amazon.com Review Amazon Best of the Month, June 2008: When author Douglas Preston moved his family to Florence he never expected he would soon become obsessed and entwined in a horrific crime story whose true-life details rivaled the plots of his own bestselling thrillers. While researching his next book, Preston met Mario Spezi, an Italian journalist who told him about the Monster of Florence, Italy's answer to Jack the Ripper, a terror who stalked lovers' lanes in the Italian countryside. The killer would strike at the most intimate time, leaving mutilated corpses in his bloody wake over a period from 1968 to 1985. One of these crimes had taken place in an olive grove on the property of Preston's new home. That was enough for him to join "Monsterologist" Spezi on a quest to name the killer, or killers, and bring closure to these unsolved crimes. Local theories and accusations flourished: the killer was a cuckolded husband; a local aristocrat; a physician or butcher, someone well-versed with knives; a satanic cult. Thomas Harris even dipped into "Monster" lore for some of Hannibal Lecter's more Grand Guignol moments in Hannibal. Add to this a paranoid police force more concerned with saving face and naming a suspect (any suspect) than with assessing the often conflicting evidence on hand, and an unbelievable twist that finds both authors charged with obstructing justice, with Spezi jailed on suspicion of being the Monster himself. The Monster of Florence is split into two sections: the first half is Spezi's story, with the latter bringing in Preston's updated involvement on the case. Together these two parts create a dark and fascinating descent into a landscape of horror that deserves to be shelved between In Cold Blood and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. --Brad Thomas Parsons
Product Description In the nonfiction tradition of John Berendt ("Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil") and Erik Larson ("The Devil in the White City"), New York Times bestselling author Douglas Preston presents a gripping account of crime and punishment in the lush hills surrounding Florence, Italy. In 2000, Douglas Preston fulfilled a dream to move his family to Italy. Then he discovered that the olive grove in front of their 14th century farmhouse had been the scene of the most infamous double-murders in Italian history, committed by a serial killer known as the Monster of Florence. Preston, intrigued, meets Italian investigative journalist Mario Spezi to learn more.This is the true story of their search for--and identification of--the man they believe committed the crimes, and their chilling interview with him. And then, in a strange twist of fate, Preston and Spezi themselves become targets of the police investigation. Preston has his phone tapped, is interrogated, and told to leave the country. Spezi fares worse: he is thrown into Italy's grim Capanne prison, accused of being the Monster of Florence himself. Like one of Preston's thrillers, The Monster Of Florence, tells a remarkable and harrowing story involving murder, mutilation, and suicide-and at the center of it, Preston and Spezi, caught in a bizarre prosecutorial vendetta.
Maybe it should have been published in more than one volumeOctober 15, 2008 From 1968 until 1985, seven pairs of lovers were brutally slain during trysts in the hills surrounding Florence, Italy. The city was gripped with fear as law enforcement officials tried unsuccessfully to pin the horrific murders on several key suspects, failing each time to make the charges stick. The case has never been solved.
Best-selling author Douglas Preston was so intrigued by the crimes that he moved his family to Italy to do research for his book, "The Monster of Florence." Preston teamed up with Mario Spezi, a seasoned journalist who was always one step ahead of officials when it came to the killings and who, in an ironic twist of fate, became a suspect.
The case was the subject of a NBC special documentary with host Stone Phillips.
Maybe an investigation this long and complicated should have been spread across several volumes, because the inclusion of so many red herrings and copious details bring the action to a tortuous, painful, grinding halt. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't keep the good guys straight, nor could I keep count on the bad guys, and ultimately, I just gave up and quit.
Decent entry in the genre with a plus for involving the author.October 9, 2008 I used to like this genre so much more. I remember reading the granddaddy of the genre "In Cold Blood" as a teen and enjoying the works of Anne Rule and Joe McGinnis in my twenties, but I kind of stopped reading true crime accounts. Maybe it is a result of all the true crime stuff that television puts out these days. We are bombarded with stories about the Scott Peterson's of the world these days. So going out of the country to cover a true crime story or exploring a true crime tale from the past ("Devil in the White City" for example), seems to be the way to go with the genre to get a successful seller. And this book is far stronger than the aforementioned Devil, but it still lacks the greatness of the many books written about true crimes in the 70's and 80's. Preston's own involvement in the case says a lot more about the Italian Culture than anything else, and it makes for an interesting diversion in the tale, but the book goes on a bit too long, and I feel that once a real killer is revealed that Preston kind of drops the ball before going far enough into his and Spezi's conclusions. It moved a bit slow for me, though I did not really lose interest as a myriad of characters were introduced. All in all, I would give it 3 and a half stars if such a distinction were available.
Entirely unique in true crime, from the story that inspired Silence of the LambsOctober 3, 2008 I think the authors might overdo the mentions of Thomas Harris in the book, but it is an interesting footnote that Harris extensively researched the Monster of Florence killer for his "Hannibal" series. The Monster of Florence is unique in several ways I think. Many of you know, if you read my reviews, that I love true crime. I'd rate this the most unique yet. You have an unsolved case, and an attempt by two past journalists to solve the crime. These two journalists end up arrested themselves. I'm sure it was no fun for them, but it makes for great true story-telling. The unsolved case really works, and I'd like to see more of this. Patricia Cornwell did this with Portrait of a Killer, where she tried to solve the Jack the Ripper case. p.s. I think she got it right! But this approach, two journalists on the trail of a killer, is quite compelling. Frankly, the Preston section (the last half) is better written, probably due to the language barrier Spezi dealt with, but the whole book is really a must read. Italy and Florence really comes alive. Corruption of police and officials is well presented. It makes me glad we live where we do. I can't imagine any true crime fan not having fun with this book, even with the vivid crime scene details. It's just a good read overall, and I wouldn't miss it. The only thing that would have made it more satisfying would be an arrest. This is beyond the control of the authors of course. The only area I felt a little light was Preston's wife. He mentioned she moved to Italy with him. She's mentioned a few times. But she isn't really a character here. But there's not a lot to fault here. It's a top notch read.
Unfocused and often dull view of a murder caseSeptember 30, 2008 In reading this book I can't tell if Mr. Preston's goal was to tell the story of the Monster of Florence or his and Mr. Spezi's run in's with the Italian authorities over this case. Either way the result is a work that is very muddled and in many aspects is dull and confusing. The story lacks clear structure and does not leave the reader with any feeling that anything has been resolved or if there is a final confusion.
At the end of this book we are clear of two things. First we have no idea who the monster really is and if it is a conspiracy as the latest theory seems to be reaching out at. Secondly, the Italian legal system is seem as totally incompetent and more interested in protecting key players then in justice. Either way this is book does not tell a story worth reading.
Terrifying, but not in the way you thinkSeptember 29, 2008 In terms of writing this is, as someone else noted, journalistic rather than richly written. But the most terrifying thing in it is not the serial killer, but the Kafkaesque mindsets of the police and public of Tuscany. It gets more and more frightening as you go on, and not because you fear the serial killer, but because you think you are beginning to lose your sanity.
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