In the nonfiction tradition of John Berendt and Erik Larson, the author of the #1 NYT bestseller The Lost City of the Monkey God presents a gripping account of crime and punishment in the lush hills surrounding Florence as he seeks to uncover one of the most infamous figures in Italian history.
In 2000, Douglas Preston fulfilled a dream to move his family to Italy. Then he discovered that the … family to Italy. Then he discovered that the olive grove in front of their 14thcentury 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, Prestonand Spezi themselves become targets of the police investigation.Prestonhas his phone tapped, is interrogated, and told to leave the country. Spezi fares worse: he is thrown intoItaly’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.
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This book is a page-turner that will shock and amaze you. Doug Preston is a wonderful writer who has captured events and characters that will leave you wondering if The Monster of Florence is actually fiction. This is non-fiction that rivals anything any fiction writer has ever produced.
The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
2008
Nonfiction, true crime, mystery
An astonishing true crime novel which spans over 14 years in which the author finds himself deeply imbedded into the mystery. With the help of an Italian journalist, Mario Spezi, they embark on a journey to uncover the identity of the “Monster …
The injustice and insanity of the Italian “justice” system is on display in this true crime story.
Made me aware of the government stupidity in yet another country. Amazing to be a renowned reporter ending up a suspect!
This book was intriguing from the first page, until I finished the last page and closed the book.
This book still haunts my thoughts and intrigues my memory of this true story from when I read it when it was first published.
This murder mystery was more than simply that. It was interesting to learn the Italian manner of police investigation. …
Since reading The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston, it occurs to me that the real monster in question may well be the Italian justice system itself, which, at every turn, willfully fails to uphold its duty and administer justice. I first became aware of this very flawed judicial system during the Amanda Knox case (which Preston also talks …
Because of the way the Italian justice system operates, this book is vastly different from American true crime books.
Douglas Preston (alongside Mario Spezi, a local Italian journalist) does a remarkable job detailing the crimes and following all the leads that were pursued in this mysterious and gruesome serial murder case.
Didn’t personally care for this book at all. Have read other true crime books but found this to be especially disturbing in a weird way. Don’t know if it’s the way it is wrote, though it is an easy-to-read style, or what that makes this so hard to get into. Just didn’t like & can’t recommend (know others who felt the same way, though others might …