The monster of Florence

by Douglas J. Preston

Other authorsMario Spezi

Paper Book, 2009

Status

Available

Call number

364.1523094551

Genres

General Nonfiction

Nonfiction

All Topics

Publication

London : Virgin, 2009.

Description

New York Times bestselling author Douglas Preston teams up with Italian investigative journalist Mario Spezi to present a gripping account of crime and punishment in the lush hills surrounding Florence, Italy. The Monster of Florence is a remarkable and harrowing story involving murder, mutilation, and suicide--and at the center of it, Preston and Spezi are caught in a bizarre prosecutorial vendetta.--From publisher description.

User reviews

LibraryThing member drneutron

The Monster of Florence is really two stories. The first tells about a series of murders of young couples in the countryside near Florence, Italy, in 1974 and then in the early 80's. The killer was dubbed the Monster of Florence, and was never caught due to among other things, a really bad job of

investigation by the Italian police. In fact, after losing the trial of their first set of suspects, prosecutors settled on a conspiracy by a Satanic cult. With little evidence and a lot of speculation, a series of trials were carried out that resulted in - again - no convictions.

The second story is that of the authors. In the process of investigating the case for a book published in Italy, Preston and Spezi offended a powerful prosecutor and were dragged into the case. In fact, Spezi was eventually arrested as the mastermind of the Satanic cult. After international involvement, he was eventually cleared.

The book was first a very good telling of a fascinating crime story, then it became documentation of outrageous power plays by the politically motivated. An excellent read, but it just may get your blood boiling!

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LibraryThing member cbl_tn

Thriller writer Douglas Preston went to Italy with his family intending to write a novel. Instead, he became caught up in a decades old unsolved mystery regarding a serial killer dubbed the Monster of Florence. Preston became friends with Italian journalist Mario Spezi, who had been covering the

Monster of Florence investigation for years. Spezi shared with Preston the history of the Monster killings, his discoveries about the killings, and his conclusions about the Monster's identity. The two collaborated on a book to be published in Italy in 2006. In the weeks leading up to the publication date, the two became targets of the Prosecutor of Perugia. After jailing a series of suspects who proved to be innocent when the next murder took place during their incarceration, the Italian investigators abandoned a trail that seemed like it must eventually lead to the serial killer. The Prosecutor of Perugia then pursued a theory involving ritual killings by a conspiracy of occult worshipers from among the ranks of the upper middle and wealthy classes. His accusations were strangely similar to the assertions of a self-proclaimed psychic. The remainder of the story is an account of Preston's experience with the Italian justice system and issues of journalistic freedom.

Spezi and Preston's theory of the Monster's crimes makes much more sense than that of the Italian investigators. It fits the FBI profile, which the Italian investigators requested but then ignored. Perception seemed to be more important than the truth to the Italian authorities. Their initial theory of the crime seemed to be very close to the truth. The killer had to be one of a small circle of suspects with regional and family ties. The investigators began to appear foolish when they arrested one after another of the men in this circle, only to have the next murder occur while the suspect was in custody. Instead of continuing to narrow down the suspects within that circle, they abandoned that trail and refused to reopen it. All evidence was made to fit their new conspiracy theory. An object as innocuous as a doorstop became an occult object. Their behavior seemed like something right out of 17th century Salem, Massachusetts. They were literally on a witch hunt.

In the book's conclusion, Preston mentions that the Prosecutor of Perugia was in charge of the investigation of Meredith Kercher's murder and the prosecution of Amanda Knox. This prosecutor's propensity for forcing evidence to fit his theory and refusing to accept any evidence that discredits his theory removes any lingering doubt in my mind of Amanda Knox's innocence of Meredith Kercher's murder. Her book is now on my wishlist.

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LibraryThing member nemoman

Preston moves to Florence with a plot for a murder mystery. He contacts Spezi, a writer and expert, inter alia, on Italian police procedures, for information to use in his novel. He then gets caught up in Spezi's obsession with a real life serial murder mystery - the monster of Florence. This

nonfiction book about their attempt to solve the murders reads like a first rate novel. Along the way Spezi himself is arrested as a suspect and Preston is indicted for obstruction of justice, The book chronicles considerable corruption and incompetence at the local prosecutorial level of several Italian cities, Preston and Spezi come up with a credible suspect for the murders; however the murders remain unsolved,

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LibraryThing member Tanya-dogearedcopy

From 1968 to 1985, a serial killer lurked in the Florentine hills of Italy and slayed seven couples who were making out in their cars. Afterwards, he would engage in a gruesome post-murder ritual that would become the inspiration for Thomas Harris’s character, Hannibal Lector.
The first half of

this true account is the story as told by Mario Spezi, an Italian journalist who covered the killings and became known as something of an expert in the topic. The second half of the book recounts Douglas Preston’s move to Italy twenty years after the last killing and becoming intrigued with who the murderer might actually be. Spezi and Preston proceed to initiate an investigation of their own, much to the ire of the local police. Spezi and Preston would end up being hauled before the Polizia for questioning and suffering consequences for their actions.
‘The Monster of Florence’ provides tantalizing leads but as admitted in the interview with Douglas Preston at the end of the audio, the identity of the killer, like Jack the Ripper will not likely ever be known with any certainty.
The audiobook narrator was clear and confident with his delivery and Italian but I had one quibble: All the Italians in the book were given comical American voices with heavy Italian accents. A bit cringey and a little distracting but you sorta get used to it.

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LibraryThing member Asata

Interesting read--I was astounded by some of the quirks of Florentine life. Selling the makeout spots, for instance! They made their case, I believe it was who they build a case for. Too bad the police aren't interested...

LibraryThing member Niecierpek

Douglas Preston, a crime novelist and creator of Detective Pendergast, fell in love with Italy when he was thirteen, and since then has always dreamed of living there. Little did he know that when fulfilling his childhood dream thirty years later, he would get involved in the true crime story of a

serial killer, dubbed the Monster of Florence for the brutality of his murders. Even less did he suspect that one of those murders took place in an olive grove right in front of his villa, as he was duly informed by his Italian journalist acquaintance, Mario Spezi on arrival.

Immediately pulled in by the story from his own backyard, Preston went on the trail of the murders. Together with Mario Spezi, a long time amateur investigator of the case, he revisited archives, conducted interviews, and sifted through evidence.

What was known about the Monster of Florence was that he murdered seven couples in the hills surrounding Florence between 1974 and 1985. He murdered in cold blood and his murders were premeditated and ritualized. The killings always happened on moonless summer Saturday nights. The couples were always engaged in sex at the time, and the female corpses were always mutilated- missing some, or all sexual organs. A profile of a lone psychopathic serial killer fitted well with the murders. The murderer has never been apprehended and the murders never solved. The killings and their manner captivated many, though, and ultimately the killer’s profile served as a prototype for Hannibal Lecter in Harris’ book.

Pursuing their own trail to the truth, Spezi and Preston got in the way of an incredibly long lasting and futile police investigation favouring a satanic cult as responsible for the crimes. They publicly ridiculed some of the police theories and evidence, presenting their own at the same time and pointing to a lone man still alive and at large. That swiftly landed them in jail for obstruction of justice and contempt of court. Spezi spent three weeks behind bars, and Preston was told never to come back to Italy. Their trail was never pursued.

I am not a great fan of true crime stories and I don’t usually follow serial killer's trails, but this book is about much more than that. It’s a story of a fantastic miscarriage of justice including tampering with evidence, wrongful convictions, wrongful imprisonments, sentencing of individuals based on evidence given in court by mentally disturbed feeble-minded alcoholics and schizophrenics, fantastic pet theories of prosecutors, and all sorts of stranger-than-fiction events, all of which have been allowed to happen for years. The Italy that has emerged from this tale is not the Italy I expected; an Italy in which Florence, for example, besides its well known beauty, also harbours a substantial subculture of nocturnal voyeurs called Indiani who, armed with microphones and night vision cameras, prey on young couples having sex in cars among the vinyards and olive groves of the Tuscan hills at night, also a national pastime, and a still thriving tradition of regional and clan killings not so far removed from the Middle Eastern and South Asian honour killings.

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LibraryThing member sharlene_w

The first half, dealing with the serial killings that took place for roughly twenty years from the mid 60s to the mid 80s, was relatively interesting. The second part covering the investigation--the arrests of various suspects, the examination of the Italian judicial system--was a real snoozer. Cap

it off with no resolution to who the true killer is and you have a book I wouldn't recommend to anyone.

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LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom

Douglas Preston (who normally writes mystery and suspense type books) and his family travel to Florence because he's ready to write a mystery based on a missing Renaissance painting (and by the way, the outline of that book sounds pretty good). So, being the good researcher that he is, hooks up

with someone who knows all about the local crime scene, and ends up becoming interested in an unsolved string of serial murders. His friend, Mario Spezi, is an award-winning crime reporter, and one of his passions is the so-called "Monster of Florence," who for over 20 years has gotten away with murdering young couples out for a romantic evening under the stars. Preston tries to work on his novel, but finds himself getting more interested in this serial killer, and soon he and Spezi are trying to solve the murders. This would have been good enough to keep me reading, but the most frightening thing about this book to me was the whole misguided system of justice in Italy, as portrayed (and lived) by Preston and Spezi. Politics and well, a bit of stupidity lead the investigation into some bizarre areas that have no merit, and soon Spezi finds himself on the wrong end of the law, as does Preston.

Very interesting, although actually it probably could have been a bit more taut and concise. I really liked it, though, and I'd definitely recommend it to readers interested in unsolved murder cases, or the workings of investigation and justice in foreign countries, or the power of the press. Or, if you're a reader of Preston's fiction, you may wish to give this one a go. Overall, very good.

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LibraryThing member joannecatherine

Very exciting, quick read of a serial killer in lovely Florence. Could not put it down. Was horrified to learn that the two authors of the book were actually, at one time, accused of being the murderer and the accomplice.

LibraryThing member ccourtland

If you’re a fan of true crime novels, then you will enjoy this book. It is along the lines of Anne Rule novels or a 48 hrs. of hard evidence, the extended version. Preston details the blunders behind the case of the Monster of Florence and exposes the corruption in the Italian legal system. He

illustrates the flaws with detective work and how cultural beliefs can very much hinder and affect an investigation. It makes one look at its own legal system and question how much our societal beliefs, whether consciously or unconsciously get in the way of executing true justice — or in this case, so much injustice. Although the Monster is never completely revealed, Preston does an excellent job of showing its many forms. The Monster is in all of us and we often feed it, giving it life and allowing it to grow.

The formula which is used to tell true crime can sometimes be a bit dry. Details are ‘reported’ and events are logged in a way that can seem boring or distant, but this is the nature of the genre. The first half of the book reads like a news report mixed with a history lesson. Mid way through Preston makes an entrance and it picks up because he is able to provide personal observations relieving him of the restraints of investigative reporting. However, towards the end the story shifts again and all information is given second hand and from a distance, which is typical of a journalistic approach. Preston states that unlike his usual thriller crime stories, this particular case has no conclusion, no ending or murder solved and killer captured. He leaves you where you started, still pondering who is the Monster of Florence, but with a bit more insight and possible suspects, but nothing reliably concrete. I admit I liked this about the book, but some might find it to be a let down.

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LibraryThing member PirateJenny

America isn't the only place with serial killers. But for some reason, the story of the Monster of Florence didn't make it over here until a U.S. writer ended up involved. I'd heard about this story a year or two ago when I saw it on Dateline. Honestly, the judicial system there makes ours look

stellar.

Couples on what we would consider lovers' lanes are murdered. The men are shot, the women mutilated. This goes on for decades with no clue as to who the culprit is. Journalist Mario Spezi gets the first case to report on by accident and continues to write about the case with every attack. He's considered an expert. Douglas Preston and his family move temporarily to Florence so he can research a novel. When he meets with Spezi in the course of that research, he discovers that the home he's rented is basically on the site of one of the murders. Preston becomes as obsessed with the case as Spezi, the two of them discovering evidence that disputes what the police have. When a new inspector takes over the case, both Spezi and Preston are arrested. (Not a spoiler--you find this out right away.) An excellent book and a scary one as well.

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LibraryThing member BluesGal79

An American author, whose conspiracy thrillers are bestsellers across the world, moves his family to Florence, Italy in order to do some research for a new book. He soon discovers his idyllic home overlooks an area in which two lovers were brutally murdered many years before. That their murders,

and those of a dozen other young lovers found in similar circumstances, were never solved intrigues him. He befriends a journalist there whose obsession with solving the case is infectious, and the two of them join forces to answer the question, “Who is the Monster of Florence?”

Along the way to answering this question that has plagued Florence for decades they become involved in the mire of the ongoing investigation and are soon caught up in an intrigue much more personal than they would ever have dreamed – they both become suspects (or at least suspected of being conspirators) in at least one of the murders. This would make a really good novel, but what do you need fiction for when the truth is so much stranger?

Douglas Preston, American author of The Codex (among many other bestselling thrillers) and Mario Spezi (Italian journalist) find themselves in exactly this situation, and the story they spin together in “The Monster of Florence” would be totally implausible were it not true. Along the way the reader is treated to glimpses of the seamier side of Florence that belie its reputation as birthplace of the Renaissance, regaled with inside stories of Italian society, and amused by the eccentricities of the inhabitants of this grand city.

Il mostro di Firenze, who began his murder spree in 1968 (or was it 1961? Or 1951?) last made his handiwork known in 1985, and to this day the mystery of who he is remains unanswered.

Or is that “they?” Or what?

Don’t start this one if you have plans.

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LibraryThing member TheCriticalTimes

Written as a blend between a travelogue, a documentary about Italy's justice system and a personal diary, this book is clearly just as much about Douglas Preston as it is about the Monster of Florence. This is not a bad thing in the least and you have to admire the frequent nods to fellow author

Thomas Harris.

We follow Preston has he and his family move to the countryside just outside of Florence where he meets a reporter (Spezi) who has been investigating a series of murders committed over the span of more than a decade. Many potential suspects pass before our eyes, with each next one even more unlikely than the one before. The book is filled with facts and events and a myriad of colorful locals besides the suspects. Following Spezi, the bloodhound reporter, Preston gets caught in the lore of the murders and begins to participate. Eventually the two arrive at their own suspect which is the signal for all hell to break loose. Spezi is arrested for suspected involvement in the murders and event Preston is hauled in for questioning.

The last part of the book is filled with short anecdotes revolving around Preston's encounters with Italy's police force, crime investigators and politicians, all of whom are portrayed as thoroughly corrupt. This might very well be true. It is hard to say given the informal style of writing and the sometimes even adolescent use of pasted email subjects. Granted, Preston became very closely involved in the case but the changes in style and objectivity felt awkward.

All in all the book is well crafted and you are easily drawn into all the absurd stories and anecdotes floating around the murders. It is entertaining and a great summer read, which is unfortunate because the hyperbolic coverage of the murders coat the killings in a sensational patina which obscures the human tragedies.

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LibraryThing member ehines

Really, there's too much to tell in this book--the story of the monster of Florence, the story of the almost farcical police investigation, the story of Douglas Preston getting involved in the case, the story of Mario Spezi the co-author and news reporter who reported the case from start to

non-finish. Aside from the Preston story (which is interesting) none of these other stories really gets told as well and as thoroughly as it should.

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LibraryThing member mattries37315

The Monster of Florence is the first true crime book I've ever read and while I knew it was about a serial killer and the investigation in catching the perpetrator that went off the rails, then I read the book and couldn't believe it. The first portion of the book detailed the killings themselves

following Spezi's steps as he reported the happens in and around Florence with the crimes then the various investigations that led to interesting trials. The second portion of the book saw Preston enter the story and how his life was turned around by the Monster case especially from the hands of Giuliano Mignini. The Afterward of Preston's view of the then-developing Amanda Knox case in light of his own knowledge of Italian journalism and justice was very poignant when looking years back.

Although I have read about how many people didn't like the details Preston gave about his own experience with the Italian justice system, but I thought it helped highlight one of the problems plaguing the Monster case which seemed to be the point of the book. While Preston and Spezi have come up with a likely candidate for the Monster himself, the fact that they must battle decades old conspiracy theories seems the longest shadow that has cast itself over this case.

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LibraryThing member quynies_mom

Fascinating true mystery that covers over 60 years and exposes the judicial and police systems in Italy as corrupt and incompetant. One wonders, now, if Amanda Knox should have been tried at all.

LibraryThing member dperrings

i thought the author was so full of himself i could not even get interested in the book. since the author was in florence for a while, his is the monster as far as im concerned.

LibraryThing member brianinbuffalo

I didn't find the book riveting or even particularly well-written. I usually find true crime tales engaging, but this one didn't keep my attention. Perhaps there were too many diversions that focused on Florentine life and other themes that simply don't interest me.

LibraryThing member Mary6508

I haven't read much true crime, but I found this very interesting. I am amazed at how incompetent the court system is in Italy. I never want to be accused of a crime there!

LibraryThing member BookMason

Not exactly want I expected from the title, but a very interesting look at the Italian legal system that I knew nothing about. Really looks more at how power and politics play a role in the justice system of Italy.

The latter part of the story about Spezi's fight against the judicary and his jailing

and trial is actually more interestinged than the serial killings which is what drew me to the book in the first place.

Fascinating story, though it moves much to slowly to be highly recommended.

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LibraryThing member Tara714

This was a very interesting read. We really only get 1 side of the story, but I'm really curious about what the otherside side said and if I would actually believe them. If your interested in true crime then definitly check this book out. It's about a serial killer in the hills of Florence, Italy.

The crimes he committed and how they police conducted their investigation. What's really intersting about it is how I perceive American investigations to be and how they described the Italian investigation.

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LibraryThing member RavRita

The book was kind of a bundle of facts and fiction. These two guys have two very different styles and some how they just did not connect. Lots of interesting information - information as scattered as thoughts in a young teenager's diary. Previous line is an example of how the book is written. As

buggy as an infested mattress in a drug den. Ahhhhh

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LibraryThing member KatharineClifton

An interesting education on the inner-workings of the Italian legal system and how a monster got away with murdering 14+ people over the course of many years. Hate to say that a story about a serial killer is entertaining, but I was captivated by the story and how it unfolded.

LibraryThing member CasualFriday

What if Under the Tuscan Sun had been written by Kafka? You would have The Monster of Florence, the true story of a decades-long investigation into a rash of Ripper-like murders in the vicinity of Florence. The appeal is not so much the usual true-crime recipe of forensics, psychological suspense

and morbid fascination. It's more of a travelogue from hell - a portrayal of Italy and the Italians that you won't find in Fodor's. The portrayal of the Italian "justice" system is horrifying, albeit sometimes horrifyingly funny. With the caveat that Preston has a personal ax to grind against the system, I guess it's all true. And after a slow start, gripping as hell.

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LibraryThing member SlySionnach

I stayed up until 2 AM to finish this book. On a day when I have to get up for work at 7, that's saying a lot.

This book was interesting, and I think exceptionally interesting, because the two people who are writing it aren't looking at it from afar. They researched so much and delved so deep that

they became a part of the investigation themselves. I won't reveal how, but let's just say that it ended up being a big deal.

The crime is a series of murders from the years 1968-1984/5 where there were 7 double homicides. The real murderer has not been found to this day. But as Preston and Spezi describe what I (as a forensic scientist) this is one of the most ill-investigated cases in possibly history, I find myself shaking my head in disbelief just as much as Preston must have done.

From satanic cults to witnesses-for-hire (though not proven to be!), if you want to read about the man that Thomas Harris may have used as an influence to Hannibal (and it is known for a fact that he did use Florence), this is a good book to start with!

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