The Monster of Florence in Obsessed with True Crime

Nov 16, 2016 Nichole (DirrtyH) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, 2016, true-crime, nonfiction

First half of the book: 5 stars.

It's a really fascinating serial killer story, and the way the story was organized and all the details presented was perfect. I was completely glued to the story, and when the author revealed his suspect, it had just the right impact.

Second half of the story: 3 stars

Some crazy shit happened after Douglas Preston got involved in the whole thing. Turns out the Italian justice system isn't any better or more ethical than the US one. The way they twisted and contorte First half of the book: 5 stars.

It's a really fascinating serial killer story, and the way the story was organized and all the details presented was perfect. I was completely glued to the story, and when the author revealed his suspect, it had just the right impact.

Second half of the story: 3 stars

Some crazy shit happened after Douglas Preston got involved in the whole thing. Turns out the Italian justice system isn't any better or more ethical than the US one. The way they twisted and contorted "facts" to fit their narrative was absolutely shocking.

But all-in-all, it wasn't quite as interesting as the first half, and it actually detracted a bit from how I felt about Preston and Spezi. I suppose it's inevitable, but they latched on to their own theories the same way the police did to theirs, and refused to have open minds about any other alternatives which kind of irritated me. For example, he completely disregards everything he is told by this blogger lady who started emailing him. Now, there's a 99% chance that he's right and she's completely nuts. But how do you know for sure if you just completely disregard it and don't look into any of it at all? You're no better than the police who refuse to listen to any of your theories.

Based on the information provided in the book, I think Preston and Spezi's theory of who the killer(s) is/was is probably correct, but then again, I only have the information they have given me, so who knows what more there is that I don't know?
That's always the problem with true crime. I can't read it without that grain of salt, so maybe it's just the nature of the genre that I won't ever be able to give five stars.

Ultimately, though, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

Oh, quick note about the audiobook: The narrator cracked me up. He did a very convincing Italian accent, and at least half of the book was quoting Italian people, so he had a chance to use it quite a bit. What cracked me up is that he often forgot when to switch back to "Douglas Preston's" voice which is a regular American-accent, so for a lot of the narration, he had a tendency to weave back and forth. Luckily it was more funny than annoying. ...more

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Mar 04, 2009 Alie rated it did not like it

Shelves: true-crime, memoirs

Preston's ego was on every page, as was the other fellow (whose name escapes me)(don't tell him, he would be crushed). I didn't find it suspenseful even though I didn't know much of the story beforehand. This is another one of those books that fall into the crappy true crime category that people read anyway because of the underlying facts, for me anyway. ...more

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Jun 01, 2008 fleegan rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

Douglas Preston is a very well-known mystery/thriller writer. He usually writes with his pal, Lincoln Child. Their books are very popular at our library. So when I saw that Mr. Preston had delved into the true crime genre I requested that our library get this book, and oh, it was such a good read.

True crime books can all be pretty similar, so when I read one that’s a bit different I really like the book even more. This is one of those books, cos not only does it tell about serial murders that di Douglas Preston is a very well-known mystery/thriller writer. He usually writes with his pal, Lincoln Child. Their books are very popular at our library. So when I saw that Mr. Preston had delved into the true crime genre I requested that our library get this book, and oh, it was such a good read.

True crime books can all be pretty similar, so when I read one that’s a bit different I really like the book even more. This is one of those books, cos not only does it tell about serial murders that did not take place in the United States, but it also involves the author in the investigation.

The serial murders took place in Florence, Italy in the early 1980s. The murders all took place in “lover’s lane” type places. The killer would kill the boy first and then kill the girl and mutilate the girl’s body. Really terrible stuff. Mario Spezi was the crime beat reporter for the newspaper during these murders so he became kind of an expert on these crimes.

In this book you learn not only of the murders but of how the Italian legal system “works”. It’s a bit different than here in the U.S. because they can imprison a suspect for as long as they want. So they’d find a suspect and hold him for months until another murder would happen and they’d have to let that suspect go because obviously he couldn’t kill couples from prison. This happened a lot with suspects.

Some of the main investigators/prosecutors used these crimes to benefit themselves to gain better jobs and appointments. Reading about the Italian legal system made me sick. I forget how amazing the whole “innocent until proven guilty” thing actually is. It got so bad that while Spezi and Preston were researching and interviewing for this book that they kind of do their own investigation (and halfway through the book i was all, “what about that kid? i bet it was him.” and then towards the end when they’re doing their own investigating and their all, “hey, it’s that kid.” i was all, “ha! i knew it!”) they both get in serious trouble when the Italian police claim that the two authors planted evidence. Of course the police have no proof at all of any evidence being planted anywhere, but Preston gets into serious trouble and is forced to leave Italy while Spezi is imprisoned.

What’s so scary to me is that they are called up on these charges by the police guy who is also writing a book on the Monster of Florence only he’s looking at it from “a satanic cult is doing the murders” perspective. While Douglas and Preston are going at it from “the Sardinian Trail” perspective, which is about this gang of Sardinians who came over to Florence at this time and one of them had the murder weapon (a .22 Beretta that was used to kill one of the Sardinian’s wives. the gun is then ’stolen’ and used in the Monster killings). So obviously, which one makes more sense? a strange cult or a serial killer? Yeah, exactly. So that police guy (with the help of some crazy, consiracy theory nutbag lady with a website) uses his influence to shut down Preston and Spezi.

Preston then gets as many human rights/journalist rights groups as he can to fight for Spezi to get him out of prison. Amazingly the Italian judges overturn the local judges who wrongfully imprisoned Spezi.

I just thought it was incredible that the authors themselves end up getting involved in the investigation.
And still the Monster has not been caught. What’s also intersting is that Thomas Harris borrowed some of his Hannibal ideas from the Montser killings.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes true crime and maybe for those who haven’t gotten into the true crime thing but want to try it, because this book reads like a story and moves at a very fast pace. It gets 0 Cansecos, no wait, it gets 1 Canseco because it didn’t list any sources or notes in the back and I thought that was kinda lousy. I mean, how can you get away with writing a nonfiction book and not give a bibliography? I realize that Spezi was probably Preston’s greatest source, but still. Lazy!

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Aug 10, 2010 Robin rated it really liked it

Fascinating book about the Italian serial killer that is also a rather chilling insight into the ways the country's legal system can be perverted to persecute the innocent – in this case the Italian and American journalists who disagreed with the official investigation. It also gives a fairly cogent theory concerning where the guilt lay, which is more than the cops and prosecutors did, with their hysterical assertions of satanic cults. ...more

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Jul 28, 2008 Jim rated it liked it

read almost 1/2 book in one night
great story about Florence and it's Monster
makes You want to go to Florence but be careful when You're there

liked book and learned a lot about Italian legal system and Florence

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