This book sounded so promising. First off, a killer is loose in the beautiful and legendary countryside surrounding Florence, preying on young couples making love in their cars in hidden lovers' lanes. Second, the investigation bogs down and two journalists (the authors) end up as suspects. Almost sounds like fiction, doesn't it?

The first half, which focuses on the killings is actually quite good. Lots of great atmosphere, and excellent suspense. There are also some interesting characters, though probably too many to really keep track of.

The second part, however, is a mess. This part could have been suspensful too, or perhaps - totally switching gears - played up in a farcical manner (highlighting the foibles of the Italian court system, Italian journalism, and even the Italian character). Instead, it just seems to meander around very confusingly. Perhaps the author was too close to it, or perhaps it could have used more work. A slant that focused less on the two authors and more on the system and the case would have been better. Without more work and some real focus, though, the second part simply detracts from the first, and could just have easily been dropped.

The two themes really are quite different. It would have taken someone with some real talent to put them together in one book. Unfortunately, it just didn't happen here. Great premise, but not ultimately delivered on.

I remember when this was happening. As kids we used to spend the summers in Siena Italy where my father used to teach throughout the early 80's and I remember when the whole region was gripped by an almost crippling fear by these events. As teenagers staying in desolate farmhouses on the beautyful Tuscan hills our immaginations used to run with this story to the point of sleepless nights.
The book I read almost in one sitting this summer while vacationing in Spain. I found it truly fascinating and frightning not just relating to the horror of it, but just how screwy and beaurocratic the italian judicial system is.

The book is really two tales in one. The first deals with the serial killings that took place between 1968 and roughly 1985. The author works with a newspaper reporter who covered the cases to tell the stories of the killings and the investigation. The second story is how the investigation became a career springboard for ambitious prosecutors and judges and how that ambition got in the way of the truth. The Italian system of courts and the rights of the press are examined; both were abused by the prosecutors - with frightening results. A little disappointing in that we never do learn who the serial killer is, but very interesting reading about the investigation into Italy's "Jack the Ripper" and how strangely inept the Italian court system seems.

I have been on a reading kick the last couple of months. I have never been an enthusiastic reader so it is crucial that I find books that will hold my attention from start to finish. This book definitely did not disappoint, and surpassed all my expectations. Reading about this case that I new nothing about was intriguing and compelling. This is a must read for anyone who is a fan of murders mysteries, but also a dramatic true story of a serial killer in Florance that will have any reader flipping the pages to see what happens next.

This book is written in a somewhat atypical fashion. The first part is a prologue including all factual (and typical Italian non-factual hysterical perspectives) on the life and times of a serial killer (unknown) and his victims.

The second part of the book is about the writer and newspaper reporter's foray into solving the murders that have been handled like a Keystone Cop movie by the Italians paramilitary and police. The second part has much repetition of part one, so it is like being forced to sit through a mediocre movie twice.

While interesting, the convolutions of the story, the many different linked and non-linked characters and the lack of any cohesion in presenting this "real crime" drama makes this a book that I found very hard to get through. The author could take a lesson from Ms. Rule on similar topics who engages the reader in an orderly and logistical perspective into the crime and criminal.

In my opinion, at least, this is not a book that you will pick up and not to be able to put down. It is more like a movie that you can't wait for it to end.

As a rule, I don't care for serial killer books or films -- they just don't interest me the way "regular" crime stories do. Common motivations such as jealousy and greed, when handled well, can be more than powerful enough to sustain a character or drive a plot. The twisted psychoses of serial killers just don't do it for me. That said, this nonfiction account of a real life serial killer in Italy, and the investigation that followed in his wake, makes for some very compelling reading. The reason has far less to do with the killer's grisly trail of bodies, than it does with the crazy ins and outs of the investigation and how the authors end up on the wrong end of it all.

Preston is a bestselling thriller writer who moved to Italy to research and write a novel revolving around great flood that struck Florence in 1966. By chance, he learned that an olive grove adjacent to the farmhouse he rented was the site of one of the crimes performed by a notorious serial killer. Intrigued, he met the veteran Italian crime journalist who would become his collaborator on this book, and started to learn everything he could about the case. And with a series of killings stretching from 1968-85, there was a lot to learn. Fortunately, Preston does a pretty good job of untangling the case and laying it out for the reader (albeit, with some repetitions).

What many readers will find extremely interesting is the relatively insulated nature of the Italian justice system, and how in this case, insulation from external oversight led to some absolutely colossal failures of investigation, not to mention outright corruption. Those with an interest in Italy may find some rather interesting insights into Italian national character along the way, such as the concept of saving face and the notion that it is vital to be "in the know" or "savvy" (which means not taking anything at surface value, no matter how plausible it may be). Some of these characteristics are what lead to Preston and Spetzi becoming targets of the serial killer investigation, leading the entire story into Kafkaesque farce. (At times, Preston goes a little overboard in describing his own fear of being prosecuted, especially when some of problems are of his own making. For example, if the police in a foreign country say that you have a right to have an interpreter and a lawyer present at your questioning, take them up on it!)

Ultimately, some readers may be somewhat frustrated by the lack of a clear "solution" or resolution to the crimes -- although the authors do point a very plausible finger at one man. And some aspects of the situation aren't very well explained -- such as why the Italian media would sometimes have an insatiable appetite for anything relating to the case, and other times appear not care. Finally, at times, the ineptitude of the Italian cops and prosecutors is so extreme that it strains credulity Nonetheless, this remains a fascinating true crime book, and one that will severely tax any reader's romantic notions of Tuscany.

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.

American author Douglas 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This book has everything and more that a crime story should have, objectivity, irony, tension, unexpected turns, etc.

Well written and a engaging story of a serial murderer who keeps on killing not through his wiles and intellect but through the abominable incompetence of Italian law enforcement.

The book is populated with a host of characters that could have stepped out of one of Fellini's films, over inflated public officials, a village idiot or two, legitimate nutters who the authorities give currency to as they support their investigative theories which like water have sought and found a path of least resistant and flows along an idiotic course developing an over arching super conspiracy that would be too stupid for a comic book.

The book also nicely juxtaposition the popular vision of the idyllic Florentine environs by illustrating that at least in part they are inhabited by a significant number of wacked out inbreds with attendant sexual peculiarities that make their Appalachian counterparts seem tame in comparison.

This was not only an entertaining read but also brought back some intriguing memories of my youth.

During the 1970s, before marrying, my bride to be and I did the obligatory camping holiday around Europe. One of our best memories was sitting alone together in the hills, under the stars and entertained by fireflies, as we gazed down on the gorgeous Duomo in Florence. Little did we know that during the same period a serial killer was murdering young couples doing just that!

The story generally flows easily and the writer holds your interest as only a trained journalist can with a great story. It slows in a few places but just as you thinks it's lost momentum Preston adds a new twist. My only challenge was keeping track of all the various Italian surnames. It certainly provides food for thought - especially before your next trip to Florence. No hints about the ending of this true story but in light of recent events in Italy the approach of the police and newspapers will all start to make sense. Be afraid, be very afraid......

Wow...after just finishing the book I'm trying to figure it all out. The catalyst for reading to the end of the book was to actually find out who the monster was, but alas, after I finished the last page I still did not know.

You should know that the book is not a murder mystery, but rather insight into the Italian culture and ineptitude of the Italian police and judiciary system. There are so many aspects to the crime that the sequencing in itself was difficult to follow. And the characters abound; with similar sounding names I had to refer back to the Cast of Characters every few pages to remember who was who.

I enjoyed the author's writing style; his descriptions of the countryside as well as the courtrooms and the characters allow the reader to feel a part of the Italian scene. However, I think more editing could have been done to reduce the insignificant details about his personal life and unrelated elements.

Overall, I learned many things from reading this book, but there was a true lack of flow and, in fact, not any way for the reader to get personal with the text. It lacked emotion, but if you have the time and don't mind not knowing "whodunnit," then perhaps this book will help you bide your time.

As a great fan of the Preston and Childs' work, I find it difficult to report only a mediocre review, but here it is, in brief form.

This story is written in two pieces: one telling of the history of a serial murders taking place in Florence, the other the personal story of Preston and co-author Mario Spezi while investigating the murders. The topic to any mystery enthusiast is fascinating. The problem here is the murders were never solved, with any certainty. THat poses a problem, obviously with the authors as well, as you can sense the difficulty they had finishing the book for publication. Preston cites this and the lingering unsatisfaction left when reading this accounting of this ugly piece of Italian modern history.

If you are a fan or true crime, you will find the tale compelling. In fact, the description of the case and the subsequent tribulations of our two authors is exciting. Without providing spoilers, you follow the murders, not through proper chronology, but via discovery - just as our 'investigators' did. The story transcends from a mystery investigation, full of twists, turns, and hypotheses; into web of conspiracy and subterfuge. The problem is, the story stalls once the focus leaves the murder investigation and becomes that of Spezi and Prestons' fight against the unscrupulous Italian investigators, themselves. It never really survives the jump from the investigation to the personal conflict of the authors, as the story never gets back to the resolution of the murder! When the attempted persecution of the authors abates, the story quickly wraps up with an unsatisying, cursory-level explanation of how the situation remained at book ending. The reason to why this occurs is obvious, but it begs for a final edition!

Finally, I found the read worthwhile, as the murders and locale are quite interesting, however, be prepared to be denied the satisfaction of a convincing opinion of the murderer's identity. How unrewarding!

I visited Florence three months ago and was ignorant of these atrocious crimes committed in the beautiful hillsides surrounding this incredible city. Traveling through Italy, I was unaware of the incompetence and corruption of many of the individuals in positions of authority.

I commend Spezi and Preston for publishing this tale of horror. I appreciated Spezi's dedication to solving this crime and to exposing faulty theories of those wanting only to advance their own careers. Despite interrogations and imprisonments, these men dedicated themselves to offering evidence ignored by prosecutors.

Normally, I avoid books about real-life crimes, yet I was drawn to this story simply because of its location. I do not regret my decision to read this book. The authors' effectively re-create the sickening crimes as well as the progression of the investigations. Though the actual event lacked coherence, I succeeded in following along as different suspects, investigators, and victims entered the story. While the writing style may have lacked sophistication, the story was incredibly riveting.

I am a great fan of Preston and Preston - Child mysteries, this book however is about the failings and giant egos of those heading up the Italian police and security forces. The crime is never solved and reading about the exploits of the authors as they investigate the murders is merely the same old bs that occurs everywhere/anywhere when those who hold some power are exposed as incompetient idiots, someone must pay for their embarrassment.

Apparently this book originated as a project for an article in the New Yorker magazine. That is probably where it belongs. Not a bad book, but not worthy of a long read.

In short the book fails on several levels.

- The murder(s) are never identified and as such we never learn much about motivation or personality.

- The author attempts to tie in the 'personality' and history of Florence and Italians (think Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) in an unsuccessful attempt to make a thin story more interesting.

- The author generally describes the 'bungling and mis-steps' of the Italian authorities in attempting to solve the crimes, however, the mistakes by the authorities seem so painfully obvious that I was skeptical that the history of the case was properly researched.

Probably not the best author for this type of book. The high reviews are surprising.

I'd pick up Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil or The City of Fallen Angels....much better books, more interesting, and better executed.

Here's the premise:
Writer Douglas Preston goes to Florence and becomes interested in the case of a serial murderer who's been tormenting the local populace for at least two decades. He hooks up with the local expert on the eponymous monster (journalist Mario Spezi) for research purposes, and both get slowly sucked into the center of the case, no longer spectators but active participants (and suspects). I'm no journalist, but I think you're not supposed to do this!

For this reader, the most interesting part of the story arises not from the actual murder cases themselves, but rather from the spider web that traps Preston and Spezi, In the course of investigating various theories of the murders, they aggravate the wrong people (police, lawmakers, etc), humiliate some of them as well, and attract way too much of the wrong kind of attention. It doesn't take long before they become targets of investigation themselves, and no amount of backpedaling is sufficient to get them out of this mess.

A bit rambling at times, but a good read for those who enjoy true crime with a literary twist.

I am not one who usually reads "true crime" books. This was a wonderful lok into the real life characters that make up the history of the crime and investigation of the Monster of Florence cases. Wonderfully readable, witty, and confounding.

I am ashamed to admit that I have never read anything by Douglas Preston until this novel. I've been meaning to read his Pendergast series, and I have the entire thing for my Sony Reader, but I haven't gotten around to it quite yet. Since this is a non-fiction book, I wondered if my lack of Preston knowledge would inhibit my enjoyment of The Monster of Florence. I'm glad to say that wasn't the case.

This review is concise simply because I didn't want to risk too much summary, and giving too much away. The book is contingent on its suspense; giving knowledge in advance would ruin the book in many ways. So I decided to take the easy (and safe) way out.

One thing I didn't like about the book was the ambiguity of the ending. I'm not going to say any more about it because, again, I don't want to ruin the book, but if you read it, I think you'll understand my issue.

This book reminded me of Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Both are novels recounting the exploits of two serial killers, both are true stories - however, in Devil in the White City, the story is told in third person and is in some ways from the serial killer's point of view. In The Monster of Florence, we are outside looking in, with Douglas Preston as the narrator.

Overall, The Monster of Florence, while horrifying, is very interesting (though not captivating) and well-written. I was surprised that I hadn't heard about the case before reading the book, especially with the high profile Preston claims that it received. I would recommend it to any fans of Douglas Preston, Thomas Harris (you'll see why when you read the book), non-fiction, or mysteries.

Admittedly, this was a really hard book to get into. The writing style was somewhere between dry non-fiction and wildly spiraling thriller; it had a slow, plodding timeline with a lot of seemingly non sequiturs tossed in to confuse the issues. There were bits very much thrown in out of left field, which seemed out of place at that moment but would later have some relevance. Continuity issues, I suppose you'd say. And that made it hard to really get immersed in the book.

The second, rather disappointing bit (for me) was the lack of a lot of speculation and general information about serial killers. Certainly, the facts and evidence of the case were presented, as well as one sketchy supposition, but a lot of the psychology behind serial killers was notably absent. For example, the fact that most don't just stop for no reason. Most investigators suspect certain people on the Jack the Ripper case because they were incarcerated or killed about the time the killings stopped. There's no hint of that in this book, and on one hand, I see that he's trying to leave the supposition out of it and let the facts speak for themselves. On the other hand, it's kind of a let down to not have much of anything in the way of speculation.

Still, the facts and personal anecdotes of the case were very interesting to read. I did not follow the case at the time (either the original or the revisited case in 2006) so all the news was new to me. And I cannot vouch for the accuracy of any of it, as this has been my only source of information on the case.

I'd recommend it to people who enjoy unsolved crime and police procedurals (though in this case, it's a primer on how not to).

This book reads as a docudrama. It is a chillingly complete review of the historic serial killings and of the bumbling backwardness of the Italian legal system. I was shocked that the craziness was going on up to 2007 (and presumably to this day)! Although the judicial system sometimes sorted out the truth, the injustices perpetrated by the police and military police are truly frightening. We loved our trip to Italy recently but I will think carefully before planning another. We found the country quite pleasant, friendly, and very clean. This book gives a startling view behind the scenes into the corruption and idiocy that the citizenry evidently lives with and accepts. It is impossible to put the miscarriages of justice down to cultural differences, ingrained corruption is the more likely cause and THAT makes this a very scary book.

I agree with one of the early reviews. This book tended to peter out somewhere in the middle. I enjoyed the information about Florence and the area around that city. I did find that the story itself tended to get a little convoluted. All in all....not one that I could not put down easily.

Sensational, horrible, serial murders in Florence. The lead investigative journalist comes under suspicion. Stunning, riveting story. Yes? Not as told in this particular book. I found this book tedious to get through. The second half was really a slog. I can't say exactly why. Perhaps it was the writing. Perhaps this particular team written effort just did not work for me. Perhaps both of the authors had written too much already about these murders and this version just came through stale.

Very well written. The Monster is the Italian equivalent of Jack the Ripper and just reading some of the accounts makes one shudder. Lots of discussion of conspiracy theories. Still, at the end, like Jack, we don't learn the monster's identity.

The story is fascinating and as far as I can tell accurately told. I grew up Florence and am very familiar with the whole story. On the other hand I found it almost impossible to listen to the audio version because practically EVERY word in Italian was mispronounced. Given that most of the words in Italian were constantly repeated, often of well known sites and people and ultimately not that difficult to enunciate, I really do not understand why the producers did not try to avoid this problem. In addition, Neapolitan music was used for a story that takes place in Tuscany and most upsetting of all, the voices of Italian speakers were rendered with heavy, almost insultingly stereotypical accents. A WORD TO HACHETTE: please do not do this again! Thank you.

This is a very interesting story, although I don't know worthy of an entire book. The beginning of the book is vey interesting, but the 2nd half of the book drags on making it hard to finished.

OK. So the fact that the Italian city states weren't unified into the country we know as Italy until 1861 speaks to a lack of historic organizational structure. And there have been more than sixty government changes at the Prime Minister level since World War II. These elements and more could come into play when examining the chaos that is Italy's judiciary. In Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi's non-fiction account of the "Monster" serial killings around Florence in the 1970s and 1980s, we see that something is horribly, stinking rotten in the core of Italian criminal investigation and prosecution that would take an entire armada of sociologists to understand. To say that fantasy and paranoia drive the actions of even the most senior investigators and judges is to give fantasy and paranoia far too good a name. In a nutshell, why bother going to the heart of the investigation by carefully following evidence that leads to a lone suspect who is a textbook model of a serial killer when you could start a witch hunt that would encompass dozens of people (including a whole village) in a charge of murder as a byproduct of Satanic worship? Without a shred of evidence of course. Why bother taking the most obvious road when you could settle grievances going back decades with spurious charges? Why end the investigation quickly when you could drag it out, garner more publicity, and advance your career?

It is interesting to note that Preston became involved only because he was in Italy doing research for one of his fiction thrillers and just happened to rent a farmhouse next to where one of the murders took place. He started asking questions and was connected with Spezi, a seasoned Italian investigative journalist whose beat was these murders of young couples trysting in the hills around Florence. Spezi's part of the story is told first and he and Preston do a nice job of laying out the basic facts, including the puzzling-then-horrifying actions of the police and judiciary. Spezi's work requires fairly detailed explanations of institutions that don't have true parallels in American society and these were efficiently done. Both he and Preston, who is much better recognized for his fiction, know their craft and all of their skills are on display in this book. I was especially impressed with how much care is taken to ensure that we know the murdered couples and their stories.

Once the story is laid out and we know the extremely large cast of characters (it really helps to have most of their pictures in a section in the middle of the book), the real story of Spezi and Preston can be told and, to other liberty and sanity loving Westerners, it emerges as a nightmare worthy of Orwell. After writing vigorously about the disarray in the investigation, Spezi is arrested as a suspected accomplice to the murders and all of his notes and research are taken, including his work on this book. Luckily for him, he was able to hide a disk that contained much of what we read here. Preston's status as a world-famous writer did not protect him here, either. Since he didn't arrive in Italy until 2000, they couldn't charge him with being directly involved in the murders but they were able to charge him as an accomplice after the fact and ban him from returning to Italy.

This is an absorbing read from beginning to end and a story that really needs to be told. And it is a cautionary tale about running afoul of Italian authorities. The truth may not set you free.

"The Story of Edgar Sawtelle".......David Wroblewski

This is a saute of Jack London, J K Rowling and O Henry and I'm only 85%
through. I may have to change my mind, but don't wait for me.If you were once a boy (or what used to be called a tom-boy) who had a dog(s) who you really loved, you will recognise through moist eyes in some situations, what the author is writing about.

You'll find some descriptive portions that suffer from identification problems, but just overlook them and keep reading.

It's worth it.

I hope his next book is quicker, doesn't require as much re-writing and pain.

RS Lappin

If you're interested in detective novels, foreign intrigue and the differences between American and Italian approaches to highly publicized serial murder investigations, this book is a must-buy! Having been stationed in Italy for over 5 years, I was especially drawn into the culture, scenery, and Italian life-style which served as an excellent back-drop and subplot to the main novel.

The author does an outstanding job of following an amazingly complicated case through decades of investigations. Great suspense, wonderful character development, and exceptionally well-written novel. I purchased this book as the result of a great recommendation of a friend, and I loved it!

Why? Because it's just too strange and fiction has to be believable. This was not believable, but naturally, true. I'm a big lover of Ann Rule, but I think the reason I don't give this a five star is perhaps just culture differences. When the author began speaking of the people, all out at night, watching what goes on in cars -- as if this is normal behavior, well, is it any wonder the police were so inept? It's an amazing story, but it was very graphic (naturally, the crimes were horrific) and I found myself without the need to finish the book. (I did though, it was too expensive not to.)

I do think the author is an amazing writer, but I think the concept was just too hard for me, as a typical American, to grasp.

I won't get into this in great detail. I will just say this book shocked me into wondering if I would ever feel comfortable even visiting Italy. The incompetence of the police investigation coupled with it's leader's vengeful attitude is truly alarming. Another reviewer from Italy said they have one of the best police departments in the world? Sorry, but even if you disagree with this book or dislike the writing style it is unavoidable to conclude the system is failed. People jailed for YEARS without a trial and some not being allowed to even know what charges are against them? Horrible. As a side note, my country (the US) isn't any better considering the Guantanamo issue.

Monster Florence is really two books in one.
1. We learn the facts surrounding the original Monster of Florence killings. The methods, the suspects the whole investigation.
2. Douglas Preston & Mario Spezi parade the injustices, vindictivness, non-objectiveness, amatuer practices and the Wild Goose Chase that the Monster case degrades into. At no point is there any actual evidence used to prosecute someone, it is all circumstantial.
The first half is very good, but the 2nd on the other hand, gets a bit repetitive in theme. Italian Judicial System bad, Mario Spezi & Douglas Preston good. I mean that is what happened, but after 150 pages of it, it gets old.
One other thing, if you do read this account, you will understand how the Italians would not like this book to be published, they look like morons, trust me. Just by allowing the idea of Medieval Satanic Cults and high level cover ups to be entertained by law enforcement, let alone to acutally be reasons for indictments & arrests is embarrasing to say the least.

Being a busy and stressed Ph.D. student, I just wanted something fascinating to read other than science. This fit the bill and for my naturally analytical/problem-solving mind, it was perfect. I really like the presentation and hope that Spezi/Preston will collaborate again. Obviously the two are good friends and as all good friendships go, balance each other out in approach to the topic. This book is an interesting foray into the evil of the human mind and human pride. It will fascinate and but appaul all with a keen conscience. It should make us ponder the nature of pride within us all which we must over-come and how facing the truth can be sad and painful. Since the story is not over, I hope in this case the Italian Police will catch this derranged person.

As many other reviewers have commented, this true story reads like a good novel. It is a gripping, compelling tale with lots of twists.

One of the best things about the book is the background the authors provides on the city of Florence. Fascinating stuff!

The story of the crimes is important because it's the chronology of one of the most awful serial killers in history. But it's more than that. It's also the story of how the guilty party will likely never be brought to justice because of the ineptness of investigators and the Italian justice system.

The authors make it very clear who they believe is the Monster of Florence, and it's a convincing case. It would have been nice if the man had been arrested at the conclusion of the book, but this is the real world, not fiction, and as we all know it's not a perfect world.

I ordered it because it was on a list of BestSellers. I like to try things that I don't know if I'd pick off the shelf. I enjoyed the book, and it was different from what I usually read. It's great to step outside of the box. Don't get stuck always reading the same author.

What makes the story of a serial killer loose in the beautiful Tuscan countryside so thrilling is that it's all true. Writer Douglas Preston moved his family to Italy while doing research for a book. While there, he is put in contact with Mario Spezi, a journalist who tells him the story of The Monster of Florence, a serial killer who preys on young couples. But what becomes even more frightening than this homicidal madman, is the utter travesty that takes place in the hands of the Italian police and the judicial system. Crime scenes botched, lives ruined over false accusations, and allegations of Satanic cults, while the true killer, Spezi and Preston believe, still walks free. It's a baffling and unbelievable story.

Even as I sit here and write this review, I have to shake my head at the events chronicled by Douglas Preston. First off, I had NO idea that he'd gone through any of this. I came upon this book by accident. Normally I don't read non-fiction, but it came up on a recommendations list and after reading the book desription here on Amazon, I had to get the book right away. And I'm glad I did!

If Preston didn't tell me that this book was a true story, I would swear that he made it up. Not the crimes of the actual Monster of Florence, mind you, but how the police handled the case as well as the Italian Legal system. And this is all before the book even touches on what Preston and Spezi go through in the aftermath!

There's really nothing I can say (without spoilers of course) about the book that's not touched on by the Amazon description, but this truly is a case of the truth being much stranger than fiction. I understand that Italy's a different culture, but I'd always assumed them to be a fairly modern democracy. This book definetly teaches me otherwise. Never had I heard a tale of such ineptitude and abuse of power.

Really an amazing read. It reads like a murder mystery and that's what it is. It just happens to be a work of NON-fiction. I just couldn't put it down.

I liked the book. It is sometimes hard to follow--that makes the list of people at the beginning of the book more important. I wish there were more pictures of the victims and characters. It is tough, as they mention in the book, not to have a conclusion. It just kind of ends at a date.

This book started out well, but then it just rambled on and on, with a complex story that finally became almost impossible to untangle. It's a true story so can you really blame the author? No, but it's another example of truth being stranger than fiction!

Very interesting book. I am very familiar with the italian psyche and the book was true in all respects. Would be a little harder to understand if one is not familiar with the Italiens, particularly the authorities.
A very good and intersting read.

Preston puts his investigative reporter hat and presents a totally different genre of work as he delves into the story of serial killings in Florence Italy. The book is based on extensive interviews with Mario Spezi, the reporter that covered the serial killings for about 30 years. What makes it interesting is that the case was never actually solved and various individuals were arrested and some even convicted, then let go. In fact Spezi himself was arrested during the time.

People well versed in crime stories will cringe at the bungling that happens at the crime scenes and possible evidence is lost. It is amazing that this story went on for many years and there was virtually no coverage of it in the US.

Preston does an excellent job of weaving the tale almost like a novel and keeping the reader engaged throughout. He also gives and nice portrait as to the culture of Florence and how it differs from the rest of Italy.

The good story in this book ended around page 120. What followed were 200 pages of scattered thoughts, assumptions and an upleasant account of the author's struggle with the Italian judicial system.

Instead, I recommend 'Portrait of a Killer: Jack The Ripper - Case Closed' by Patricia Cornwell.

I knew when I started reading this book that there wasn't going to be a nice and tidy ending, pronouncing the killer, but it was still disappointing. The synopsis of the story implies that Douglas Preston was much more involved in the events reported in the story, but he doesn't even get to Italy until about 15 years after the last murder is committed. He's only implicated in the murder in a minor role, that was mostly because he stepped on some toes. I had a hard time finishing the book, it dragged on. I have to ask if this book would have been published in the U.S. if not for Mr. Preston putting his name on it and exaggerating his minor role. Otherwise, who in the US would really care about murders committed in Italy over 15 years ago??

All that aside, the descriptions of the incompetence of the local authorities and the village idiot type characters depicted did make the investigations of these tragic murders a complete farse. Unfortunately someone has gotten away with murder and the families of the victims will never see justice served. This would have made an excellent Vanity Fair article, but I don't think it should have been made into a book. There's probably a movie in the works, too. I don't know if Mr. Preston's other books are similar in quality to this one, and I don't intend to find out.

Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (7/08)

Author Douglas Preston, his wife Christine, and their two children Isaac and Aletheia, moved to Florence, Italy in the year 2000. As a journalist and a murder mystery author, Preston had the freedom to live wherever he wanted and it had always been a lifelong dream of his to move to Italy. They rented a farmhouse in the olive groves at the end of a dirt lane and he began research on his next novel. A friend of Preston's put him in contact with Mario Spezi (the co-author of this book), a crime reporter for over 20 years. Preston was interested in talking to Spezi because he wanted to learn more about Italian police procedure and murder investigation so that the novel that he was working on would be factually accurate.

It was this first meeting with Spezi that introduced Preston to the murders committed by "The Monster of Florence." Coincidentally, Preston's farmhouse happens to be right near the scene of one of the slayings. From the years of 1974-1985, fourteen young lovers were murdered while parked in the hills around Florence. Despite being the most expensive and longest running investigation in Italian history, the murderer has never been found. Spezi shares with Preston the information that he has about the crimes and takes him around to the murder sites. They dig to try to uncover the truth but their probing may lead to more than they bargained for.

One of the things that surprised me most was that the story of "The Monster of Florence" was pretty much unknown in the United States, especially considering the fact that the FBI was involved in the investigation. It is also interesting to note that Spezi believes that Thomas Harris' character of Hannibal Lecter was based on "The Monster of Florence." In fact, Spezi even saw Harris at one of the trials taking notes.

I really enjoy true crime stories and found the story of "The Monster of Florence" to be very fascinating and intriguing. It was interesting to read how the original investigation into the murders was handled and learning about the missteps along the way. The writing in the book is definitely not for the faint of heart as the gruesome murders are described in great detail, but anyone who enjoys true crime stories will most surely enjoy this book

I first read about the so-called "monster of Florence" in the long New Yorker article by Douglas Preston. I found that the book is just a rehash of co-author Spezi's book about the subject and a longer digressive rehash of Preston's New Yorker article. Add to that the rehash of the Thomas Harris book "Hannibal" and you've got nothing much that's new. A waste of paper.

Fingering a serial murderer is a lot easier in Italy than capturing and convicting one in the Clockwork Orange Italian justice system. Corrupt judges and publicity seeking prosecutors bring cases for political reasons, engage in rampant wire taps, effecting searches, arrests and jailing of journalists, force trials and appeals which go on for decades; all are detailed in this personal expose' of Italian life beyond the rolling Tuscan landscapes, the Montepulciano red wine and the Bernini statuary. This book draws the reader in as a true crime story but suddenly morphs into a journalistic counter punch by the authors in defense of their actions in reporting the crimes. It sags midway through and bogs down as they explain alternate theories of the identity of the killers, expose satanic sects and rituals, detail their arrests and interrogations and recount long boring email communiqués from strange bloggers. The book is searing indictment of the Italian judicial system and the inability of the Italians as a people to build a stable democracy firmly based on an impartial rule of law.

There are two stories here and one theme based on a true story of a serial killer. A page turner until the Monster stopped killing and the unresolved mystery left this reader disappointed in spite of the dramatic events that take place in the author's story in the second half of the book. Much of the book is taken up with conjecture about the Monster's identity and ended not with a bang but a whimper. Good historical background on Florence and the Italian pysche but overwritten in parts. Still a very good yarn.