Helpful Score: 11
A captivating and topsy-turvy read. If you are into true crime books, this is for you. If you are into Italian history, this is for you. If you like the Renaissance, this is for you. The authors can't help but provide some interesting insights into Italian culture and history, which I loved, that help further promote the story itself. A very good read.
Helpful Score: 8
What you believe at first will set out just to tell the tale of a serial killer in Florence - ultimately becomes a glimpse into the unbelievably twisted official investigation on this case. Any dreams you have of retirement in Tuscany might be reconsidered after reading about the way the hunters (Preston & Spezi) become the hunted when they seem to be on to an answer...
Helpful Score: 8
Very intriguing present-day true crime story centered in Florence, Italy. Gives not only a detailed history of the crimes and its investigations, but a interesting look into the twisted activities of Italian law enforcement, politics, and their entire judicial system. The story is not just a description of the killings, or of the mastermind behind them, it is a story about the two authors of this book, and how they became personally & dangerously intertwined in the very story that they were researching. An excellent & very educational read!
Helpful Score: 6
This is the story of two writers who went on a quest to find the "Monster of Florence", a serial killer that specialized in young couples in Florence, Italy in the 1980's. It is a fascinating read, but beware, it is quite graphic in the horrible details of the crimes. This book haunted me for days. It's hard to wrap your head around the fact that the person who committed all of these crimes is still out there. I read the book very quickly (it is hard to put down), and then did more research online about the cases, just because I couldn't get it out of my head. Besides describing a gripping murder case, the book also gives you a fascinating glimpse into the dysfunctional Italian judiciary system. Highly recommended!
Helpful Score: 2
I thought this was an engrossing story with a smattering of Italian history and large doses showing the total ineptitude of the Italian police and justice system in trying to solve and identify "The Monster of Florence." The Monster committed a series of double murders from 1968 to 1985 that remain unsolved. Thomas Harris actually used some of the bizarre aspects of this case to develop his novel "Hannibal". The Italian police come up with some really absurd theories on the killings involving Satanic cults and rituals. They totally ignored profiling from the FBI and instead listened to a woman who ran a conspiracy website and her unfounded accusations. The authors, including both Spezi and Preston, while themselves trying to identify the killer, end up getting in the middle of the investigation and actually accused by the Italian police of being accessories to the crimes! This non-fiction story had more twists than many suspense novels. This also makes one thankful for the American justice system even with its many flaws.
