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trin's review against another edition
3.0
I wasn’t planning to read any more true crime for a while after freaking myself out so bad with [a: Ann Rule|9678|Ann Rule|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1609348043p2/9678.jpg]’s [b: The Stranger Beside Me|15654|The Stranger Beside Me Ted Bundy The Shocking Inside Story|Ann Rule|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1330072383l/15654._SY75_.jpg|1353958]. However, the hold I’d placed on this at the library chose now to come up. (The LAPL: conspiring to deny me sleep since 2000.) Luckily, this book isn’t as someone-is-going-to-kill-me-in-my-bed scary as that Ted Bundy tome. Yes, the crimes committed by Florence’s Monster—brutal slayings of couples parking in the Italian countryside—were horrific, but the true horror of this account involves the terrifyingly corrupt Italian legal system. Christ! This book made me pray that I am never busted for littering or jaywalking or, you know, looking kinda sketchy while in Italy, because you can apparently be held almost indefinitely without being charged, you can be picked up on trumped-up charges, and members of the police or the Italian-equivalent-DA’s office will ignore genuine evidence and let the real killer walk if doing so can result in career advancement. The kind of “believe the lie” political maneuvering depicted here reminded me way too much of the current election cycle here in America, and so reading this book stressed me out more than it freaked me out.
The story’s simply and clearly told, with (thankfully) very little time spent lingering over the gorier details. Preston does indulge in some weird [a: Thomas Harris|12455|Thomas Harris|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1602363825p2/12455.jpg] fanboying ([b: Hannibal|23807|The Silence of the Lambs (Hannibal Lecter, #2)|Thomas Harris|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565096163l/23807._SY75_.jpg|22533] drew from aspects of the Monster case and was set in Florence), and the narrative suffers from being very frustrating, as the case has never been resolved. In general, the book is at times quite compelling, but not exactly enjoyable: even when I was fascinated, I wanted to scream. That’s life, I guess. May I have a novel with a happy ending now, please?
The story’s simply and clearly told, with (thankfully) very little time spent lingering over the gorier details. Preston does indulge in some weird [a: Thomas Harris|12455|Thomas Harris|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1602363825p2/12455.jpg] fanboying ([b: Hannibal|23807|The Silence of the Lambs (Hannibal Lecter, #2)|Thomas Harris|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565096163l/23807._SY75_.jpg|22533] drew from aspects of the Monster case and was set in Florence), and the narrative suffers from being very frustrating, as the case has never been resolved. In general, the book is at times quite compelling, but not exactly enjoyable: even when I was fascinated, I wanted to scream. That’s life, I guess. May I have a novel with a happy ending now, please?
gracefullypunk's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure I'd liken this to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, or Devil in the White City -- it simply doesn't hold the attention same way. Of course, it's a bit more difficult when the killer's identity is unknown. In other words, if you're looking for insight into the mind of a killer, or even the response of a city, this isn't the book for you. But if you want to be astounded by the way Italy's judicial system "works", pick this one up.
jobustitch's review against another edition
4.0
I really only picked up this book because it was a true crime book, but was plesantly suprised at the slice of Italian life it portrayed. I found the glimpse into the Tuscan psyche really fascinating, even more fascinating than the crimes themselves. Well done!
mrs_tea's review against another edition
3.0
Im not much for true crime novels, but the Monster of Florence pulled me in.
angela_juniper's review against another edition
Tried to get into it… just too long and winding of a story. I wish it were edited down some and easier to follow.
honnari_hannya's review
4.0
It might be strange to call a book about a serial killer investigation fun, but the way Douglas Preston told this incredibly twisty story cannot be described in any other way.
Part-true crime, part-memoir, The Monster of Florence begins with an author's search for inspiration in order to write his latest crime novel, only to become a suspect in the very case he is investigating. It sounds so ridiculously tropey that it couldn't possibly be true, and yet!
This book was structured incredibly well: From the investigative journalism that lays out the history of the serial murders and the case for each suspect, which eventually converge upon Preston and his co-author/co-investigator, Mario Spezi. The book tells you upfront where these lines of inquiry end up, and so I kept trying to anticipate how the twists of this story would play out, almost as if I were reading a work of fiction.
Beyond that, this story is also an indictment against police corruption and the justice system, as well as the importance of free speech when it comes to sussing out the truth. Sadly, these seem to be opposed to one another more often than not1312, as Preston and Spezi can probably attest to after this experience.
Also super interesting to find out this case's connection to the Hannibal franchise! That was a delight.
Part-true crime, part-memoir, The Monster of Florence begins with an author's search for inspiration in order to write his latest crime novel, only to become a suspect in the very case he is investigating. It sounds so ridiculously tropey that it couldn't possibly be true, and yet!
This book was structured incredibly well: From the investigative journalism that lays out the history of the serial murders and the case for each suspect, which eventually converge upon Preston and his co-author/co-investigator, Mario Spezi. The book tells you upfront where these lines of inquiry end up, and so I kept trying to anticipate how the twists of this story would play out, almost as if I were reading a work of fiction.
Beyond that, this story is also an indictment against police corruption and the justice system, as well as the importance of free speech when it comes to sussing out the truth. Sadly, these seem to be opposed to one another more often than not
Also super interesting to find out this case's connection to the Hannibal franchise! That was a delight.
gmd316's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
3.0
I love douglas preston but this felt long and droning and could be hard to follow on audio.