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A review by honnari_hannya
The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston
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.