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More copies of this ISBN:The Monster of Florence: A True Storyby Douglas J. Preston and Mario Spezi
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:In the nonfiction tradition of John Berendt (Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil) and Erik Larson (The Devil in the White City), New York Times bestselling author Douglas Preston presents a gripping account of crime and punishment in the lush hills surrounding Florence, Italy. In 2000, Douglas Preston fulfilled a dream to move his family to Italy. Then he discovered that the olive grove in front of their 14th century farmhouse had been the scene of the most infamous double-murders in Italian history, committed by a serial killer known as the Monster of Florence. Preston, intrigued, meets Italian investigative journalist Mario Spezi to learn more. This is the true story of their search for — and identification of — the man they believe committed the crimes, and their chilling interview with him. And then, in a strange twist of fate, Preston and Spezi themselves become targets of the police investigation. Preston has his phone tapped, is interrogated, and told to leave the country. Spezi fares worse: he is thrown into Italy's grim Capanne prison, accused of being the Monster of Florence himself. Like one of Preston's thrillers, The Monster Of Florence, tells a remarkable and harrowing story involving murder, mutilation, and suicide — and at the center of it, Preston and Spezi, caught in a bizarre prosecutorial vendetta. Review:"United in their obsession with a grisly Italian serial murder case almost three decades old, thriller writer Preston (coauthor, Brimstone) and Italian crime reporter Spezi seek to uncover the identity of the killer in this chilling true crime saga. From 1974 to 1985, seven pairs of lovers parked in their cars in secluded areas outside of Florence were gruesomely murdered. When Preston and his family moved into a farmhouse near the murder sites, he and Spezi began to snoop around, although witnesses had died and evidence was missing. With all of the chief suspects acquitted or released from prison on appeal, Preston and Spezi's sleuthing continued until ruthless prosecutors turned on the nosy pair, jailing Spezi and grilling Preston for obstructing justice. Only when Dateline NBC became involved in the maze of mutilated bodies and police miscues was the authors' hard work rewarded. This suspenseful procedural reveals much about the dogged writing team as well as the motives of the killers. Better than some overheated noir mysteries, this bit of real-life Florence bloodletting makes you sweat and think, and presses relentlessly on the nerves. (June 11)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.) Review:"Truth is truly stranger than fiction, as lives are destroyed, reputations are ruined, and evidence is manufactured to fit the suspect-of-the-month. Preston fans and true-crime fans are sure to be riveted." Library Journal Review:"A cautionary saga about how the criminal-justice system can spin out of control." Kirkus Reviews Review:"Preston knows how to load his storytelling with intriguing evidence and damning details. His feverish style keeps the reader turning with the hope of uncovering the killer's identity." USA Today Review:"[A] gripping tale, filled with shocking crimes, boldly drawn characters and the careening suspense of the ultimate whodunit." Dallas Morning News
VideoAbout the AuthorDouglas Preston worked for the American Museum of Natural History as managing editor of Curator magazine. He's also written articles for The New Yorker, Natural History, Travel & Leisure, Reader's Digest, National Geographic, Harper's, Smithsonian, and Atlantic. Mario Spezi is an Italian journalist who has been investigating the Monster of Florence case since the first murders in 1974. What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!
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