Review: The Monster Of Florence

The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was absolutely gripping.

I'm a fan of true crime books. Of course these days one can most likely read a wikipedia article about crimes and serial killers, etc, but there's a certain sort of enjoyment that comes from cracking open a book that takes the cold facts and presents them in a compelling way.

This book is one of those books. It tells the story of how the author comes to find that the peaceful little area of Italy he's moved to is actually the site of a vicious spate of crimes, a discovery that plunges him into an investigation that is both thrilling and dangerous. Over the span of seventeen years eight different couples had been brutally murdered during nighttime trysts, the violence so shocking that it left locals in a state of shock, dreading when the Monster of Florence would strike yet again.

The book doesn't just tell us about the murders, though. It's about much more than that. It delves into the Italian justice system, touching on corruption, power, and tendency of human nature to seize upon any explanation that tells us what we want to hear. The book covers a dizzying array of possible suspects and a convoluted trail of wild stories and accusations, and also touches on the importance of the freedom of the press.

This story isn't for those who are seeking a tidy, wrapped up story of a criminal and their comeuppance. But it is worth a read for anyone with a fascination for unresolved mysteries and the trials and tribulations of the justice system.

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