Since reading The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston, it occurs to me that the real monster in question may well be the Italian justice system itself, which, at every turn, willfully fails to uphold its duty and administer justice. I first became aware of this very flawed judicial system during the Amanda Knox case (which Preston also talks about in this book) but I didn’t get to see the real inner “workings” of that system until I read Preston’s book. It was astounding, disgraceful, and actually embarrassing (a Satanic cult did it? Really?) the way Italian law enforcement deflected, denied, and overall abused its power in this case.
And that’s just the background. Front and center is the monster of Florence himself, who killed sixteen people between 1968 and 1985 in the province of Florence. In this true crime narrative, we see the crimes themselves which Preston pens, as always, with a deft and masterful hand. The style in which he narrates is journalism at its best; it manages to remain fair and objective – a true feat, given that both he and his friend, the Italian reporter Mario Spezi, were at one point named the Monster of Florence during the course of this very absurd “investigation.”
I’m glad Douglas Preston wrote this book. It not only sheds light on the heinous crimes and the political atmosphere that influenced the investigation, but it makes me glad that I live in America where I don’t have to worry about being legally accused of witchcraft and devil-worship for taking an interest in unsolved crimes. That, at least, is some form of justice.
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