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This part could have been suspensful too, or perhaps - totally switching gears - played up in a farcical manner (highlighting the foibles of the Italian court system, Italian journalism, and even the Italian character). Instead, it just seems to meander around very confusingly. First off, a killer is loose in the beautiful and legendary countryside surrounding Florence, preying on young couples making love in their cars in hidden lovers' lanes. It would have taken someone with some real talent to put them together in one book. Perhaps the author was too close to it, or perhaps it could have used more work. Unfortunately, it just didn't happen here. A slant that focused less on the two authors and more on the system and the case would have been better.
Lots of great atmosphere, and excellent suspense. Without more work and some real focus, though, the second part simply detracts from the first, and could just have easily been dropped. The two themes really are quite different. This book sounded so promising. There are also some interesting characters, though probably too many to really keep track of.The second part, however, is a mess. Second, the investigation bogs down and two journalists (the authors) end up as suspects. Almost sounds like fiction, doesn't it.The first half, which focuses on the killings is actually quite good.
Great premise, but not ultimately delivered on.
The book I read almost in one sitting this summer while vacationing in Spain. As teenagers staying in desolate farmhouses on the beautyful Tuscan hills our immaginations used to run with this story to the point of sleepless nights. I remember when this was happening. As kids we used to spend the summers in Siena Italy where my father used to teach throughout the early 80's and I remember when the whole region was gripped by an almost crippling fear by these events. I found it truly fascinating and frightning not just relating to the horror of it, but just how screwy and beaurocratic the italian judicial system is.
The author works with a newspaper reporter who covered the cases to tell the stories of the killings and the investigation. The second story is how the investigation became a career springboard for ambitious prosecutors and judges and how that ambition got in the way of the truth. The Italian system of courts and the rights of the press are examined; both were abused by the prosecutors - with frightening results. The book is really two tales in one. The first deals with the serial killings that took place between 1968 and roughly 1985. A little disappointing in that we never do learn who the serial killer is, but very interesting reading about the investigation into Italy's "Jack the Ripper" and how strangely inept the Italian court system seems.
Reading about this case that I new nothing about was intriguing and compelling. This book definitely did not disappoint, and surpassed all my expectations. I have been on a reading kick the last couple of months. I have never been an enthusiastic reader so it is crucial that I find books that will hold my attention from start to finish. This is a must read for anyone who is a fan of murders mysteries, but also a dramatic true story of a serial killer in Florance that will have any reader flipping the pages to see what happens next.
Intrigued, he met the veteran Italian crime journalist who would become his collaborator on this book, and started to learn everything he could about the case. And with a series of killings stretching from 1968-85, there was a lot to learn. Common motivations such as jealousy and greed, when handled well, can be more than powerful enough to sustain a character or drive a plot. For example, if the police in a foreign country say that you have a right to have an interpreter and a lawyer present at your questioning, take them up on it).Ultimately, some readers may be somewhat frustrated by the lack of a clear "solution" or resolution to the crimes -- although the authors do point a very plausible finger at one man. Fortunately, Preston does a pretty good job of untangling the case and laying it out for the reader (albeit, with some repetitions).What many readers will find extremely interesting is the relatively insulated nature of the Italian justice system, and how in this case, insulation from external oversight led to some absolutely colossal failures of investigation, not to mention outright corruption. And some aspects of the situation aren't very well explained -- such as why the Italian media would sometimes have an insatiable appetite for anything relating to the case, and other times appear not care. Those with an interest in Italy may find some rather interesting insights into Italian national character along the way, such as the concept of saving face and the notion that it is vital to be "in the know" or "savvy" (which means not taking anything at surface value, no matter how plausible it may be).
The reason has far less to do with the killer's grisly trail of bodies, than it does with the crazy ins and outs of the investigation and how the authors end up on the wrong end of it all.Preston is a bestselling thriller writer who moved to Italy to research and write a novel revolving around great flood that struck Florence in 1966. Some of these characteristics are what lead to Preston and Spetzi becoming targets of the serial killer investigation, leading the entire story into Kafkaesque farce. (At times, Preston goes a little overboard in describing his own fear of being prosecuted, especially when some of problems are of his own making. As a rule, I don't care for serial killer books or films -- they just don't interest me the way "regular" crime stories do. By chance, he learned that an olive grove adjacent to the farmhouse he rented was the site of one of the crimes performed by a notorious serial killer. The twisted psychoses of serial killers just don't do it for me. That said, this nonfiction account of a real life serial killer in Italy, and the investigation that followed in his wake, makes for some very compelling reading.
Finally, at times, the ineptitude of the Italian cops and prosecutors is so extreme that it strains credulity Nonetheless, this remains a fascinating true crime book, and one that will severely tax any reader's romantic notions of Tuscany.
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