Summary

In 2000, Douglas Preston moved his family to Florence, Italy, only to discover that their farmhouse had been the site of infamous double murders committed by the Monster of Florence. Intrigued, Preston teamed up with Italian investigative journalist Mario Spezi to uncover the truth. Their search led them to identify a man they believe committed the crimes, and they even conducted a chilling interview with him. However, their investigation took a dark turn when they became targets of the police themselves. Preston faced phone tapping, interrogations, and pressure to leave the country, while Spezi was imprisoned, accused of being the Monster. This true story delves into murder, mutilation, and suicide, with Preston and Spezi caught in a bizarre prosecutorial vendetta.

The Monster of Florence terrorized the Tuscan countryside between 1974 and 1985, claiming the lives of seven couples. Mario Spezi, a crime reporter for La Nazione, covered the case from the beginning, dubbing the killer "il Mostro di Firenze." The Monster's signature was a .22 Beretta pistol and Winchester series H bullets. The victims were always couples parked in secluded areas, and the female victims were mutilated postmortem. The police investigation was plagued by false leads, incompetent forensic work, and sensationalized media coverage.

Spezi's investigation led him to the 1968 murder of Barbara Locci and her lover, committed with the same gun used by the Monster. This opened up the Sardinian Trail, focusing on the Locci's husband and his Sardinian clan. Francesco Vinci, a lover of Barbara Locci, became the prime suspect and was arrested. However, the Monster struck again while Vinci was in jail. This led to the arrest of Stefano Mele's brother and brother-in-law as the "Double Monster." After another double homicide, suspicion fell on Salvatore Vinci, who was put on trial for the murder of his wife and acquitted. The Sardinian Trail investigation stalled, and Chief Inspector Ruggero Perugini shifted focus to Pietro Pacciani, a local farmer with a history of violence.

Pacciani's trial was a media circus, filled with dramatic outbursts and dubious evidence. Despite weak evidence and questionable witness testimony, he was convicted. However, the conviction was overturned on appeal, and Pacciani died before a retrial. Michele Giuttari took over the Monster investigation and developed a theory involving a satanic cult, based on the testimony of unreliable witnesses. He accused Francesco Calamandrei, the ex-pharmacist of San Casciano, and Francesco Narducci, a Perugian doctor who drowned in 1985, of being involved. The investigation became increasingly bizarre, with accusations of ritual murders and hidden masterminds.

Douglas Preston's involvement in the Monster case began when he moved to Florence in 2000. He learned about the murders from Spezi and they collaborated on an article for The New Yorker. They suspected Antonio Vinci, the son of Salvatore, of being the killer. However, the article was never published due to 9/11. Later, they decided to write a book about the case. Their investigation took a dark turn when Spezi's home was raided and he was accused of being the Monster. Preston was interrogated and threatened with arrest. Their book, Dolci Colline di Sangue, was published amid controversy. The Monster case remains unsolved, with no definitive answers and a trail of ruined lives.