The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston

The provided text is comprised of excerpts from Douglas Preston's book, The Monster of Florence, detailing the author's involvement with Italian journalist Mario Spezi while researching a notorious serial killer case. The narrative covers the history of the Monster of Florence killings, which involved seven double homicides between 1974 and 1985, and the subsequent lengthy and controversial investigation. A significant portion of the text focuses on Spezi's and Preston's independent research that challenged the official investigations, particularly the accusations against farmer Pietro Pacciani and the later theories involving a satanic sect and the death of Dr. Francesco Narducci. The excerpts culminate with the arrest and detention of Spezi by Italian authorities, who suspected him of obstructing justice and being connected to the Narducci murder, highlighting the personal and legal jeopardy the authors faced for their work.