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Michele Ferrara #1
A Florentine Death
Chief Superintendent Michele Ferrara knows that the beautiful surface of his adopted city, Florence, hides dark undercurrents. When called in to investigate a series of brutal and apparently random murders, his intuition is confirmed. Distrusted by his superiors and pilloried by the media, Ferrara finds time running out as the questions pile up. Is there a connection between the murders and the threatening letters he has received? Are his old enemies, the Calabrian Mafia, involved? And what part is played by a beautiful young woman facing a heart-rending decision, a priest troubled by a secret from his past, and an American journalist fascinated by the darker side of life? Ferrara confronts the murky underbelly of Florence in an investigation that will put not only his career but also his life on the line.
360 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
83 people are currently reading
930 people want to read
About the author
Michele Giuttari
28 books83 followersMichele Giuttari is former head of the Florence Police Force (1995-2003), where he was responsible for re-opening the Monster of Florence case and jailing several key Mafia figures. He is now a special advisor to the interior minister in Rome, with a remit to monitor Mafia activity.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
December 28, 2008
This was a bit of a disappointment. Michele Giuttari has received some good press, and seems to be well regarded in Italy, but I didn't find much to like in this book - two dimensional characters, laboured plot development and rather uninspiring descriptions.
The narrative follows the progress of both the main detective character and the man he seeks. The upshot is that by the halfway point of the book the bulk of the plot has been either directly revealed or strongly implied. This can work if there is real tension, or if the characterisations and narrative are strong enough to hold the reader's interest on their own. Unfortunately that is not the case here, and I was strongly tempted to put the book down and not come back to it.
I persevered, and did find that things improved in the second half. Overall though a rather average crime/thriller novel. As far as Italian crime novels go, I by far prefer those of Andrea Camilleri, and with the wealth of crime genre fiction available I doubt I'll be returning to Michele Giuttari.
The narrative follows the progress of both the main detective character and the man he seeks. The upshot is that by the halfway point of the book the bulk of the plot has been either directly revealed or strongly implied. This can work if there is real tension, or if the characterisations and narrative are strong enough to hold the reader's interest on their own. Unfortunately that is not the case here, and I was strongly tempted to put the book down and not come back to it.
I persevered, and did find that things improved in the second half. Overall though a rather average crime/thriller novel. As far as Italian crime novels go, I by far prefer those of Andrea Camilleri, and with the wealth of crime genre fiction available I doubt I'll be returning to Michele Giuttari.
January 21, 2020
Author Michele Giuttari was for a time a top cop in Florence, and led investigations including that of the celebrated Monster of Florence serial killings. In his Afterword to this, his debut novel, Giuttari admits that his hero, a Florentine top cop called Michele Ferrara, is an idealized version of himself. This is a worthwhile admission since throughout the novel there are mentions of Ferrara having earlier investigated the Monster of Florence case, and indeed some justifications of the conclusions he came to -- whatever his damnfool detractors might say, sorta thing.
Now, though, Ferrara is investigating a series of mutilatory killings of gay men. Moreover, he's receiving threatening anonymous notes that seem to be from the killer. Oh, and there are clues in the mutilations perpetrated on the corpses that point to the killer's plan being for Ferrara himself to be the final victim of the diabolical scheme.
It become clear quite early on who the killer must be and, although I halfway convinced myself there might be a sudden twist at the end to show how cleverly the author had red-herringed me, it was not to be. So this isn't at all a whodunnit nor even a howdunnit: it must be judged as a whydunnit. And here I feel it doesn't really come up to scratch. While I could accept the killer's motivation for wanting to off Ferrara, the remainder of the psychological explanations offered for what underlay his crimes seemed trite or even a tad leaky.
Ferrara himself is not homophobic, and I assume the same is true of Giuttari. However, Giuttari doesn't flinch from portraying homophobia among the community of cops nor the prevalence of homophobia within Italian society as a whole. Fingers crossed that attitudes have improved there over the past fifteen years or so since the novel was published.
A lot of the characters here, Ferrara included, are not particularly likeable. To my distress, the one character I really liked a lot got bumped off toward the end. Although I was upset, I actually regarded it as to the book's credit: a timely reminder that in real life the victims of murderers aren't just people we don't know or, as so often presented in crime fiction, people who (ugh) "deserve what they get."
For me, then, A Florentine Death was very much a curate's egg of a book. Howard Curtis's translation was serviceable and kept the pages turning, although two or three times I was puzzled, as by this sentence (p305): "The main buildings, two semicircular blocks a short distance from each other, were longer the higher they went, like football terraces."
By the way, not so very long after the publication of A Florentine Death, the Italian courts concluded that in fact Michele Giuttari's theories in the Monster of Florence case -- they concerned a Satanic cult -- were bonkers, and he was publicly castigated. This does add a level of interest to the novel, because here we see, unadulterated, "Ferrara's" side of a lost cause.
Now, though, Ferrara is investigating a series of mutilatory killings of gay men. Moreover, he's receiving threatening anonymous notes that seem to be from the killer. Oh, and there are clues in the mutilations perpetrated on the corpses that point to the killer's plan being for Ferrara himself to be the final victim of the diabolical scheme.
It become clear quite early on who the killer must be and, although I halfway convinced myself there might be a sudden twist at the end to show how cleverly the author had red-herringed me, it was not to be. So this isn't at all a whodunnit nor even a howdunnit: it must be judged as a whydunnit. And here I feel it doesn't really come up to scratch. While I could accept the killer's motivation for wanting to off Ferrara, the remainder of the psychological explanations offered for what underlay his crimes seemed trite or even a tad leaky.
Ferrara himself is not homophobic, and I assume the same is true of Giuttari. However, Giuttari doesn't flinch from portraying homophobia among the community of cops nor the prevalence of homophobia within Italian society as a whole. Fingers crossed that attitudes have improved there over the past fifteen years or so since the novel was published.
A lot of the characters here, Ferrara included, are not particularly likeable. To my distress, the one character I really liked a lot got bumped off toward the end. Although I was upset, I actually regarded it as to the book's credit: a timely reminder that in real life the victims of murderers aren't just people we don't know or, as so often presented in crime fiction, people who (ugh) "deserve what they get."
For me, then, A Florentine Death was very much a curate's egg of a book. Howard Curtis's translation was serviceable and kept the pages turning, although two or three times I was puzzled, as by this sentence (p305): "The main buildings, two semicircular blocks a short distance from each other, were longer the higher they went, like football terraces."
By the way, not so very long after the publication of A Florentine Death, the Italian courts concluded that in fact Michele Giuttari's theories in the Monster of Florence case -- they concerned a Satanic cult -- were bonkers, and he was publicly castigated. This does add a level of interest to the novel, because here we see, unadulterated, "Ferrara's" side of a lost cause.
May 16, 2012
Here's what I thought: not so hot -- like a 2.4 rating.
In this novel, the focus is on the hunt for a serial killer, someone who not only murders his victims but also savagely mutilates them as well. Ferrara already has a number of crimes on his hands, but this one becomes personal as he begins to receive strange, anonymous letters that seem to imply that Ferrara is on the killer's list as well. The murderer also indicates that Ferrara will have to wait his turn until the end of the killing spree. Trying to find a connection between the victims eludes police, and a key witness who may hold all of the answers seems to have gone missing. As the investigation proceeds slowly and the public is clamoring for the police to solve these gruesome cases, a second storyline develops, in which a young grad student meets an American journalist who threatens to upset her relationship with her lover.
The best part of this mystery comes barreling at the reader toward the end when the link is finally revealed and things start to make sense, and the underlying motive turns out to be completely credible. However, in all honesty, I can't say that this book really did it for me as a whole. The story is just flat, number one, never really building up to much suspense as I waited for something to sink my teeth into that would carry me through to the end. The anti-gay focus bothered me, but not nearly as much as the unrealistic dialogue that occurs throughout the story. Take the rape scene in the middle of the novel, for example. The young grad student, Valentina, is in bed with her journalist boyfriend who forcibly sodomizes her after she screams for him to stop (and the author doesn't flinch in describing the pain she undergoes). While I've read multiple books where someone is victimized like this, here, after it's all over:
"When he came back from the bathroom, he was as white as a corpse.
He did not dare lie down next to her. He sat down on the bed, shamefaced.
Valentina was stilll crying. She didn't dare move, she was afraid it would hurt if she did.
'I ... I don't know what came over me. I swear to you. It was like...I don't know! I'm a monster, Valentina, a monster! How could I?'
She turned slowly towards him. Without saying a word, she gestured to him to lie down.
She placed a hand on his chest. 'It's possible,' she murmured, 'that I still love you.' "
A few sentences later, the author even has her thinking that she's proud of "having given him an erection." I mean, seriously? Really?
The mystery, rather than being "gripping" and "cleverly plotted" as noted in the back-cover blurb, was actually a bit clunky. Not too far into the book, it becomes obvious as to the "who," and the investigation meandered and became jumbled until the last few pages provided some order and cohesion. As a seasoned mystery/crime-fiction reader, waiting until the end for things to happen without periodic hooks in interest just doesn't do it for me. The sense of place is okay, perhaps not as well developed as I'd hoped, the characters are sort of one-dimensional, and the sex scenes seem to be there to ensure a wider range of readership rather than adding anything to the storyline. On a more personal level, I give the author kudos for his mention of The Necronomicon at the beginning of the novel, due to my extreme affection for all things HP Lovecraft.
I'd say give it a try but beware. It does have its fans -- the novel has garnered some 4-star ratings at Amazon, Goodreads and LibraryThing, so there are people who do think highly of this book. Since Giuttari's Black Rose of Florence is on my tbr list for this year's International Dagger, and since I have this compulsion to read an entire series to get to the newest book, I will be reading the rest of the Ferrara novels; my understanding is that the second installment is a bit better. Hopefully the problems I discovered in A Florentine Death will be chalked up to first novel issues; I have more of Giuttari's books sitting here waiting to be read.
In this novel, the focus is on the hunt for a serial killer, someone who not only murders his victims but also savagely mutilates them as well. Ferrara already has a number of crimes on his hands, but this one becomes personal as he begins to receive strange, anonymous letters that seem to imply that Ferrara is on the killer's list as well. The murderer also indicates that Ferrara will have to wait his turn until the end of the killing spree. Trying to find a connection between the victims eludes police, and a key witness who may hold all of the answers seems to have gone missing. As the investigation proceeds slowly and the public is clamoring for the police to solve these gruesome cases, a second storyline develops, in which a young grad student meets an American journalist who threatens to upset her relationship with her lover.
The best part of this mystery comes barreling at the reader toward the end when the link is finally revealed and things start to make sense, and the underlying motive turns out to be completely credible. However, in all honesty, I can't say that this book really did it for me as a whole. The story is just flat, number one, never really building up to much suspense as I waited for something to sink my teeth into that would carry me through to the end. The anti-gay focus bothered me, but not nearly as much as the unrealistic dialogue that occurs throughout the story. Take the rape scene in the middle of the novel, for example. The young grad student, Valentina, is in bed with her journalist boyfriend who forcibly sodomizes her after she screams for him to stop (and the author doesn't flinch in describing the pain she undergoes). While I've read multiple books where someone is victimized like this, here, after it's all over:
"When he came back from the bathroom, he was as white as a corpse.
He did not dare lie down next to her. He sat down on the bed, shamefaced.
Valentina was stilll crying. She didn't dare move, she was afraid it would hurt if she did.
'I ... I don't know what came over me. I swear to you. It was like...I don't know! I'm a monster, Valentina, a monster! How could I?'
She turned slowly towards him. Without saying a word, she gestured to him to lie down.
She placed a hand on his chest. 'It's possible,' she murmured, 'that I still love you.' "
A few sentences later, the author even has her thinking that she's proud of "having given him an erection." I mean, seriously? Really?
The mystery, rather than being "gripping" and "cleverly plotted" as noted in the back-cover blurb, was actually a bit clunky. Not too far into the book, it becomes obvious as to the "who," and the investigation meandered and became jumbled until the last few pages provided some order and cohesion. As a seasoned mystery/crime-fiction reader, waiting until the end for things to happen without periodic hooks in interest just doesn't do it for me. The sense of place is okay, perhaps not as well developed as I'd hoped, the characters are sort of one-dimensional, and the sex scenes seem to be there to ensure a wider range of readership rather than adding anything to the storyline. On a more personal level, I give the author kudos for his mention of The Necronomicon at the beginning of the novel, due to my extreme affection for all things HP Lovecraft.
I'd say give it a try but beware. It does have its fans -- the novel has garnered some 4-star ratings at Amazon, Goodreads and LibraryThing, so there are people who do think highly of this book. Since Giuttari's Black Rose of Florence is on my tbr list for this year's International Dagger, and since I have this compulsion to read an entire series to get to the newest book, I will be reading the rest of the Ferrara novels; my understanding is that the second installment is a bit better. Hopefully the problems I discovered in A Florentine Death will be chalked up to first novel issues; I have more of Giuttari's books sitting here waiting to be read.
March 31, 2011
This is a new author for me. He is an ex Chief Superintendent with the Italian police. He's worked in various places but was born Sicilian and ended his career in Florence. He has worked on both the anti-mafia and flying squads.
Obviously his inner, recent knowledge of the workings of what he writes about is a big bonus. What I can't figure out is how much is him and how much is his main character, Michele Ferrera. He states that Ferrera is the man he'd like to be. I get the impression, from his writings, that neither Giuttari or Ferrera suffer from a lack of ego.
I enjoyed this book. I literally flew through the pages. I have the next two in the series and I'm looking forward to them. I'm unsure of his attitude to women. One female character was introduced with only one adjective, attractive. Another was described as beautiful but I still have no idea what she actually looked like. The men's descriptions gave a much better picture of the characters.
This is the tale of a serial killer with some nice descriptions of Florence. A little look at the Catholic church and a mafia flirtation. Pretty much what I imagine when I think of Italy.
Obviously his inner, recent knowledge of the workings of what he writes about is a big bonus. What I can't figure out is how much is him and how much is his main character, Michele Ferrera. He states that Ferrera is the man he'd like to be. I get the impression, from his writings, that neither Giuttari or Ferrera suffer from a lack of ego.
I enjoyed this book. I literally flew through the pages. I have the next two in the series and I'm looking forward to them. I'm unsure of his attitude to women. One female character was introduced with only one adjective, attractive. Another was described as beautiful but I still have no idea what she actually looked like. The men's descriptions gave a much better picture of the characters.
This is the tale of a serial killer with some nice descriptions of Florence. A little look at the Catholic church and a mafia flirtation. Pretty much what I imagine when I think of Italy.
November 5, 2024
First half was a bit heavy going but ended up as a compelling, if slightly gruesome thriller. Glad I persevered
June 14, 2016
In Michele Guittari's A Florentine Death, the first installment in the Michele Ferrara Italian mystery series, this chilling mystery will give you an ice cold look on a ruthless serial killer. For Superintendent Ferrara, it all started with a gruesome murder in his adopted city of Florence. When they investigate the murder of the first victim, they learned more about him and his private life. As the body count began to pile up with more gruesome murders, he later learned about the sexual nature of the victims as he received death threats of his own. While he took charge of his squad, his superiors and the press aren't impressed with him. For Valentina Preti, she had feelings for Mike Ross, an American journalist, who worked on a story in Italy. But she had her own mixed up feelings for her friend and lover, Cinzia Roberti. As a relationship forms with Mike, she learns about the secretive nature of him, before it became too late for her. As Ferrara picked up the pieces of this serial hate crimes against gays, he delved into the killer's past and captures him on a manhunt across the country.
March 28, 2012
Giuttari's debut mystery introduces Chief Superintendent Michele Ferrarra of Florence's Squadra Mobile, or major crimes unit. Giuttari's characterization of Ferrara hits close t home, as he held the same position within the poilzei. Unlike Leon's Brunetti, Ferrara is given less to introspection and more to action, especially as he teases out the connections between the murders of two men, who on the surface have no connection whatsoever - except that religious artifacts are located at both crime scenes.
Giuttari deftly makes reference to the real-life Monster of Florence case while creating a wholly fictional - and believable - series of murders. Florence is less of a character, but the reader is never allowed to forget that she is the setting and a significant component of the novel. While the prose is often stiff, that's likely due to the translation and not Giuttari himself. (Have to read the original Italian to see for myself.)
Giuttari deftly makes reference to the real-life Monster of Florence case while creating a wholly fictional - and believable - series of murders. Florence is less of a character, but the reader is never allowed to forget that she is the setting and a significant component of the novel. While the prose is often stiff, that's likely due to the translation and not Giuttari himself. (Have to read the original Italian to see for myself.)
September 7, 2025
If there's one thing that's abundantly clear throughout this book, it's that this is a self-insert fanfiction of the author about his glorious career as a cop. The main character doesn't just share a name and a profession with the author, but even worked the same cases the author worked in real life, developing the same theories and fighting the same "conspiracies" (and appearing on the same tv shows!). At first, it's an amusing little gimmick but after 200 pages of references to a real life serial killer case (The Monster of Florence) the author worked on and became somewhat famous for, that is completely unrelated to the plot of the book, it becomes a bit tiring.
Aside from that, the plot is about as transparent as could be: within 50 pages and 1 murder it was obvious who the killer was, why he was committing the murders and how the book was going to end. Nothing in the murder plot surprised me whatsoever and the conclusion of the story was rushed in 30ish pages with not one but two (2!) deus ex machinas. Great writing all around (sarcasm).
What did keep surprising me over and over again, however, was the blatant misogyny and homophobia throughout the story. I know this book is 20+ years old, but come on. The author's strange obsessions with explicitly describing the sexual relationship between a lesbian couple (even when the characters are underage) made me uncomfortable every single time it was brought up. Not to mention he felt the constant need to emphasize how one of the women looked more or less prepubescent despite being almost 20 years old. And then of course they're horrifically and obscenely murdered.
Oh, and don't even get me started on how there is a very explicit SA scene in the middle of the book in which a woman is brutally anally raped by a man and then "feels proud about giving him an erection" and happily has vaginal sex with him moments later. I had to reread that paragraph a few times to realise the words were actually on the paper. Or the fact that the serial killer in the plot became gay because he was groomed by a priest, and gangraped by the priest's other victims who were also turned gay by their abuse.
In conclusion, the author is desperately trying to paint himself as a (fictional) hero and should probably talk to a therapist about his unresolved issues about his sexuality and his mother.
Aside from that, the plot is about as transparent as could be: within 50 pages and 1 murder it was obvious who the killer was, why he was committing the murders and how the book was going to end. Nothing in the murder plot surprised me whatsoever and the conclusion of the story was rushed in 30ish pages with not one but two (2!) deus ex machinas. Great writing all around (sarcasm).
What did keep surprising me over and over again, however, was the blatant misogyny and homophobia throughout the story. I know this book is 20+ years old, but come on. The author's strange obsessions with explicitly describing the sexual relationship between a lesbian couple (even when the characters are underage) made me uncomfortable every single time it was brought up. Not to mention he felt the constant need to emphasize how one of the women looked more or less prepubescent despite being almost 20 years old. And then of course they're horrifically and obscenely murdered.
Oh, and don't even get me started on how there is a very explicit SA scene in the middle of the book in which a woman is brutally anally raped by a man and then "feels proud about giving him an erection" and happily has vaginal sex with him moments later. I had to reread that paragraph a few times to realise the words were actually on the paper. Or the fact that the serial killer in the plot became gay because he was groomed by a priest, and gangraped by the priest's other victims who were also turned gay by their abuse.
In conclusion, the author is desperately trying to paint himself as a (fictional) hero and should probably talk to a therapist about his unresolved issues about his sexuality and his mother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2021
I got as far as page 189 and abandoned this book. Why?
Because shortly before I reached this point, there was a scene where the young American man (with the very manly American name of "Mike Ross," who the protagonist, a young entitled rich girl, thought was gay, rapes her in a non-missionary position, let's just say. She tries to protest, endures it, then goes to sleep (with him). Later, he indicates a more conventional interest in engaging sexually with her. In a totally cloying, kittenish way, she eagerly cooperates.
Not since reading Ayn Rand novels in the 1970s have I read of a more disgusting acquiescence of a woman in her own rape.
This is an Italian writer, translated by, presumably, an American translator. I had hoped that Michele Giuttieri's novels might follow the tradition of Michael Dibden's ZEN, or Donna Leon's Inspector whatever his name is.
Giuttieri's detective Ferrara does have in common with Leon's sleuth the fact that he has an adoring wife who cooks luscious Italian dishes when he comes home for lunch. While I don't have a lot of use for detectives who have wives (hardly in the hard-boiled detective tradition!), I am okay with the descriptions of Italian food. Call me superficial, but whatever it takes to get through this book.
However, Giuttieri also has what I would consider a prurient interest (at least in this novel) with what he calls "homosexuals." Two of the victims are gay; the protagonist is a lesbian, and her "friend" (the rapist) is a self-hating closeted gay. It seems to me that the author finds a bit of frisson in these matters, unlike, say Sara Paretsky, who takes gay people right in stride and does not portray them with horns or a tail.
I think that since this book was published in 2005, perhaps the author was still stuck in his macho hetero mindset and possible Italian publishing had not caught up with the evolution of consciousness yet.
Regardless, the protagonist's eager leap to overlook the rape was a deal breaker. I do not expect to give this author a second chance.
Because shortly before I reached this point, there was a scene where the young American man (with the very manly American name of "Mike Ross," who the protagonist, a young entitled rich girl, thought was gay, rapes her in a non-missionary position, let's just say. She tries to protest, endures it, then goes to sleep (with him). Later, he indicates a more conventional interest in engaging sexually with her. In a totally cloying, kittenish way, she eagerly cooperates.
Not since reading Ayn Rand novels in the 1970s have I read of a more disgusting acquiescence of a woman in her own rape.
This is an Italian writer, translated by, presumably, an American translator. I had hoped that Michele Giuttieri's novels might follow the tradition of Michael Dibden's ZEN, or Donna Leon's Inspector whatever his name is.
Giuttieri's detective Ferrara does have in common with Leon's sleuth the fact that he has an adoring wife who cooks luscious Italian dishes when he comes home for lunch. While I don't have a lot of use for detectives who have wives (hardly in the hard-boiled detective tradition!), I am okay with the descriptions of Italian food. Call me superficial, but whatever it takes to get through this book.
However, Giuttieri also has what I would consider a prurient interest (at least in this novel) with what he calls "homosexuals." Two of the victims are gay; the protagonist is a lesbian, and her "friend" (the rapist) is a self-hating closeted gay. It seems to me that the author finds a bit of frisson in these matters, unlike, say Sara Paretsky, who takes gay people right in stride and does not portray them with horns or a tail.
I think that since this book was published in 2005, perhaps the author was still stuck in his macho hetero mindset and possible Italian publishing had not caught up with the evolution of consciousness yet.
Regardless, the protagonist's eager leap to overlook the rape was a deal breaker. I do not expect to give this author a second chance.
March 7, 2023
Ένα κλασικό αστυνομικό με φόντο τη Φλωρεντία. Ο αρχηγος της Άμεσης Δράσης Φλωρεντίας, ο Γάτος προσπαθεί να λύσει μια σειρά από εγκλήματα που μοιάζουν να συνδέονται αλλά όχι ξεκάθαρα. Οι γραμμές ανάμεσα στο προσωπικό και το επαγγελματικό μπλέκονται και ο Μικελε Φεράρα θέλει να αποδείξει ότι δεν έχει χάσει τη γατίσια του εξυπνάδα.
May 2, 2023
Hard 3, soft 4
7/10
7/10
June 23, 2020
Nice easy reading book, easy to follow I enjoyed this read.
November 13, 2025
Sadly not quite as good as his other novels.
December 14, 2019
Overall I didn't really enjoy this book. While I feel some things may have been lost in translation, this was not especially well-written. Characters were mainly two-dimensional, except for the near perfect Michele Ferrara (also the author's first name), a famous police inspector whom everyone praises. I don't think he especially cares for women as his characters are either Madonnas or whores, or gays who are *SPOILER ALERT the victims here in brutal killings. To know that the author was a real life inspector (excuse me if I name the incorrect rank; he's very particular about that in the book) who was criticized for his handling and wild theories about the "Monster of Florence" case makes a lot of sense with his chief character's actions and attitudes. Michele Ferrara just came off as arrogant to me. I will stick with Maurizio De Giovani's books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2017
Πρόσφατα έπεσα πάνω σε αυτή τη λίστα http://giannaki.com/travel1/ και αποφάσισα τα guilty pleasures/ commuting διαλείμματά μου να αποτελούνται από τα βιβλία της. *ΦΥΣΙΚΑ* και θα ξεκινούσα από την Ιταλία. Λιγότερο αγωνιώδες και περισσότερο ακριβές στο procedural (ο συγγραφέας ήταν αρχηγός της Ιταλικής αστυνομίας, ή όπως είναι οι βαθμοί και τα τμήματα στα ελληνικά, δεν ξέρω), κατά βάση πειστική πλοκή, δομή κατά την οποία αποκαλύπτεται σχετικά νωρίς η ταυτότητα του δολοφόνου και μετά ξεκινάει η αναζήτηση για το "γιατί", all star cast στο μυαλό μου, πέρασα μια χαρά τις μέρες απεργίας του μετρό. Εχει αδυναμίες και το μεγαλύτερο και πιο αγαπημένο κλισέ όλων των αστυνομικών σειρών: στο πρώτο μυθιστόρημα ο Αστυνομικός έχει προσωπική εμπλοκή στο κίνητρο των δολοφoνιών. Ευχαρίστως, θα διάβαζα και τα υπόλοιπα, στα οποία κατά γενική ομολογία η πένα του Giuttari βελτιώνεται. Η Φλωρεντία δεν αποδεικνύεται χαρακτήρας όπως έλπιζα από την αρχή, αλλά είναι εκεί και είναι υπέροχη.
September 22, 2012
I read a large number of mystery books set in other countries: France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and so on. For the most part this means I'm always reading translations. The best translations make you forget they are translations at all. These are rare. A FLORENTINE DEATH is a pedestrain translation. There are even a few glaring grammatical errors, suggesting that English might not be the first language of the translator. When I compare Michele Guittari's character, Chief Superintendent Ferrara, to Martin Walker's Inspector Bruno, for instance, the French mysteries are hands down more alive, more informative, and more entertaining. Maybe it is the story itself; maybe something is lost in translation. The result is an okay book, but it is nothing special. Think of it as a house wine, good enough, but not memorable.
July 15, 2014
Enjoyed this: it's written by the former head of the Squadra Mobile in Florence, about a policeman who is the head of the Squadra Mobile and who even has the same first name as the author (he says he is not him, but rather what he would like to be). The Florence background is lovely, the police chief a man of action on the trail of a suspected serial killer. We have clues as to who he might be, and the tension is very well done - first the identity of the killer, then how it can be unravelled and what the motive can be (and what are the connections between the apparently randomly chosen victims). The thing this series really has going for it is that it is written by an insider, someone who if anyone does should know how the system works. Looking forward to more.
September 1, 2017
This is the first in the Michele Ferrara series and while I didn't find it as gripping as the other that I have read (which was the 7th in the series, oops) it was still a really good read and a pretty good effort for a debut novel. You can certainly see the raw talent for weaving a slow burning crime story in Giuttari's writing (admittedly that might be partly due to the fact that I have read one of his later novels so know what he is capable of). The story finds Ferrara dealing with a number of seemingly unconnected murders some of which may or may not be linked to the Calabrian Mafia. But as he delves deeper, he finds there is something far more sinister going on, something that shakes the local establishments to the core.
July 21, 2014
από τα πιο αγαπημένα μου
October 3, 2017
Maybe a harsh score, both as a debut genre novel, and based on a translation.
A proper serial killer novel, rather than a mystery or crime novel. I normally have an issue with such works, especially at a western European level when countries such as Sweden that have never had such a killer, somehow produces 1,000 works featuring sexually motivated predatory killers. It loses the usually moralistic element of crime fiction, and becomes voyeuristic schlock thrills. So I probably should not have picked this up. Florence has had the Monster of Florence, and the writer was the cop leading the investigation, so this kind of dumbed down version, it just felt weird to me, and exploitative to write about such a killer. And not truthful.
The slight antagonism between prosecutors, and carabineri, and police occasionally raised its head, there was the odd snippet about Calabresi involvement in antiques, that was all interesting. THAT is what we want to read from a true insider, the battles with Italian bureaucracy, with insidious organized crime, not the crapola of letters from a hyper intellectualized, unbelievable serial killer naffness. Children abused do NOT grow up that way.
A proper serial killer novel, rather than a mystery or crime novel. I normally have an issue with such works, especially at a western European level when countries such as Sweden that have never had such a killer, somehow produces 1,000 works featuring sexually motivated predatory killers. It loses the usually moralistic element of crime fiction, and becomes voyeuristic schlock thrills. So I probably should not have picked this up. Florence has had the Monster of Florence, and the writer was the cop leading the investigation, so this kind of dumbed down version, it just felt weird to me, and exploitative to write about such a killer. And not truthful.
The slight antagonism between prosecutors, and carabineri, and police occasionally raised its head, there was the odd snippet about Calabresi involvement in antiques, that was all interesting. THAT is what we want to read from a true insider, the battles with Italian bureaucracy, with insidious organized crime, not the crapola of letters from a hyper intellectualized, unbelievable serial killer naffness. Children abused do NOT grow up that way.
October 9, 2017
Guittari weaves an increasingly suspenseful tale of serial murder in modern Florence peppered with voyeuristic scenes of unnecessarily graphic sex. His writing shows enough promise that I'm willing to read a second book of his, but more than anything Giuttari's first novel served to increase my opinion of the wonderful Andrea Camilleri.
Though Camilleri, once past the first few pages of his first novel, settles into a lively, crisp, economical style, he manages much more evocative prose than Guitarri. The latter doesn't omit descriptions of the setting, but I found myself struggling to picture Florence. Ironically, despite the much more detailed (and wholly unnecessary to the plot) renditions of sometimes violent sex in Guitarri, his book has a much thinner sensuality and sense of the body than Camilleri's works. It's not that Camilleri's a prude -- far from it; he sometimes describes anatomical parts in more detail that Guitarri -- but his treatment of many similar interactions and acts shows far more respect for the reader. Camilleri never leaves you with the impression he sometimes yearn to moonlight as an erotica writer; Guitarri sometimes does.
Though Camilleri, once past the first few pages of his first novel, settles into a lively, crisp, economical style, he manages much more evocative prose than Guitarri. The latter doesn't omit descriptions of the setting, but I found myself struggling to picture Florence. Ironically, despite the much more detailed (and wholly unnecessary to the plot) renditions of sometimes violent sex in Guitarri, his book has a much thinner sensuality and sense of the body than Camilleri's works. It's not that Camilleri's a prude -- far from it; he sometimes describes anatomical parts in more detail that Guitarri -- but his treatment of many similar interactions and acts shows far more respect for the reader. Camilleri never leaves you with the impression he sometimes yearn to moonlight as an erotica writer; Guitarri sometimes does.
August 29, 2024
I do love Leon’s “Brunetti” and Camilleri’s “Montalbano” so thought I’d try another Italian detective, this time based in Florence. Not expecting him to stand up to this august company!
The difference being that author came with very relevant real world and contemporary experience. Thus expecting this to be accurate, but not the best told tale.
It started slowly (forgivable as it was the first in a new series) and then the gloves were off. It proved to be gripping, in a style I like (we learn almost separately about various people who are moved along in the story) and then WHAM! It had me hooked to the very last page.
With elements of Brunetti, a family man with faults, juggling the frequent conflicts of investigation with inevitable politics; and of Montalbano (the main character is also Sicilian and sometimes reckless).
However, what we get is someone who is his own man, a standalone character, different to both and also brilliant!
And did I mention that it’s based in Florence and surrounding Tuscany, with all the elements that brings?
Loved it. I already have the second book in my (short term) TBR (to go with all the TBR’s we all create as readers).
M :)
The difference being that author came with very relevant real world and contemporary experience. Thus expecting this to be accurate, but not the best told tale.
It started slowly (forgivable as it was the first in a new series) and then the gloves were off. It proved to be gripping, in a style I like (we learn almost separately about various people who are moved along in the story) and then WHAM! It had me hooked to the very last page.
With elements of Brunetti, a family man with faults, juggling the frequent conflicts of investigation with inevitable politics; and of Montalbano (the main character is also Sicilian and sometimes reckless).
However, what we get is someone who is his own man, a standalone character, different to both and also brilliant!
And did I mention that it’s based in Florence and surrounding Tuscany, with all the elements that brings?
Loved it. I already have the second book in my (short term) TBR (to go with all the TBR’s we all create as readers).
M :)
May 5, 2017
Read this for the book group I attend - so it chose me!
I have cooled towards detective fiction - too much, too many serial killers, too violent, too samey. So I was not full of high expectations. However, I enjoyed this not least because it has a good European setting and is neatly plotted. There is a slight touch of the Dan Brown's and some hints by the author of H P Lovecraft.
I always try to mark books within their genre - so it is an effective detective novel, well written ( as far as a translation allows judgement). However, I have some reservations. Most (but by no means all) of the violence is towards women. The key female characters are not especially well drawn and treated rather dismissively. There is an incident of sexual violence that I felt was uncomfortable in that it was far too easily accepted by the woman. The end is a bit over dramatic - without saying too much but monks and wolves!
I have cooled towards detective fiction - too much, too many serial killers, too violent, too samey. So I was not full of high expectations. However, I enjoyed this not least because it has a good European setting and is neatly plotted. There is a slight touch of the Dan Brown's and some hints by the author of H P Lovecraft.
I always try to mark books within their genre - so it is an effective detective novel, well written ( as far as a translation allows judgement). However, I have some reservations. Most (but by no means all) of the violence is towards women. The key female characters are not especially well drawn and treated rather dismissively. There is an incident of sexual violence that I felt was uncomfortable in that it was far too easily accepted by the woman. The end is a bit over dramatic - without saying too much but monks and wolves!
November 22, 2017
A new author for me, but it has to be said that this is an excellent start in writing for him. The procedures and policies of the Italian Police I believe to have been conveyed brilliantly, although I hasten to add my knowledge of them is fairly limited.
I did find myself confused at some points with the language and the way the novel had moved forward, but this might have been a lapse in conversation or a mere translation issue.
Nevertheless, I will be continuing with this series and that is purely based on the talent I can see coming forward in this novel.
The beauty of Florence is perfectly described and I’m a fan of the starting developments of our main characters.
I look forward to how the author will transfer his knowledge in to his later stories.
Another must for any crime series fans.
I did find myself confused at some points with the language and the way the novel had moved forward, but this might have been a lapse in conversation or a mere translation issue.
Nevertheless, I will be continuing with this series and that is purely based on the talent I can see coming forward in this novel.
The beauty of Florence is perfectly described and I’m a fan of the starting developments of our main characters.
I look forward to how the author will transfer his knowledge in to his later stories.
Another must for any crime series fans.
July 1, 2017
I bought this book at the Lawrence Kansas pubic library sale shelf and am delighted to have found not only a new author, but one that writes about Italy, the country that I love, and one that has several books out already! Howard Curtis' translation is excellent, right to the point, and keeps the intensity of the growing mystery high. It is fascinating to learn about the ins and outs of the Italian police system, its rivalry/relationships with other para-military para-police organizations, and of course it is fun to wander around Firenze in the course of this novel. The changing world of the Mafia, too, is part of the mystery and it is interesting to know how it is coping (or not) with the changing demography of Italy and the growth of international crime.
April 10, 2025
I picked this one up from our local bookstore because it had a sticker on it that said "crime story of the year". And for the first half of it I was rather disappointed. I read this in German, so maybe some elements were a bit lost in translation, but the language used seemed very basic, the charcater creation a bit bland and uninspired and the pacing was quite mixed as well. Funnily enough though, it got significantly better on all fronts in the second half, as the puzzle pieces began to click in and the way the story unfolds into its final revelations is really quite clever and rewarding, so if you can make it past the beginning, this will turn out to be quite a satisfying read after all...
June 18, 2019
Read this book while in Rome, Italy after having just been 4 days in Florence. First of all, you can tell the book is translated. Some verses/sayings were not quite right. Mostly I liked this. It added Italian charm and I loved the way this author describes the different settings and the people. Excellent writing. My only reason for giving a 4 and not a 5, is I felt unconcerned with the chase and finale. Earlier scenes had me sitting on the edge of my seat. But the actual ending I felt was anti-climatic.
After reading this I went out and bought a Tuscan Death by the same author. Not as good but I'll review it separately (if at all).
After reading this I went out and bought a Tuscan Death by the same author. Not as good but I'll review it separately (if at all).
September 19, 2022
todo el tiempo sentí que estaba leyendo una versión extendida de algún capitulo de la ley y el orden. entretenido hasta ahí, en el medio se puso muy denso y de repente mega morboso. lo leí en inglés para practicar y a veces medio que me mareaba con la mezcla de inglés e italiano. me parece que en el resumen vale la pena aclarar que los temas que giran alrededor del asesinato son: la homosexualidad, la iglesia y el arte. no me movilizó mucho ni me cambió la vida, para pasar el rato me parece ok pero no lo recomendaría. lo leí xq vino de arriba básicamente (lo regalaban en la biblioteca de la facu y me lo traje)
2 ½ ⭐⭐
2 ½ ⭐⭐
August 19, 2023
Fairly okay crime thriller so it was strange that the times noted the author as the ‘leading Italian crime writer’ . Perhaps in Italy but elsewhere they are others far better. The story is about a serial murderer who is killing men in Florence and intends to kill the chief of the police force - Ferrara Giuttari. I liked that it was set in Florence and to read the vivid descriptions of the city and customs. Story was a bit convoluted and strange. The fact that the killer was sorta revealed halfway through was a bit strange. The combination of religion and sodomy was disturbing but realistic. The book had a good ending so merited a 3 star.
April 8, 2018
Chief Superintendent Michele Ferrara is called out to investigate some very violent murders. As he follows the trail of what seems to be a serial killer of young men, he also has to deal with the political fallout of his last case.
Also tells the story of a woman who got in the way. Interesting that the most detailed sex scene was the lesbian sex – not the heterosexual relationship, nor the gay males, but the lesbians.
Pretty good police procedural. Negative marks because it seems like the author just threw in the lesbians for titillation factor.
Also tells the story of a woman who got in the way. Interesting that the most detailed sex scene was the lesbian sex – not the heterosexual relationship, nor the gay males, but the lesbians.
Pretty good police procedural. Negative marks because it seems like the author just threw in the lesbians for titillation factor.
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