Netflix just dropped a new true-crime drama, and yes, the title is not clickbait. The Monster of Florence is pulled straight from a real, very messy, very infamous Italian case that still does not have a clean ending.
Short answer: it is based on a true story
The series tracks a string of murders that terrorized the Florence area from 1968 to 1985. The unidentified killer, nicknamed 'Il Mostro' (The Monster), stalked couples parked in secluded spots — the classic lovers' lane setup — and turned it into a nightmare fixture of local life for nearly two decades.
As reported at the time, investigators linked every murder to the same gun, and the brutality toward female victims in particular made the crimes even more chilling.
The real case, in plain English
It starts in 1968 with the killings of Barbara Locci and her lover, Antonio Lo Bianco. Locci's husband, Stefano Mele, was convicted, which you would think ends the story — except the murders kept happening while Mele was in prison. So, no, he was not the Monster.
Years later, police arrested Pietro Pacciani, another major suspect. He was eventually cleared. Three men believed to be his partners in the crimes were later convicted. And still, after all of that, the person behind the Monster legend was never definitively identified. It remains one of Italy's most disturbing unsolved cases — the kind that generated theories on top of theories and a lot of second-guessing.
What the show does with it
Created by Leonardo Fasoli and Stefano Sollima, the four-episode series sticks close to the investigation. It is based on Gianluca Monastra's book 'Il Mostro di Firenze' and tells the story through district attorney Silvia Della Monica, played by Liliana Bottone. In the show, Silvia starts with the murders of two teenagers, then realizes the threads run straight into the earlier killings.
From there, the series leans into the frustrating reality of the case: dead ends, bad tips, and people accused who do not fit. It is less about a neat solution and more about how impossible it became to find one.
Quick essentials
- Creators: Leonardo Fasoli and Stefano Sollima
- Source material: Gianluca Monastra's book 'Il Mostro di Firenze'
- Scope: Murders in and around Florence from 1968 to 1985
- Key detail: Investigators tied every killing to the same gun
- Lead: Liliana Bottone as district attorney Silvia Della Monica
- Also stars: Francesca Olia, Valentino Mannias, Giacomo Fadda, Antonio Tintis, Marco Bullitta
- Status: The Monster's true identity remains unknown
- Where to watch: All four episodes are streaming now on Netflix